By James DrakeThank goodness it’s finally getting a little warmer.

It was so cool earlier this week I thought my daughter living up in Maine had opened some kind of galactic wormhole to Southern Maryland in order to punish me.

Sure, she sent down all that frigid air because I wouldn’t let her get a tattoo back when she was in middle school. That’s only speculation, but I am certain those falling temperatures at night into the 50s confused a good many fish, and the fish just don’t bite well when bewildered.

Father’s Day is coming up real soon and if you’re looking for a unique gift, the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons is offering special Father’s Day cruises aboard their own William B. Tennison.

The Tennison is a Chesapeake Bay Bugeye built in 1899 and they’re offering both a brunch and evening cruise on June 17 to honor dads.

The cost is $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and younger. For more information, call 410-326-2041, ext. 41.

If the Tennison isn’t quite old enough for you, the Kalmar Nyckel, a tall, square-rigged ship from Delaware, will be in Solomons on June 22 to 24 and offering daily sails to the public. Take a cruise on this one and you’ll think you’ve stepped back to 1638.

The cost is $60 for adults and $40 for children 17 and younger. Go to www.kalmarnyclel.org or call 302-429-7444 for more information.

Also, June 9 and July 4 are designated as free fishing days throughout Maryland. You won’t need any fishing license of any kind to sample our sport. You will still have to obey all other rules, regulations and creel limits.

Southern Maryland lakes and ponds Despite sometimes cool conditions, the sun is pretty high in the sky his time of year and fish don’t have eyelids. That means they go deep in the bright sun. Early and late in the day are still going to be your best fishing times.

Rocky Graves, assistant park manager at Gilbert Run in Dentsville, told me bass are being caught on both sides of the upper end of the lake by fishermen throwing crankbaits. Along the sea wall, bluegill will jump on a little piece of worm suspended two feet or so under a bobber. There are also hungry catfish in here best taken on bottom rigs.

I also heard Graves will become park manager at the Indian Head Rail Trail later this month. I guess sometimes nice guys do finish first. Congratulations Rocky.

Mattawoman Creek Ken Penrod with the Life Outdoors Unlimited guide service (301-937-0010) has been doing well working over the grass between the state park and mouth using Case Magic Stiks and jigs. He’s even brought up a few 6-pounders from this area.

If you’re heading upcreek, don’t overlook the inside edge of the grassbeds or shore cover during high water times. Nearby Belmont Bay, the Chicamuxen, Mallows Bay and the mouth of Aquia have also been productive fishing holes.

Upper Potomac River Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources has volunteers working this area asking anglers about their catch. If you see a stranger coming near you up here, don’t be too alarmed.

At Whites Ferry, be mindful of the ferry and the lousy launch ramp. Once you are safely in the water, head to the Virginia side of Mason Island and cast to the whole area there with tubes. At Edwards, the LOU advice is to head downstream and work all the ledges plus the Virginia side of Harrison Island.

Tidal Potomac River Andy Andrzejewski with the Reel Bass Adventure guides (301-932-1509) has found some stained areas but reported it’s all still quite fishable. These guides are catching bass on plastic action tail worms and swimming jigs in 2- to 4-foot depths. If you prefer, Andrzejewski said spinnerbaits or chatterbaits will also work.

Some very nice fish have been found along channel drops using shaky-head worms and small, deep-diving crankbaits. Snakeheads have recently been seen very active around the many bluegill beds.

Andrzejewski is wondering if they will have an impact on the species. I guess only time will tell us that answer.

Lower Potomac River Croaker have definitely moved up the river but they bite best in really hot weather. Before the cold snap, good catches were coming around the St. Mary’s and Wicomico rivers. The Bushwood area has a combo sample available of perch, croaker and catfish, all in pretty good numbers.

Patuxent River Ken Lamb from the Tackle Box in Lexington Park said the spot have moved up the river from Helen’s Bar and the Dolphin to the mouth of St. Leonard’s Creek.

However, these little guys are fast movers and might be playing hide and seek with you at any given moment. Croaker are also now in the river and some stripers were caught by shore anglers recently down by the mouth.

Deep Creek Lake If it’s bass you seek, most are in a postspawn pattern with a few holdovers still on beds. LOU guide Bret Winegardner (301-616-9889) found a good early morning topwater bite for smallmouths using Pop-Rs and prop baits.

Walleye are all over the lake and hitting small crankbaits or curly tail grubs. Some monster bluegills are just starting to excite fishermen around Turkey Neck.

Lake Anna The stripers are finally starting to school and often found in mid and down lake regions. Spooks, Pencil Poppers and Redfins should find them early and late in the day on top.

The bass have retreated to deeper water, while some crappie can still be discovered relating to bridge pilings and deeper brush piles. Catfish are easy targets and biting all over the lake.

Chesapeake Bay Lamb reported seeing sea lice on some of the bigger stripers he’s weighed this past week, so there are still a few ocean runners in the bay who must be late spawners.

The spot moving into the rivers means live-liners will soon be connecting out around the Gas Docks on rockfish. Croaker are all around us and some pretty decent catches have come from the Point Lookout area.

Atlantic Ocean Sue Foster at Oyster Bay Tackle said the Ocean City flounder action has been slow but pretty good for blues and shad.

In the surf, expect a very few stripers and far more sharks. The near offshore wrecks are giving up sea bass and flounder, while the bite is definitely on for the yellowfin way offshore. A couple mako and tiger sharks are also out there along with a wahoo or two.

zbasser@aol.com