6/30/2017 Update:
Sea Hawk Sports Center let us know that speckled trout fishing in the Tangier Sound has been consistent, however, as water temperatures continue to rise it is expected to taper off. Specks have been in shallow waters around rock piles and other structure, as well as up on the flats. There are also plenty of (mostly throwback) stripers mixed in at these same areas. Try casting five and six inch soft plastics in pink, chartreuse, and white, on quarter- to half-ounce jig heads. There's also some action casting topwater, but mostly limited to dawn and dusk.
Kingfish have been biting strong and steady for bottom fishermen, who are also catching some spot and croaker. Flounder are now a part of the mix, too. Anglers targeting flatfish in specific are having some luck on drop-offs and edges from 12 to 24 feet, by jigging bucktails tipped with GULP jerk shad and twisters. The standard squid-minnow combination accounts for a few fish, too.
Lower parts of the sound are holding cobia, and most anglers catching them have been chumming with bunker. Some bluefish have also showed up in the chum slicks. Sight casting for the cobia is possible, but difficult unless their numbers increase.
Crabbing in the sound has almost been better than the fishing, with many watermen coming home with bushel baskets full. Crabs are throughout the sound, mainly in water between five and eight feet.
6/23/2017 Update:
Smallish rockfish and decent speckled sea trout are still the main game in the Tangier. Anglers casting to marsh island edges and stump fields are doing best with four to five inch soft plastics. A few flounder are also showing up in the catch these days, a great bonus for the cooler.
In the open sound bottom fish are beginning to make their presence known. Which not exactly red-hot, croaker, spot, and an occasional flounder are making it possible to cobble together a nice catch. Small blues are also making their presence known in the Sound, mostly for trollers pulling spoons.
On top of that we've heard the first (unconfirmed) report of some new species in the sound - there are supposedly some small weakfish in the area. Although we're currently limited to a single fish per person, fingers are crossed that this fishery sees a rebound in the near future. A small cobia was also allegedly caught in the waters where the Tangier and Pocomoke meet, though again, we haven't found a second source for solid confirmation.
Captain Chris Karwacki of Chesapeake on the Fly reported that many of the trout have moved to summer haunts including rock piles, which he said is a good indication that they'll stick around into the fall. He also notes he's hanging a new F200 on the transom of his Jones Brothers 23, so charter clients can expect a speedier ride to the hotspots!
6/16/2017 Update:
Captain Chris Karwacki reports that fishing in the Tangier Sound has been steady and good this week. Many undersized rockfish are being caught, most between 16 and 19 inches, but there are decent amounts of speckled trout in the Sound as well. Karwacki advised that it may take some time and you may need to cover some ground before finding the specks, but it pays off. He said to look for clean water, and to work the edges of grass flats. Also keep an eye out for structure in shallow water, such as marsh banks and submerged tree stumps.
Bottom fishermen in the Sound have discovered some croaker and some flounder are still mixed in the catch. In the rivers, white perch are also around in good numbers. Bloodworms are a top bait choice for all of these species but those who want to target flounder in specific should try minnow on a fluke killer rig, or jig with GULP! along drop-offs from 10 to 25 feet. Kedges Straits and the drop-offs off Janes Island have both been mentioned as good bets for flounder, as well as farther south in the Pocomoke.
Crabbing has been good as well, with many crabs in the Sound. Most watermen are using bunker as bait, and on trotlines, bags of razor clam.
6/9/2017 Update:
The fishing for both speckled sea trout and rockfish (though most of the stripers have been relatively small) has been holding up around the marsh island cuts and points, and along the mainland shorelines. Gotchas, Bass Assassins, BKDs, and similar plastic jigs have been getting strikes but the best producer has still bee chunks of peeler crab. Although this is tough as rays are now in town, anglers putting up with the false alarms have overall still been catching more fish.
Bottom fishermen are still catching some croaker on bloodworm and peeler crab bits but anglers in the Sound now have another target to go for, too, as flounder have arrived - and in decent numbers. Drifting minnow or minnow and squid on Fluke Killers in white, chartreuse, and yellow has been a top tactic. GULP baits have also been taking many of the flatfish, both jigged and drifted on Fluke Killers in place of the minnow. White, chartreuse, and pink have been top producing colors.
6/2/2017 Update:
Sea Hawk Sport Center says that speckled trout are starting to show up in better numbers, and despite the relatively cool water there have been multiple reports of good days. This fishery should really pick up as soon as we have some consistent sunshine and warmer weather. Drifting soft crab at the mouths of the tidal creeks seems to have been the most effective tactic to date, but now that rays are around it’s tough to fish with bait. Using a white GULP mullet will work great, and will allow you to forget about those rays. Also work the points, holes, and stump-fields around the Sound’s islands, with similar four- and five-inch soft plastics in chartreuse, white, and pink, to get in on the specks. Smith, Bloodsworth, Spring, and Fox Islands have all been good places to try.
Stripers are also throughout the Tangier in good numbers, especially up against the shorelines of the marsh islands. Unfortunately, however, most are sub-legal. A few puppy drum have popped up too, but just a few. Hopefully more will arrive as the waters warm up a bit more. Croaker are starting to show up as well, mostly caught on bloodworm fished on the bottom.