Maryland Fishing Report for January 2011

By Keith Kaufman

January is typically very quiet on the fishing front, especially on Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

In early and mid December, Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters reported that the Chesapeake, from Hooper Straits all the way down to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, was “littered with schools of breaking and feeding striped bass.” Birds usually pinpointed the location of fish, either working and diving birds, or birds floating together in groups on the surface waiting for the fish to push bait back to the surface. Walt said some days required significant travel until birds were spotted. “But once they were spotted the fishing usually remained good within a mile or two of where we first wet our lines. Many schools were 16- to 20-inch fish but there were also many schools of 22- to 28-inch stripers.” The bigger fish were typically caught by anglers jigging Stingsilvers and Crippled Herrings.

In the winter, Walt switches gears and goes freshwater fishing on the upper Pocomoke River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where his anglers enjoy light-tackle action with big crappie, nice yellow perch, pickerel and some largemouth bass. (Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters: 410.957.1664; CapnWalt@gmail.com)

In the lower Susquehanna River near Perryville, yellow perch are a possibility in January and February. They are caught in depths from 10 to 50 feet, and an effective tactic usually involves a small plastic grub with a minnow dropped to the bottom and held there without any movement. Susquehanna River yellow perch fishing was excellent at times last winter and anglers are hoping for a repeat this year.

Anglers with Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service caught rockfish at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in December. January and February finds Captain Richie on the boat show circuit. In February, he will be a featured speaker at two fishing workshops/seminars to be held in southern Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, about 20 miles north of North East, Maryland.

On Saturday, February 18, in Quarryville, PA, Captain Richie will provide a presentation on Better Understanding Your Depthfinder/GPS. The information he’ll provide will enable you to more efficiently use your electronics to effectively locate and catch more fish.

Other speakers during the workshop will include Captain Chuck Fisher on Trolling, Jigging and Live-Bait Fishing for Chesapeake Stripers, and Captain Bob Meimbresse on Catching Big Stripers and Huge Black Drum in Delaware Bay.

On Sunday, February 26, in Willow Street, PA (5 miles south of Lancaster), Captain Richie will provide an informative seminar on Catching Striped Bass and Largemouth Bass on Susquehanna Flats and in Upper Chesapeake Tidal Rivers.

Other speakers will include Mike Acord on Cutting-Edge Techniques for Smallmouth Bass, and Captain Dave Shindler on Where and How To Catch Monster Flathead Catfish to 40 Pounds in the Susquehanna River. For more information on both the February 18 workshop and the February 26 workshop, call Keith Kaufman at 717.284.3385.

Maryland Fishing Report for November 2011

By Keith Kaufman

In October, “The area south of the Bay Bridge, including Eastern Bay, was loaded with small stripers and bluefish in the 14-inch class,” according to Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service. He expects fishing for larger rockfish to pick up in late October and continue to improve into November. “Oyster bars and structure in 9 to 21 feet of water are key areas to concentrate on in late October and November.

The fish are chasing the remaining spot and a few white perch on the bars and also feeding on silversides on the surface.” Richie’s lure recommendations include six-inch BKD (Bass Kandy Delight) in alewife color rigged on a ½-ounce leadhead as they are very productive in the shallows, on the bars and cast to fish on the surface.

Captain Richie said in November, especially later in the month when the water gets significantly colder, peanut-sized menhaden will be migrating out of the bay and big rockfish will be devouring them. “Lil Jimmy bucktails in 3/8-ounce to ½-ounce imitate the small bunker and can be used in any depth. These are especially good jigged over top of the oyster bars.” (Captain Richie Gaines, Angler’s Connection Guide Service: 410.827.7210; email fishster1@aol.com; www.anglers-connection.com)

Captain Chris Dollar at CD Outdoors and Kent Island Kayaks said anglers in October enjoyed topwater action with rockfish in the Chester River, Kent Narrows and Eastern Bay. “Lots of fun in a kayak.” Captain Chris also reported speckled trout caught from the Choptank to the Wye River. “As water temps drop to the low 60s in November, rockfish will school up and jigging light tackle will be the game along with fast-sinking flies.”

