Lower Potomac - 10/10/11

[Coan Ranger]

A very disappointing day. Ran from Lewisetta to Target Ship in early A.M. Trolled small spoons, tubes and small umbrellas from T.S. to #72, down to #66, up Potomac from #1 to #9. Total catch 4 small blues and one dink rock. Total 9 hours of trolling. River and bay are full of bait fish.

In Potomac, saw many schools of Menhaden on the surface with no bird action. There are lots of birds resting on the surface but none feeding.

[RHB1]

We were right there also and went past the Target to the Kedges. The wife caught a small fish we could not identify and some nice Blue fish with a throw back stripper. It was the day for it no matter what you caught Be-u-ti-full!

[joconnor47]

Saw similar schools of breaking fish on Sunday at the mouth of the Potomac. Assume the fish were menhaden since there were no birds working the breaking fish. Birds were sitting on the water but not feeding. We trolled through and around the breaking fish for about 30 minutes, catching only two small bluefish. Took a few photos of the action on the surface.

[Fishin Musician]

I had headed to Smith Point from the Coan in the afternoon - too crowded so headed back. Water was exploding much like your pictures, but rather than trolling through, I casted a Clark Spoon in the middle of it - caught a bunch of big, fat blues and had a ball. I, too, found it interesting that there were no birds feeding with all that action on the water, but hey - that would have attracted a crowd, too, so I was happy it was just me, the bait and the blues.

[Point Given]

Hopefully they'll be around this weekend as well!

[joconnor47]

Found birds working yesterday morning (Sunday 10/16) early in the Lower Potomac within sight of the Smith Point Lighthouse. We caught several nice bluefish (12" - 14") casting lures into the feeding fish. Two other boats joined us while we were trying to keep up with the fast moving action.