Impromptu Slower Lower 9/9

[Big Mike]

High tide at Piney Point is 5 AM, Irma won't be here yet and wind forecast looks good (shouldn't say it but I'm being bold). Sound like an opportunity to have another slower lower get together. Launch 6:15 at the Piney Point bridge ramp on Saturday, 9/9. Just about any and every species in the mid bay is a potential, stripers, reds, blues, flounder, trout, perch and I've even caught a Black Sea bass recently. Special bonus prize for any tarpon

[mojopod]

In

[Steve6902]

Do you guys troll, jig or sight cast this time of year. Thinking of going but trying to figure what to bring and how to rig.

[ronaultmtd]

Yes...Steve, we do...paddletails, XRaps, Poppers, Crystal Minnows...it is about the time of year I start "up-sizing" my lures, but we will see...transition time is all ways a tough time to figure the bite...transitioning from summer to fall...if there are breakers...sight casting to the breaking fish with metal and poppers...if not, trolling to find fish, or casting to sod banks searching for reds and specks..

[Big Mike]

The wind monster is playing with us on a Saturday. Fairly stiff breeze, but it is supposed to be out of the N-NE which generally makes the Potomac side of the island OK, as well as the "mainland" side of St George's Creek once you cross over. The more NE the better as far as direction. I would not encourage folks to come long distance to this because conditions may either confine us to a small area or worse, the shore.

[mchottie]

The wind monster is playing with us on a Saturday. Fairly stiff breeze, but it is supposed to be out of the N-NE which generally makes the Potomac side of the island OK, as well as the "mainland" side of St George's Creek once you cross over. The more NE the better as far as direction. I would not encourage folks to come long distance to this because conditions may either confine us to a small area or worse, the shore.

yeah, keep all those trophy rock & huge reds all to yourself

[Big Mike]

Oh how I wish we had trophy rock around. Keeper Stripers have been sparse the last 6 weeks, at least for the SMOG crew. Other species, OK, we've been doing fine.

[Steve6902]

Thanks for the intel Big Mike. I was looking to come down for some reds and spots, however I'll just catch you on the next trip.

[Big Mike]

Wind speeds looking better in the morning now. I prefished it today, breakers just outside bridge early with this one in the mix.


As soon as sun up they scattered, switched to Gulp and usual mix showed up on end of line.


Hope some slower lower folks can make it


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[Steve6902]

So Big Mike, are you recommending the long drive (3 hours) down for some, speckled and spots??

[ski357]

I won't be able to make it, but can also confirm that keeper stripper have been tough to come by recently. Was out yesterday evening and the best seen were two 19.5" and a couple of smaller ones. Nice trout Big Mike!

[Big Mike]

So Big Mike, are you recommending the long drive (3 hours) down for some, speckled and spots??

Boy that's a tough call. Definitely specks and reds are around and I guess it's a matter of how bad you want to catch them. If you come I'll Point you in the right direction and show you what we've been using. Do we catch them every trip, no. That would be the case no matter what the winds are. We get kind of spoiled having them in our back yard so I wouldn't drive 3 hours for them, but it might be reasonable to you since they aren't plentiful up north. How's that for a noncommittal answer.


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[Steve6902]

So how did it go?? Details please.

[Big Mike]

Lots of undersized stripers, I tried to manhandle a keeper into the boat and it self released, a couple small flounder and zero specks and zero reds. Four of us fished and the wind was tolerable until 9:30 or so. Everyday is different.

[summersoff]

I hit the area on Sunday with similar luck. Never been to the area before so take this report with a grain of salt. I caught a bunch of cocktail blues near the bridge, basically just copying what the boaters were doing. Fooled around the area basically getting my footing and checking depths. It's an absolutely beautiful place to yak around, just wish the fish were cooperating. Caught a couple small dink stripers and ray on a mirrorlure, go figure. They called for a decent wind but it was pretty close to a perfect day yaking from morning to noon, with little wind. I think it was northeast.
Overall, a great day, despite the marginal bite.
Hopefully next time I make one of these meet and greets.