Chalk Board
Looking for Chesapeake Bay fishing? Try Downs Park, lots of bay shoreline and more for the entire family. Fishbones is on the right before the park. Please stop by and get your ice, fresh bait, sinkers, hooks, line, swivels, snaps, charcoal, starting fluid, sunscreen and more.
Park Hours: 9 AM - Dusk, Closed Tuesdays
*Dont forget about Fishbones crab scent to help increase fish catches*
ROCKFISH -Spring Fishing- These fish are migratory, they live off the coast of New England in the summer and fall. In late fall, usually November and December, they make there way down the coast and winter off the coast of North Carolina. As our waters warm up in March and April they will make there way up the Chesapeake to splawn. At about 52 degrees they will spawn and make there way back down the bay. These big spawners will take the natural channels (our shipping channels are built on these natural channels' so for the most part our prime areas are marked off for us by the channel markers). Spring fish are now leaving the bay by way of the shipping channels. I call this type of fishing colision fishing because you must almost hit them in the head with your lure or put it right in front of her face at this time of the year. The thermocline is approximately 15 feet below the surface, thats where most of the fish will be. The channels run pretty much north / south and the best presentation is always east to west so therefore we want to zigzag our way up and down the channels, with our lures from 15 feet to the surface. Always run two deep lines to entice the fish you have spooked with the noise and commotion of the boat. With the exception of the two deep lines most lures should be up and away from the boat. That is why planner boards and china lines work so well because of the quiet water. Use big baits, bucktails, parachutes, big spoons and umbrella rigs. The alewifes they are feeding on are huge this time of year because they are also here to spawn.
Summer Fishing- Chumming in the upper bay usually starts mid May to early June. June seems to be our best month for chumming. It is the most fun way to catch fish using light tackle. With lots of fish around you will have plenty of action. Do not be afraid to sling some chum. Ground alewife with menhaden oil frozen or grind it yourself with our great grinders. Put alwife or crab on the hook (size 3/0, 4/0, or 5/0.) and hang on! The more chum the more fish is usually the rule.
Fall Fishing- We will generally chum until late October, after that it is back to trolling using small bucktails now because the anchovies are here. Bottom bouncing is the way to go. We will elaborate more on this when the time comes. Sometimes in November we will see a few of the migratory fish which have followed the bait up.
SEATROUT - (weakfish) - Usually make there apperance in late summer and stay untill the rockfish leave in late fall. Best baits are crab, florida bait shrimp, squid, and alewife. Trout killer jigs, feather jigs, and small bucktails. Small hooks of about size 2/0 work best.
BLUEFISH - Summer months into mid-fall. Varacious feeders will take almost any bait, or lure. They love that chum line!
CHAIN PICKEREL - Found in the creeks and rivers during the cold months , fall through winter and into early spring. Cast the shoreline with small spinners, (yellow or green) or a shad dart and minnow.
WHITE PERCH - Nice catches reported in the creeks, rivers, and bay.crab, Bloodworms, grass shrimp or night crawlers a good choice. Spinner fishing a good choice for these guys also.
YELLOW PERCH - Scattered in the creeks and rivers. Minnows, bloodworms or night crawlers a good choice.
CATFISH - Bottom fish for these guys using minnows, worms, or your favotite concoction.
HARDHEADS (CROAKER) - Largest hardheads we have seen in years. These fish are concentrated on podickory point, love point, snake reef, and the mud. Best bait for catching is florida bait shrimp, blood worms, razor clams, peelers and soft crabs. The large ones will even take alewife in the chum line. We have seen hardheads up to 23" WOW!