When I lived in Annapolis, one of my go-to spots was Thomas Point Lighthouse. I’d often hit the iconic stilted beacon either at first light or on my way home from points east or south, such as Eastern Bay or Poplar Island, or both. As I cast into the structure that supported it, often I’d daydream about what it was like to have lived there, especially in the heart of a cold winter. But that’s a musing for another time. Plus it’s not even winter. It’s autumn, perhaps the best time of year for most anglers, and in some years it is also prime time at Thomas Point. It’s possible to fish much of the day in and around Thomas Point Lighthouse. For clarity in this article, I’m going to break it into three parts: the point of land, the lighthouse itself, and the Chesapeake side. At Thomas Point proper, fishermen casting plugs (floating and swimming) and twitch baits at low light from a boat can catch legal rockfish and occasionally blues. Approach very slowly, gliding in if necessary. It’s shallow here, so a stealth approach is imperative so as not to spook the fish. When the wind/tide would run me off my spot, I’d carefully ease into the water a grappling style anchor. Often I’d set it amidships; that’s usually a “no no” in my book but an exception is made in calm conditions and water depths less than 10 feet. Better still are the new generation of easily deployable stern anchors (such as Power-Pole; see “Tech It Out” in the May PropTalk), which are ideal for these situations. Eighty-five year old Albert Oster hooked this keeper striper off Thomas Point Light fishing with his son Gary on the Albert C. Photo courtesy of Gary Oster Shore-bound anglers can fish from the banks (see sidebar) via Thomas Point Park. Of course, fishing in the park also requires a Chesapeake Bay Sportfishing License unless you’re exempt. Go online or obtain it at most local bait and tackle shops. Once the sun comes up, I like to move out the shoal to what’s officially called the Thomas Point Shoal Light (also known as Thomas Point Shoal Light Station). Here I prefer to use jigheads with soft plastics (Bust Em Baits, BKDs, D.O.A.) and swim baits (Storm, Tsunamis) to work the underwater rockpiles and supports that hold up this historic structure. For perch, and sometimes rock, spinnerbaits are a good choice. Capt. Berts’ Perch Pounders, Woody’s, and Road Runner all catch fish. The fall is a great time to troll for keeper rockfish, since not only are the resident rock hungry, but the ocean run stripers are also on the move, devouring menhaden to bulk up for colder months ahead. Forty-pound class outfits dragging bucktails (two to eight ounces) rigged in tandem and cut-down umbrellas with four- and six-inch shad bodies are the most popular choices, but spoons and even lipped swimming plugs can bring strikes. Find the baitfish first before you drop your lines in the water. Zigzag across different water depths rather than staying on a single track at a constant depth. Don’t overlook the small bight between Tolly Bar and the Thomas Point shoal. In past years, schools of bait would be corralled by predatory rockfish and bluefish. Scanning the water for working gulls and gannets will tip you off to feeding aggressively. Thomas Point Park For fishermen who prefer to cast from shore or don't have a boat, Thomas Point Park is a viable option. Open to the public, it is operated by Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks, and is open from 8 a.m. until a half hour before to dusk, though closed on Tuesdays. Vehicle entry into Thomas Point Park requires a monthly Vehicle/Fishing Permit except during the offseason, November through March. A limited number of daily permits are sold for one-day access. All permits are sold at Quiet Waters Park. Parking outside of the park to walk in, is prohibited. Call Quiet Waters Park at (410) 222-1777 for more information.