From late November to early December Chris will be fishing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, where there’s often fast action with big late-season striped bass. Chris said to email or call, and mention this Chesapeake Angler report for a discounted rate. (Captain Chris at CD Outdoors: 410.991.8468; email cdollar@cdollaroutdoors.com)

Anglers with Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters made nice catches of speckled trout and striped bass in the Crisfield area in October. Specks and rockfish were caught while casting artificials to the shorelines, points, jetties and grass banks in the shallow water. Lures that consistently triggered strikes included poppers, Storm lures, jigheads tipped with plastic twisters, stickbaits, Rat-L-Traps and saltwater Assassins. According to Captain Walt, “The key was to fish area where the tide was moving water past the structure quickly.

Both incoming and outgoing tide have been effective with the outgoing tide having a slight edge.” (Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters: 410.957.1664; email CapnWalt@gmail.com; www.LTCharters.com)

Maryland Fishing Report for October 2011

By Keith Kaufman

A devastating one-two punch from Mother Nature staggered Chesapeake Bay last month. The deluge of rain from the remnants of storms Irene and Lee flooded creeks and rivers that nearly knocked out the bay with muddy water and tons of floating debris. As we are all too aware, fishing was a washout during much of September.

The water was not only muddy, it was “almost all fresh water, with the salinity being negligible thanks to all the rain water and rainwater runoff.” Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters said, “I believe it will be October before the tidal changes and the end of the runoff allows things to get back to normal.”

Let’s hope we dry out and the water clears up, because October can provide some of the best fishing of the entire year. “October will find me chasing schools of feeding rockfish as they migrate down the Chesapeake Bay toward their wintering grounds off the Virginia and North Carolina coast.” Captain Walt is running out of Crisfield and fishing “between Smith Island, Tangier Island and Point Lookout in the main stem of the Chesapeake.

We utilize light tackle, 10- to 15-pound class gear, and cast and jig for fish up to 40 inches using a variety of lures such as Storms, Bass Assassins, Stingsilvers and Crippled Herring.” Many of the fish caught in October are nice, plump 20 to 28 inchers. Catches up to 50 fish per person are common. “Catch and release will be practiced after the two-fish per person limit.” (Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters: 410.957.1664; CapnWalt@gmail.com)

Lenny Rudow said prime areas to check out include rivers that have low water flow, like the Magothy, Severn, South and West. The water in these rivers had already begun to recover last month, even while conditions were horrible in the main bay. Lenny said the fish in these rivers will get back to “normal” more quickly than fish in other locations where muddy, debris-filled water caused problems for weeks after the storms. “Eastern Bay and the Choptank fared pretty well through the storm events, and never became quite as mucked-up as most other areas.”

Yet Lenny said, “I don’t suppose there will ever be a tougher prediction than October fishing on the upper and middle bay.” Like everyone else, he’s hoping the garbage that has made a minefield on the bay will be gone by October. (Lenny Rudow, Marine Editorial Services, 410.798.6503; www.getgup.com)

Captain Sonney Forrest this month is fishing on the Margie D, a 46-foot custom bay built for the fall fishing as the weather will be cool and windy. Floating junk created problems in September, but he’s looking forward to better water and improved fishing this month.

Bottom fishing should be “at its peak with spot as big as your hand and those fat fish are great table fare.” Sonney said, “Catching a bucket full is usually not a problem with a double bottom rig baited with bloodworms or peeler crab.” For white perch, Sonney recommends looking for them in 40 to 55 feet of water on an outgoing tide. “The area above the Patuxent River Bridge is a place to look for them close to the bottom.”

