Tacklecove Blog It's Not Over Till It's Over - And It's Not Over

After several months of excellent Fall fishing, we're in the homestretch of the Rockfish season. And the bite remains excellent in some areas - still time to land a few fish for the holidays Maryland Hot Spots - In recent weeks, the hotspot has been the lower Bay, from HI Buoy/Buoy 70 to Smith Point. Folks have been crushing Rockfish to 40 inches-trolling and jigging. This week the mouth of Potomac, from the R/W A buoy to Green Can #3, was red hot The mouth of the Choptank, the Gooses and across to Breezy Point and waters north to Annapolis have all been good for smaller Rockfish but you had to hunt to find keepers In the lower Bay, there are plenty of Pelicans, Gannets, and Gulls around to help you locate Rockfish, a few of which go to 40" but most are 25" to 32" or so In the middle Bay, the birds are up and down, so they aren't reliable. Better bet in these waters to hunt them down with the fishfinder. In the Upper Bay, locate Rockfish over structure In Virginia, the Striper bite at Plantation Flats and CBBT has improved by the day with Rock to 45 inches Chesapeake anglers are hopeful we'll get a push of the bigger migratory Rockfish before the season goes out on Dec. 20. The Virginia season ends Dec. 31 What to Jig Soft plastics-Anglers are running through all colors of soft plastics, with white being better this week, though glitter and albino produced too. Skirted or naked jig heads in two-tone colors from 3/4 to 2 ounces are working. BKD's, Bass Assassins, Z-Mans, Hogs, and Bust 'Em Baits all caught Metal Jigs-Stingsilvers, Specialized Baits Lil' Bunkers, Crippled Herrings in 3/4 to 3 oz. will catch when Rockfish are holding in deep waters and swift currents. Colors that are best this time of year are chrome/silver, chrome/chartreuse or chrome/pink Capt. Chris DollarCD OutdoorsOutdoor Writers Assoc. of America(410) 991-8468cdollar@cdollaroutdoors.comcdollaroutdoors.com