# Croaker are showing up



## old linesides (Oct 6, 2006)

Croaker have been caught in the Manokin River in the past few days . It won't be long for them to show up en masse !


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

already? man, thats early...


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## old linesides (Oct 6, 2006)

SeaSalt said:


> already? man, thats early...


 A very reliable little birdy told me . There have been more than a few anglers that have caught them already .


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

old linesides said:


> A very reliable little birdy told me . There have been more than a few anglers that have caught them already .


The truth has been spoken. 

I have caught them as early as April 2 before but only down in the Crisfield (lower Eastern shore) area. The croaka' storm in down that way in early April.

It will still be a while before they make it up North


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Croakaaaassssss*

Are all ready being snagged up in the JR in Newport News and other local spots in that area... I usually make my early run down that way for a croakaa masacre... LOL..


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Nice pic of Capt Croakerhead! I'll be heading down the lower ES as soon as they start to fun in any numbers.


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## dha123 (Feb 13, 2005)

when do ut hink they'll make it up to metapeake area


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## bloodworm (Jan 5, 2007)

Thats great 
I usually fish for them in mid april around tax day
last i saw i think the water was around 55 degrees perfect for striper


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## hookem (Mar 27, 2001)

*PO and SI*

How about Solomon's Island? or Point Lookout? When do the croakers show up there? Anybody fish there lately?


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

hookem said:


> How about Solomon's Island? or Point Lookout? When do the croakers show up there? Anybody fish there lately?


They will be at PLO as early as the first week of April. PLO is just across the bay from Crisfield. I used to target April 10-14 for PLO when I used to haunt that place. The third week of April they will be there in force. At least that has been my experience.


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Plo...*

JMO - I wouldn't necessarily target PLO for croakers because just like any ocean front the fish come through in schools. You should target the rivers once they shou up down south - Potomac - PAX. If you can get on at the Naval Air Station your chances of get'n into a mess of them early are a lot greater than at PLO.


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## hookem (Mar 27, 2001)

Anybody with military ID? You are my friend. I think I have to drag some of my military friends out of their missions.


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*hehehehe*



hookem said:


> Anybody with military ID? You are my friend. I think I have to drag some of my military friends out of their missions.


All ready have a hook up... and away we go..


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## terpfan (May 30, 2002)

did anyone catch any croakers from bay bridge area last year???


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

Yeah, but they didn't stay long. I believe they were around for two or three weeks in the dog days of summer.

Wasn't a good year for croaks this far up. Usually they hang around longer.  
.


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

When do the croakers start showing up at the Cambridge Pier? I am guess early to mid June?


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## okimavich (Nov 13, 2006)

terpfan said:


> did anyone catch any croakers from bay bridge area last year???


I don't know about the bay bridge but I caught this 14" Mid May at SPSP.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

ffemtreed said:


> When do the croakers start showing up at the Cambridge Pier? I am guess early to mid June?


I usually started looking for them at the Tank around Memorial day. Sometimes they are there earlier but they always seemed more plentiful after Memorial day. But there are always catfish there.


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Cambridge Pier -*



ffemtreed said:


> When do the croakers start showing up at the Cambridge Pier? I am guess early to mid June?


Is this Choptank or the turn by the gas station?


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

the choptank fishing pier


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## MANDINGO (Apr 4, 2004)

*Huntsman*



Huntsman said:


> Are all ready being snagged up in the JR in Newport News and other local spots in that area... I usually make my early run down that way for a croakaa masacre... LOL..


i think its time for us to make that trip we were planning. imma call down to hampton and holla at shooter. :fishing: for craokaaaaass


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Ohhhhh Yeahhhh!!!!!*



MANDINGO said:


> i think its time for us to make that trip we were planning. imma call down to hampton and holla at shooter. :fishing: for craokaaaaass


If you would've just given me shooters number last week it would've been all gravy.. U Looser!!!

LOL


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## MANDINGO (Apr 4, 2004)

*lol*



Huntsman said:


> If you would've just given me shooters number last week it would've been all gravy.. U Looser!!!
> 
> LOL


u asked for the other shooter  
wrong shooter lmaoooooo!!


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## jcreamer (Mar 6, 2001)

I have ID and am thinking about the pax rec center this weekend. About a half hour drive from my house and I plan to get there early.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

jcreamer,
You going for croaks? Cows at SPSP are a LOT of fun and you can practice casting your 525 mag...


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

HuskyMD said:


> jcreamer,
> You going for croaks? Cows at SPSP are a LOT of fun and you can practice casting your 525 mag...


