In Hot Pursuit of Big Macs
By Captain Bob Reed

August and September are excellent months to fire up your engines and run after the fast moving Spanish mackerel and bluefish in the mid Chesapeake. The challenge here is the hunt. Both of these species are fun to catch and excellent to eat.

Seek them out on the drop offs on the western side of the bay and up in the Potomac. Usually we start hearing reports about the first Spanish being caught in the Windmill Point area. This year it happened by mid July and I expect an excellent year with the high water salinity. You do not have to see surface action to find these critters but it surely helps. Work the edges from 25 to 35 feet. Troll fast north and south along sharp drops and stay in an area when you get a hookup. Windmill bar is a good place to start. If you don’t find them there move out to R-1 and R-2. Try the 22 to 25 foot break along the front of Indian Creek. Moving north look at the slough outside of Dividing Creek. Continue up past the asphalt pile reef and work the edge where it drops from 31 to 41 feet. Work this edge all the way up and across the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. Troll along the crab pots up towards Smith Point light. Troll around the light and on the south side of the bar along the 31’ couture, the outside of the light along the 38-43 foot line and up into the Potomac at the edge of the bar. Move further up in the Potomac working the edges from #3 to #7. Moving back out of the river work the Point Look area and look for fish all along the western shore to the Patuxent River. Use this same pattern of working along bars and drop-offs on the Eastern side of the channel. The sunken island on the east side of 72A can be a hot area as is the 21’ to 25’ foot edge south of the American Mariner. Working south try the inside of the northern neck reef and over to Tangiers red nun #2.

These fish are feeding heavily on silver sided bay anchovies and are driving the bait up against the bars. You may see this bait flipping out of the water or birds diving on the baitfish. Pursue these feeding fish aggressively and you will hook up! Once you find the feeding fish continue to work the area. Set out your long lines first and adjust your line length to the depth. Use a #1 planer or 3 ounce in line weight back about 75’ to 100’. Troll a #2 planer or 12 ounce inline from 30’ to 45’. Troll as fast as you can and still keep your planers in the water. Deploy 2 to 4 rods. If you try to use too many rods you’ll waste time untangling your lines when the fish attack.

Just about any flashy small spoon that simulates the silver side will work. Favorites are the Clark spoon, the small drone spoons in red, green and gold flash. Use an 18’ 25# leader with a barrel swivel about a third of the way up from the lure. If you are hooking a mostly bluefish switch to red, green and yellow hoses. The jumping blues will stay hooked better on the hoses.

When you get hooked up wind the fish in as quickly and as smoothly as you can. Lots of fish are lost by over excited anglers who are jerking on the rod. Use fast tip rods to get more fish to the boat. Heavy rockfish trolling rods do not work well on these fast moving and erratic fish.

Chasing the 2 to 4 pound blues and Spanish is exciting sport! Be safe and courteous in your pursuit. These fish are on the move so find your own fish, catch them up and head back!