Anglers trolling spoons and umbrellas can catch bluefish and rockfish in October. He said “go heavy to get down to the fish.” Also keep an eye peeled for birds. “Find the small terns and look for trout and small blues that feed on silversides. Big herring gulls feeding over small baitfish give a clue that big blues and stripers are feeding on them and driving them up to the surface.” (Captain Sonney Forrest: 443.532.0836; www.fishsolomons.com)

Maryland Fishing Report for May 2011

By Keith Kaufman

Finally, spring "officially" arrived on April 16 with the kickoff of the springtime trolling season. Unfortunately, the weather was terrible on opening weekend. However, on the bright side, Lenny Rudow at Get Geared Up Publications said chilly temperatures in March and April held many of the big spawners up in the rivers longer than usual, which is good news for fishermen as a "delayed departure means we get a longer shot at 'em!" We had lots of rain and cloudy water in April, for which Lenny offered this advice: "when you encounter dirty waters, don't hesitate to try some dark color patterns including purples and blacks." Many of the rockfish that were trolled up in April were nice 36-inch fish. (Lenny Rudow at Get Geared Up Publications; 410.798.6503; www.getgup.com)

Big striped bass were caught on Susquehanna Flats in April, despite persistently chilly and wet weather, and cold and dirty water conditions. Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters said in early to mid-April, most of the impressive stripers his anglers caught were taken on cut fresh herring fished on the bottom on fish-finder rigs as stripers in cold water apparently were not interested in chasing lures.
In early April the water temperature was in the low 40s, nearly 10 degrees colder than it has been in other recent springs. On those occasional sunny and warm days when the water temperature climbed a few degrees, Walt said stripers were hooked on gold spoons (Tony Accetta), swim baits and Hogy plastic eels. By mid to late April the water temperature had climbed and more stripers were caught and released on lures and live herring.

While fishing with Captain Walt in April, Chris Duffy and John Heck both hooked huge 46-pound stripers at the same time. Captain Walt said "netting became a bit of a chore, with a lot of hollering going on." Another trip produced a huge 49-inch, 52-pound striped bass for Tyler Burnum. Captain Walt is now fishing the seaside of Virginia's Eastern Shore at Chincoteague and Wachapreague for flounder, and running Chesapeake Bay trips out of Crisfield for striped bass, speckled trout and red drum. (Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters; 410.957.1664)

Captain Richie Gaines at Angler's Connection Guide Service started fishing Susquehanna Flats later than originally planned because of frequent rain in April that "required Conowingo Dam gates to be open and that turned the area into a mud hole." In May Captain Richie and his anglers will "fish in Eastern Bay for the large stripers returning back to the ocean.These are mostly large fish and we fish humps and bars in the middle of Eastern Bay with 6- and 10-inch Bass Kandy Delights and ½-ounce Lil Jimmy bucktails trimmed with a 6-inch Bass Kandy Delight." Richie said springtime Eastern Bay fishing is usually productive from the first week of May through the third week of May, when it begins to taper off. (Captain Richie Gaines at Angler's Connection Guide Service; 410.310.1700)

On Maryland's freshwater fishing scene, Ken Penrod at Life Outdoors Unlimited reported challenging weather and water conditions yet good fishing on the upper Potomac River in April. Plastic tubes (Mizmo) caught smallmouth bass in the Whites Ferry and Edwards Ferry areas, "especially where chunk rock litters the floor and the current is stalled." Bass have also been taken at Lander where "the many tall ledges create pools - where bass hunt food in the current lines." On the tidal Potomac, Ken reported largemouth bass action in Pentagon Lagoon and Washington Channel on Rapala DT crankbaits, Mizmo tubes and Rapala Clackin' Raps. In Mattawoman Creek, the 6-mph zone has been productive, "especially the outside channel bends, and near the confluence. Cast Rattlin' Raps through the grass-beds and rocks." (Ken Penrod at Life Outdoors Unlimited; 240.447.2206)

Maryland Saltwater and Freshwater Report
April 2011 By Keith Kaufman

It's April and Maryland anglers are targeting big stripers on Susquehanna Flats where the catch-and-release season has been open since March 1. The best action is usually in April when the water temperature hits 52 degrees. The catch-and-release season on the flats continues until May 3. Striper fishing is closed on the flats from May 4 through May 15. Then, from May 16 to May 31, striper fishing is allowed again on the flats and anglers can keep one fish per day between 18 and 26 inches in length.

