Only Schoolies

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Southern
Location: Chesapeake Bay tributaries

We went looking for some keeper rockfish on Tuesday but we only found schoolies.

We started our search off Cedar Point at the mouth of the Patuxent River, chasing working birds. But only catching fish that were under. The average size fish were in the 17�-18� range. Not wanting to stress the small fish we spotted another group of birds working some distance off. We continued to use light tackle, casting 1/2oz bucktail jigs dressed with white paddle tails. Again only schoolies. There was another boat working the same school of fish, they were vertical jigging and catching small schoolies also.

We then headed to Hog Point, spotting a small group of birds we took a few casts and caught a few more fish but those were even smaller. We then headed up the Patuxent looking for fish past Point Patience. Seeing no working birds or fish on the sonar, we headed towards Mill Creek.

Once on Mill Creek we targeted fish off riprap points. Casting jigs across the points, we continued catching fish but those were schoolies as well. We wrapped up at 2pm with a total of 44 fish caught.