Simple solution. Go to SPSP at dawn and fish for 4 hours then drive down to PAX and fish some more


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## jcreamer (Mar 6, 2001)

That is an idea I have never fished from there. I just might. Wife is having back troubles doctor wants to do a nerve block and I don't know. L5 disk is givingher fits.
Depends on how she feels aboutme leaving her by herself.
I might go up sunday.


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*JCr..*



jcreamer said:


> That is an idea I have never fished from there. I just might. Wife is having back troubles doctor wants to do a nerve block and I don't know. L5 disk is givingher fits.
> Depends on how she feels aboutme leaving her by herself.
> I might go up sunday.


Is it Degenerative Disk - My Aunt is pretty much going through the same thing and you know what my Uncle's coverage company had her do... Freakn therapy and they didn't even x-ray her back... What a crock of it... 

Hope your Mrs feels better.


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## jcreamer (Mar 6, 2001)

Huntsman said:


> Is it Degenerative Disk - My Aunt is pretty much going through the same thing and you know what my Uncle's coverage company had her do... Freakn therapy and they didn't even x-ray her back... What a crock of it...
> 
> Hope your Mrs feels better.


Thank You
Originally they said L3,4 and 5 but a doctor from John's Hopkins said L5 and he said that the nerve block should take care of it. Been two years getting to this point.

That is why I think I will go to Pax river as it is about 30 miles from my house or close enough to get home if I have to.


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Nice be w/ in a short*

run from home. 

Have a good one... HIt'n SPSP tomorrow for a little fun in the sun. Hopefully I'll snag a big'un early so I can go home and sleep... LOL..


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## old linesides (Oct 6, 2006)

Croaker are in the Sound as we speak ! I just got off the phone with an old buddy from Fairmount and he caught a "LOAD" as they say . In two weeks the rivers will be loaded up ! Bloodworms will be bait of choice until the first shed . After that , go to peelers or softies .:fishing:


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Sound???*

???


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## bivalvebill (Feb 10, 2007)

*tangier*

sound right off of deale isalnd


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

If they are in Tangier then they are in the Pocomoke Sound as well. They are not my favorite eating fish but they are a blast to catch on light tackle.


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Do they go up the rivers or stay in the sound


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## Andre (Mar 15, 2003)

If they hittin at Tangier .... they hittin at PLO !!!!!


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

cygnus-x1 said:


> They are not my favorite eating fish but they are a blast to catch on light tackle.


I felt the same way for 4 or 5 decades. 
I was raised in NW Florida and croakers were not fish we ate. Used them for shark bait mostly. Granted, they weren't as big as the ones we catch up here but we never considered them a food fish.

Then, about 4 years ago, a bud finally talked me into eating one. Well dang!... this "trash fish" ain't bad. Now, I really like their fillets smeared with mayo, Old Bay and baked in foil. 

It really doesn't make any sense, folks down there love their red drum... think blackened redfish... but wouldn't eat a croaker, no way. And the fish are close cousins. 

I still get a  from my dad whenever I tell him I now eat wronkers, (what we used to call croakers.) 
  
.


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## Talapia (Apr 27, 2003)

The ocean caught croaks taste great.
Much better than the ones caught in 
the rivers and chessy.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

terpfan said:


> did anyone catch any croakers from bay bridge area last year???


Actually I caught some small HH behind HMI last year. They were there in fairly good numbers but way too small to keep. At first I thought they were spot. If the same ones show up again this year they'll be big enough for the frying pan.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Talapia said:


> The ocean caught croaks taste great.
> Much better than the ones caught in
> the rivers and chessy.


I would like to test that theory this year. I would also like to try other ways of preparing croaker instead of the typical fry. I would try BB's recipe ... but I have to stay away from mayonnaise   I gotta keep my cholesterol going in the proper direction.


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## Huntsman (Mar 6, 2003)

*Taste Comparison -*



cygnus-x1 said:


> I would like to test that theory this year. I would also like to try other ways of preparing croaker instead of the typical fry. I would try BB's recipe ... but I have to stay away from mayonnaise   I gotta keep my cholesterol going in the proper direction.


Was done last year or a tab bit before - Bay HH's vs Ocean HH's and the consensus I believe was the Ocean HH's had a sweeter taste. Hey, me.. I munch em both.. 

Dre - doesn't necessarily mean they're at PLO due them being in the Tangier... but I'm sure someone will be down there to let us know. 

Myself, I'll be heading to VA in a couple of weeks to get my fill...


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