Find and fish the trenches on Susquehanna Flats. That important advice comes from Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters out of Havre de Grace. The trenches are depressions with depths of typically five to eight feet; the surrounding water on the flats is usually one to three feet deep.

As soon as herring show up on the upper bay Captain Walt will net them to use for live bait. He'll position and anchor the boat where live herring on fish-finder rigs can be cast into the deeper trench, where bigger 25- to 50-pound striped bass lurk. Walt and his anglers will also work big topwater poppers for stripers in the shallows on the flats in April. The low-light conditions of early morning and evening are usually most productive for poppers.

Other productive striper lures on the flats include Tony Accetta 17 spoons, Hogy 7-inch plastic eels (black, white, pink), large Rat-L-Traps and similar lures, and big swimming plugs. (Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters; 410.957.1664, CapnWalt@gmail.com.)

Saturday, April 16 is a huge date for thousands of Maryland fishermen. That's the opening day of the spring trophy season when anglers will break out their trolling gear (bucktails, parachutes, tandem rigs, umbrella rigs, spoons) and begin their search for spring big rockfish.

The minimum size limit is 28 inches and anglers are allowed one fish per day. Fishing is allowed on the mainstem of Chesapeake Bay from Brewerton Channel to the Maryland-Virginia state line, and in Tangier and Pocomoke sounds.

Lenny Rudow at Geared Up Publications is expecting an early start to the best springtime striper trolling action. In March, the yellow perch run "peaked early by a couple of weeks and the whites were already in full swing, which makes me think that if the weather holds, we should expect stripers to spawn early, too." That could mean excellent pre-fishing action, "but once the season starts get in your licks and get 'em in early." Lenny reminds anglers that if we have a rainy spring and the water is muddy or cloudy, "you should switch (your trolling lures) over to deep purple and/or black color patterns." (Geared Up Publications: 410.798.6503; ultangler@aol.com)

As long as we are not inundated with rain this spring, freshwater anglers can expect good smallmouth bass fishing on the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers. Ken Penrod at Life Outdoors Unlimited (240.447.2206; www.penrodsguides.com) reminds anglers on the upper Potomac River to be very careful as the ferry cable at Whites Ferry has been raised.

On the tidal Potomac, largemouth bass have been caught in Washington Channel on Rapala DT6 crankbaits, Silver Luckys and Mizmo tubes fished on channel breaks and marina cover. Mattawoman Creek has provided largemouth bass action for anglers working the channel bends in the 6 mph zone with Rapala crankbaits and Mizmo tubes.

Big smallmouth bass to 21 inches have been caught in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania in the area of the Juniata. Rapala XRap 8 and Mizmo tubes have been caught bass on the Susquehanna between Harrisburg and Montgomery Ferry.

February 2011
By Keith Kaufman
Thank goodness we have the fishing/boat/outdoor shows to keep us occupied this winter, as it's been very, very quiet on the Maryland fishing front.

Yellow perch were caught in January in the lower Susquehanna River near Perryville. Ken Simmers, president of the Northern Bay Chapter of the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association, said nice plump perch to 13 inches were hooked. They were caught in 50 feet of water and in water as shallow as 10 feet.

Anglers were hooking them on bottom rigs featuring a small plastic grub and a minnow. They were dropped to the bottom and held there without any movement. The fishing was good until cold weather formed ice on the river, which prevented anglers from getting to the fish. Anglers are looking forward to more yellow perch action in the Susquehanna and other Chesapeake rivers in February and March.

