Northward movement of small redfish

[J.A. Veil]

In most years, redfish can be caught in southern MD waters and along the lower eastern shore of MD and VA, as well as in states farther south. However, they are not commonly caught in Anne Arundel County waters. I caught my first ever Anne Arundel redfish in 2013 (several small ones in late summer). In 2014, I did not get any in AA County, but did catch a few larger ones in Eastern Bay. After that, I caught none north of St Marys County until 2020, when a few small reds moved into the Severn again.

This summer, I know of several anglers who have caught small reds (aka puppy drum) in Anne Arundel waters. I caught a small one in the Rhode River last month and hope to find one in the Severn before the summer ends. It hit a Bignose spinner in very shallow shaded waters while I was fishing for perch.

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In order to track the northward movement of redfish this year, I request that other Snaggedline members report their redfish catches in areas well north of southern MD or the lower MD eastern shore. If you are willing, please reply to this post giving date, general location (no details expected), length of the reds, and how many you caught. Feel free to note the lure or bait you used.

[dsaavedra]

Like you, I'm aware of many puppy drum catches north of their typical range this year. It's really fun and encouraging to see. Hope that means we're in for a couple strong years of slot-sized reds. Here are my redfish catches excluding SOMD catches, didn't measure any because they were small, largest was probably not even 12". Most if not all were caught on a beetle spin while perch fishing:

7/16/23 - 2 in main bay near Shady Side
7/18/23 - 2 in main bay near Rose Haven (friend on the water with me caught them, not me)
8/01/23 - 2 in West River

I've caught 12 in SOMD, which is an above average number for me despite being in their "usual" geographic range.

[UnkleRob2020]

Great idea John,

6/10/2023 - 2 slot reds (19") - Rob (1) and Arron (1) - West River near Galesville
7/29/2023 - 1 puppy - Arron - Eastern Bay

[J.A. Veil]

Thanks Dave and Rob. Keep the info flowing.

[Slough Sleigher]

John, I’m 100% onboard with reporting reds. Never caught one in Maryland. Being primarily a coastal Carolina fisherman the esteemed red drum beats out all other piscatorial quarry for me. I would love to target a local redfish fishery. Interested to see if my bag of tricks works in the Chester-Peake . Thanks for posting comments and a big thanks to those sharing their catch reports and locations. Getting tired of perch and ready to go hunting again while trying new waters.

[J.A. Veil]

The main reason I suggested this is that redfish are uncommon visitors in mid and upper bay waters. Even the small ones only show up every few years. This summer appears to have a farther northward migration of reds, and it is always fun to catch a new or unexpected species. I hope they continue moving northward while the waters remain salty and warm.

[Jman]

Caught one north of the Severn on 8/11/2023 that was about 12.5” on a gold Mepps spinner.

[dsaavedra]

2 more in the West River today, 12" and 13". That makes 24 catches for me so far this year, way above average. 2023 will go down as year of the redfish

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[Slobber Bob]

2023 will go down as year of the redfish

It should be a good indicator that you guys could get another good year in 2024 once this class of fish becomes slot sized. Maybe even into 2025 before they grow into over slot and join the adult population in bigger waters.

[JAR]

8/11 - Mouth of South River on a 4" DieZel Minnow
8/20 - Mouth of South River on a 4" jerk bait

[Pamlico]

In 2012 there was a really bad drought and they came all the way up to the Wilson Bridge.

[Slough Sleigher]

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Today, 8/24/23 Chesapeake Beach. Popping cork and live spot. Bait everywhere. A single throw of my small 4 foot cast net completely filled my XL Hobie live well .One to hand, 5 lost on retrieve- 2 of them at the kayak. Also even caught a little red in the cast net with a herring.

[inthegrass]

Cool thread! They're definitely a cyclical species. 2012 was a huge boom year and there were large numbers of yearling reds caught all the way up to New Jersey. There were 18,461 redfish tagged in the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program that year, a program record by a huge margin. The next year they didn't go as far North but there were large numbers of fish in the lower bay that had obviously grown up a bit.

Reds grow quick, as others have said these fish will be in the slot next year and upper/over slot by 2025. I've only tagged a few dozen this year but could easily do that in a day if I spent some time targeting them. Those little rat reds are thick as fleas in the creeks of the VA portion of the bay right now. Some overslots around too. If you like reds next year is gonna be fun.

[Pamlico]

The drum fishery has gone through crazy growth in the last few decades. When I first started chasing bulls (40"+ fish) from the surf about 20 years ago you had to put in tons of time and know what you were doing. If you were lucky you might get one or two release citations a season. But when VA and NC implemented a slot and drum got gamefish status in the early 2000's that's when the population went nuts.It's no longer unusual to run into a school of hundreds cruising the Chesapeake or to catch five or six a night from the surf during in October if you're on the right beaches at the right time. At least when it comes to drum, these are the good old days.

Now I'm itching to do a Slower Lower day trip and throw topwater...

[nhunter344]

09/09/2023 - 16 & 12.5" redfish in Kent Narrows caught on perch pounders.. Coupled up with a few keeper size speckled trout.