A “surge” of 12- to 14-inch bluefish has provided fast fishing action for Chesapeake Bay anglers. According to Captain Hank DeVito aboard the Afternoon Delight, big numbers of smaller bluefish is usually an indicator that there will be a strong run of Spanish mackerel, which Hank believes will develop in late July or early August. Bluefish and Spanish feed on the same small bait, and the presence of lots of bluefish probably means bait is plentiful and Spanish will show up to eat it. Bluefish and Spanish can be caught on trolled spoons and 2-ounce bucktails dressed with 6-inch green twister tails. Captain Hank also reported very good rockfish action at the gas docks for anglers livelining spot. In July, many of the rock were just under 18 inches, but they very well may grow just enough to reach keeper size this summer. Hardhead were caught in July by nighttime anglers, although Hank said by August hardhead can be more difficult to locate. Spot should remain plentiful into August, providing good bottom fishing action both for anglers hoping to catch larger spot to eat, and for fishermen targeting small spot, which will be livelined for stripers.

Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service reported “two good mid-bay bites.” Between the Bay Bridges and Brewerton Channel, Richie said rockfish have been holding on humps, lumps and oyster bars (Belvedere Shoal) that rise to 10 or 12 feet of the water’s surface, or they’ve been roaming in search of bait. When they’ve been roaming they’ve been within 12 feet of the water’s surface. The other bite has been between Breezy Point and the Calvert Cliffs power plant when quality stripers with bluefish mixed in have been roaming. Captain Richie recommends riding around until you find them on sonar, then stop and jig them with 6-inch Bass Kandy Delights in the albino color, and with Stingsilvers and other metal jigging spoons.

Lenny Rudow at Geared Up Publications reported plenty of 18- to 26-inch stripers, and a few big fish to 30 inches, at the Calvert Cliffs power plant in July. Good numbers of 16- to 20-inch flounder have also been caught.

Captain Sonney Forrest aboard the Fin-Finder reported exciting livelining action for rockfish at the gas docks. Anglers have been bottom fishing for small spot, then turning them into live bait for stripers. In addition to spot, small bluefish and hardhead have also been jumping on little pieces of bait fished on the bottom. In the mornings, breaking rockfish with bluefish mixed in have also provided action. Captain Sonney said there is lots of bait around and by August, many of the bluefish will have fattened up to 2-1/2 pounds. Sonney had the Fin-Finder in Virginia Beach last month where his anglers enjoyed fast spadefish action and hooked 40- to 70-pound cobia.

When I spoke with Captain Curtis Johns on the Karen Ray out of Crisfield last month, he said bottom fishing for croaker was “as good as it gets!” Anglers enjoyed limit catches “close to home” and he expects that hot croaker bite to continue well into August. Nice spot and decent numbers of kingfish (sand mullet) have also turned up on bottom rigs. Trolling planers and spoons has been producing bluefish action, especially at the Puppy Hole buoy on a hard ebb tide. It’s also been possible to catch bluefish two-at-a-time on top-and-bottom rigs. Captain Curtis told me he was also looking forward to good a Spanish mackerel bite in August.

In other Maryland fishing news, some stripers have been caught in the lower Susquehanna River near Port Deposit and Lapidum by anglers trolling surgical tube lures tipped with bloodworm, and by fishermen livelining small white perch. A little farther up the river, stripers have been caught in the boils just below Conowingo Dam. Andy Orr at AMO Tackle said anglers use long rods, often surf rods, and 2- to 4-ounce in-line sinkers to make the long casts necessary to reach the boils. Following the in-line sinker is a 24-inch leader and a small split-tail Bass Assassin, 1-inch twister tail or similar soft plastic bait on a 1/8-ounce jighead with a sturdy hook. Small Tony spoons cast below the dam will also trigger striper strikes.

Big largemouth bass have been caught in the grass on Susquehanna Flats near Havre de Grace and other locations on the upper Chesapeake Bay. George Acord at Susquehanna Fishing Tackle said bass have exploded on perch-colored swim baits, black buzzbaits and plastic frogs worked on top of the weeds.

In the Potomac River, the blue cat spawn ended last month and more and more 20- to 35-pound catfish were caught by anglers soaking cut gizzard shad and bluegills. Bigger blue cats to 40, 50 and even 60 pounds are expected to be caught this month and into September and October.