Many Maryland ponds and even the spillways have been iced over much of the winter. When the ice clears anglers can expect to catch a few bluegill, pickerel, crappie, yellow perch, and small bass. Small jigheads (1/32- and 1/16-ounce) baited with grass shrimp and fished low and slow near the bottom often work well.

Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters is fishing the upper Pocomoke River on Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore, when the weather and water conditions permit. There were times last month when the "ice was just too thick to get through to the open water." However, when the weather has been decent Walt and his anglers have "pounded" yellow perch, crappie and pickerel on the Pocomoke. "For those who enjoy these three species on ultra light tackle - 4- and 6-pound gear - this fishery will remain productive through early March." Catches have included pickerel to 6 pounds and jumbo crappie and yellow perch on "small crappie jigheads tipped with small tubes that I impregnate with table salt." Walt said, "catches of 50 or so of the panfish per person in a day are common and large pickerel add to the excitement." Walt is also booking trips for spring striper action on Susquehanna Flats. (Light Tackle Charters, 410.957.1664).

Some Maryland anglers have been traveling to get in on bottom and wreck fishing in the Atlantic aboard the wintertime head boats running out of Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and even farther on up into New England. Those cold-weather catches can include big tog, sea bass, ling, cod, haddock and pollock.

We're all looking forward to March and the arrival of spring, and Maryland saltwater anglers are beginning to anticipate the springtime catch-and-release season for big stripers on Susquehanna Flats. While the season opens in early March, the best action usually gets underway in late March/early April when the water temperature climbs to near 50 degrees.

Stripers of 15 to 25 pounds, and even immense 35 to 45 pounders, are caught by anglers fishing bloodworms, live and dead herring, surface poppers, swimming plugs, soft plastics and spoons.

A few of the boat and fishing shows coming up in February include the Tri-State Marine Fisherman's Flea Market in Deale, MD on February 5 (301.261.5220); the Pasadena Sportfishing Market in Earleigh Heights, MD on February 19-20 (410.439.3473); the Annapolis Saltwater Fishing Expo on February 26 (410.758.2071); the 7th Annual Fishing Workshop featuring striped bass, flounder, tog and cobia presentations in Quarryville, PA on February 26 (717.284.3385); the Essex-Middle River Fishing Market on March 19-20 (410.686.2348); and the Solomons Fishing Fair on March 26-27 (301.373.3071).

Maryland Fishing Report For January 2011

By Keith Kaufman

Strong, relentless winds were a problem in December, and Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters said striped bass fishing near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay was slow last month, even on days when the weather was decent. “A good day has been four or five keepers to 24 inches.

Not what we’re used to in December at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.” Captain Walt said scallop boat captains told him they had spotted large schools of bait and stripers 15 to 35 miles out in the ocean. They were evidently pushed offshore by the wind and cold air and water temperatures.

Captain Walt will spend January, February and early March running freshwater trips on the on the Pocomoke River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where Walt and his anglers will enjoy hard-fighting ultra-light action with crappie, yellow perch, pickerel and a few bass.

“The Pocomoke River winds its way down the Eastern Shore and always provides good fishing locations out of the cold winter wind, regardless of what direction the wind is coming from. I’ll launch from the quaint little town of Snow Hill each day and trips are only $250 for the day.” Captain Walt carries up to four anglers on his Pocomoke River trips. (Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters; 410.957.1664)

Captain Chris Dollar at CDOutdoors and Kent Island Kayaks will fish the warm-water discharges at Calvert Cliffs and Brandon Shores for resident stripers in January and February. “I’ll also pursue chain pickerel, crappie and yellow perch in local creeks around the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Come spring, I will offer guided kayak trips on Susquehanna Flats.”

