A Few Hours on the Bay

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Southern
Location: Chesapeake Bay

I met my friend Julian at the parking lot of our local library at 6:30. We then headed to his boat and to meet up with our friend Tim and his buddy Mike. We got a late start but no matter. I caught a 19� rockfish and a bluefish off the boat while we waited.

Then as we left the harbor we spotted birds feeding near the Thomas Johnson Bridge. We stopped and caught numerous small rockfish and I caught another bluefish. Due to all the small fish we moved along.

We then went out into the bay. Heading to the Eastern shore, north of buoy 76, looking for birds and feeding fish. Seeing no birds we started looking for bait. As we traveled north there was talk of heading to the Sharps Island light. But, we spotted some activity on menhaden. I then took a cast with a 1oz jig with a 7� plastic, then another cast, I hooked up in 25� of water, and fish took a run. With the fish pulling drag I turned to Julian. I asked that he pursue the fish. I was in the bow of the boat as we moved towards the fish, I quickly picked up line and brought the it closer to the boat. We had the fish boat side, a 45� red drum, and landed it within 10 mins. What a ride! The fish was released unharmed after a few photos.

We then continued searching for additional red drum but, no luck. So we headed north to Sharps Island light looking for speckled trout. There we found basically a desert. Except for a 21� caught by Tim.

We started back, due to the pending rain. We stopped at the CCNPP discharge. There we only found very small rockfish. We called it and headed back, as the rain intensified. It was a great day on the bay.