LEONARDTOWN, Md. — As autumn settles over Southern Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries are teeming with fishing opportunities, particularly for bluefish and rockfish, according to local expert Ken Lamb of The Tackle Box in Lexington Park. Anglers are reporting robust catches in the waters near St. Mary’s and Charles counties, with bluefish dominating the ship’s channel and rockfish thriving in the Potomac River. The season’s bounty, detailed in Lamb’s September 2025 report, underscores the region’s rich fishing heritage and draws both seasoned and novice anglers to the Patuxent and Potomac rivers.
Bluefish, known for their aggressive strikes, are abundant in the Chesapeake Bay, especially south of the Target Ship, a sunken World War II vessel off St. George Island used for bombing practice until the 1950s. Large bluefish, weighing up to 10 pounds, favor surgical eel lures in various colors, thriving in the deep waters of the ship’s channel between Point Lookout and the Virginia line. Smaller blues, ranging from 2 to 3 pounds, are concentrated at the mouth of the Patuxent River and in the Potomac as far north as the Route 301 bridge near Dahlgren, Virginia. These fish readily hit trolled spoons, with metal jigs and spoons preferred for their durability against the blues’ razor-sharp teeth. Surface-feeding schools, visible when breaking the water, will strike nearly any lure, with topwater plugs offering thrilling action as fish “smash and grab,” Lamb noted.
Rockfish, or striped bass, are another highlight, particularly in the Potomac River around St. Clements Island, Breton Bay, Swan Point, Dahlgren, and Ragged Point. Trollers using bucktails, spoons, and umbrella rigs are finding success, especially in deeper channels where rockfish congregate. Anglers casting near structures like docks or riprap in the Potomac and Patuxent are landing slot-sized rockfish—those between 19 and 31 inches—during morning and evening hours. Topwater lures are currently the go-to choice, delivering heart-pounding strikes in shallow waters near Solomons and Point Lookout. Maryland’s rockfish regulations, tightened in 2024 to protect stocks, limit keepers to one per angler per day within the slot, with a minimum size of 19 inches in the Chesapeake Bay through December 10, 2025.
White perch fishing, a Southern Maryland staple, remains below average, Lamb reported. His recent outing in a Patuxent River creek yielded just enough perch for a modest dinner. Experimenting with a sabiki rig tipped with bloodworm bits, Lamb targeted shallow waters and caught numerous tiny spot, a common baitfish. Moving closer to the river’s mouth, he encountered an unexpected school of juvenile black drum, about 5 inches long, sporting distinctive black stripes resembling sheepshead. “This is the first time in 45 years of fishing that creek that I have encountered black drum there,” Lamb said, marveling at the discovery. The catch, which included small perch and spot, highlights the bay’s ecological diversity, a sentiment echoed by an old fisherman’s adage Lamb recalled: “There is a lot of water out there, and we just see the top of it.”
The presence of juvenile black drum in the Patuxent is notable, as the species typically spawns in deeper bay waters. Their appearance in shallow creeks suggests healthy recruitment, a positive sign for the Chesapeake’s ecosystem, which supports over 3,600 species. St. Mary’s County, with its 400 miles of shoreline, remains a fishing hub, drawing anglers to spots like Point Lookout State Park, where 1.2 million visitors fished or boated in 2024. The Potomac, shared with Charles County, offers similar allure, with public access at places like Mallows Bay, a National Marine Sanctuary known for its historic shipwrecks and thriving fish populations.
Local tackle shops, like The Tackle Box on Route 235, are seeing steady traffic as anglers gear up for fall runs. Lamb’s shop, a fixture since 1981, provides lures, bait, and advice tailored to Southern Maryland’s waters.
Lamb’s report underscores the Chesapeake Bay’s enduring appeal, with bluefish and rockfish driving excitement. While perch fishing lags, the unexpected black drum find hints at surprises beneath the surface. For Southern Marylanders, from Leonardtown to La Plata, the fall season promises prime fishing, connecting communities to their waterways and traditions.