Captain Chris will also be busy on the boat show and seminar circuit this winter. “Stop by the Kent Island Kayaks booth at the Fishing Expo & Boat Show in Timonium January 13-16, the 7th annual Fishing Workshop in Quarryville, PA on February 26, and Bass Pro Shops in Hanover, Maryland March 5-6. “Great deals on fishing kayaks and kayak accessories.” (CD Outdoors and Kent Island Kayaks; 410.991.8468)

Captain Sonney Forrest aboard the Reel Relief managed to catch big fish into December before the season closed, despite frequently windy conditions. Hot spots included buoy 72A, and the HS (Hooper Straits) buoy. Cold water moved the fish deep so Sonney and other captains added 2 to 4-ounce in-line weights to get their trolling baits deeper.

They also slowed their trolling to 1-1/2 to 2 knots. According to Captain Sonney, “Based on the number of fish still in the bay in December, I’m looking forward to an excellent spring fishery. Look for it!” (Reel Relief Charters; 443-532-0836)

Anglers are looking forward to the upcoming boat and fishing shows. One of the most popular shows in the entire Mid-Atlantic is the 27th Annual Fishing Expo and Boat Show to be held January 13-16 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland. Featuring a wide variety of saltwater and freshwater tackle, boats, motors and trailers, admission is only $8 for adults and $4 for youngsters ages 4 to 14.

Every day of the show also includes a full lineup of informative fishing seminars with presentations to be provided by some of the most well-known bass pros, guides, charter captains and fishing experts in the entire country. For more information about the Fishing Expo and Boat Show, visit www.fishingexpo.com.

The 7th annual Fishing Workshop, featuring in-depth and interesting presentations on catching striped bass, flounder, tog and cobia, will be held 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, February 26 in Quarryville, PA.

Speakers will include IGFA world record holder Dr. Julie Ball, Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters, Jim Hutchinson with the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), and Captain Dave Shindler at Jst Fishin’ Guide Service. For more information call Keith Kaufman at (717) 284-3385.

Maryland Fishing Report OCTOBER 2010

By Keith Kaufman

It's time for excellent fall fishing action in Chesapeake Bay! Captain Richie Gaines at Anglers' Connection Guide Service said in October rockfish will be bunched up and relatively easy to locate. "We target shallow points and marsh banks, throwing Smack It Junior poppers early and then switch to 3/8-ounce Specialized Baits Lil' Jimmy bucktails or 6-inch Albino Bass Kandy Delight (BKD) lures.

Once the sun gets high we will look for fish breaking around offshore structure such as humps and oyster bars." His favorite lure is a 6-inch BKD rigged on a ½-ounce head. Richie recommends focusing your search for fish in the middle section of Eastern Bay and the Chester River. "As water temperatures drop in mid October, the quality of fish and the bite usually improve." In September, anglers with Captain Richie enjoyed exciting action with breaking rockfish in Eastern Bay. (Captain Richie Gaines, Anglers' Connection Guide Service, 410.310.1700)

According to Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters, "October will find me chasing schools of feeding rockfish migrating down the Chesapeake Bay past Smith and Tangier islands as they proceed toward their wintering grounds out of the Chesapeake Bay and in the Atlantic Ocean." Captain Walt said anglers will commonly catch and release up to 50 fish per person while also keeping their two-fish limit. Anglers with Walt enjoy maximum sport with light tackle and fly gear. (Captain Walt, 410.957.1664; CapnWalt@gmail.com; www.LTCharters.com)

"The mouths of Western Shore rivers are loaded with peanut bunker! I have very high hopes for another strong fall run of 18- to 28-inch fish in the 12-foot to 20-foot river mouth drop-offs as these bunker begin migrating out of the rivers!" Lenny Rudow at Geared Up Publications said October should feature plenty of action for live-baiters, jiggers and light-tackle trollers pulling plugs and small bucktails.

In September, there were lots of breaking rockfish and bluefish off the southwestern side of Poplar Island, but dozens of boats would converge on fish practically as soon as they popped up, quickly forcing fish back down. Many times boat traffic was so heavy that trollers scored better than anglers attempting to cast to breaking fish. (Lenny Rudow, Geared Up Publications, 410.798.6503; www.GETGUP.com)

Captain C.D. Dollar at CD Outdoors is looking forward to mid-October when "bluefish will be about gone, allowing hard-core striped bass fishermen to seek out their favorite prey without getting all their rubber tails and swim baits gobbled up by bluefish." Bottom fishing in the bay will begin to slow as spot and hardhead move out for the winter. In tributary rivers, anglers will hook up with white perch, crappie and yellow perch. "As we move into November it will be time to break out that big spring trolling spread for a few more weeks of trophy-size fish. Late-season trophies often top out over 40 pounds and can be caught anywhere from Chesapeake Beach south. (CD Outdoors, www.cdollaroutdoors.com, 410.991.8468, cdollar@cdollaroutdoors.com)

Maryland Fishing Report SEPTEMBER 2010

By Keith Kaufman

“As the water begins to cool in September the fish will move back into Eastern Bay and several other patterns will develop,” according to Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service. “We fish shallow points with poppers in the mornings, and jig over humps and oyster bars, and also chase breaking fish in September.” Captain Richie described action in August as “decent but less consistent than we usually have” in August.

While good quality rockfish were caught, the numbers of fish were not as high as they normally are. In August, Captain Richie and his anglers caught fish on the outside of Eastern Bay while casting to breaking fish with small metal jigs and BKDs, and vertical jigging over schools in 25 to 40 water with pearl white or silver 1-ounce Specialized Baits Lil Bunker spoons. (Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service, 410.310.1700.)

Captain CD Dollar at CD Outdoors is looking forward to September and the cooler water temperatures, which should bring fish to the surface for exciting topwater action. “Rockfish, blues, Spanish mackerel and stripers should be busting silversides and anchovy schools.” CD will also do plenty of “’mini-mother’ ship with the Jones Brothers 23 footer and kayaks as well as search for red drum and speckled trout in the grass-beds of Tangier Sound.” CD recommends anglers work Sebiles, Smack-Its and other topwaters along the shoreline of the Chester River and in Eastern Bay for explosive surface strikes.

He is also looking forward to plenty of big white perch and the “best flounder and spot fishing of the year” to kick off in September. (CD Dollar at CD Outdoors, 410.991.8468, cdollar@cdollaroutdoors.com.)

Captain Hank DeVito on the Afternoon Delight said fishing in August was slow, with sporadic catches of small rockfish and even smaller bluefish. He said the best action came when anglers were able to get on top of breaking fish where they dropped jigging spoons to the bottom to catch slightly bigger rockfish.

Some bigger spot were around in August but Captain Hank said they were scattered. In September and especially October, Captain Hank said to look for big birds, which should be marking bigger fish in deeper water. He recommends using planer boards for them, “What worked in the spring will work in the fall.” (Captain Hank DeVito, Afternoon Delight, 410.382.9141.)

Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters reported good striped bass and flounder action out of Crisfield in August. Rockfish were caught on Storm Lures and also on plastic tails on leadhead jigs, while flounder gobbled down bottom rigs baited with minnows and/or long strips of squid. “There have been humongous amounts of bay anchovies and silversides in the Crisfield area of the Chesapeake and for the most part we’ve had to work for everything we get since all of our targeted species have been feeding so heavily on the available bait.”

In September, Captain Walt is expecting the beginning of the migration southward of stripers from farther up the bay, and all of the bait in the Crisfield area should hold the stripers there for some time. (Captain Walt, Light Tackle Charters, 410.957.1664; capnwalt@gmail.com.)

Captain Curtis Johns on the Karen Ray said bluefish have been caught in the bay. The Puppy Hole has been a good location, especially when the current is running hard. Croaker action in Tangier Sound last month was steady and Curtis said a few seatrout were also caught. In September, Captain Curtis is expecting more bluefish, some Spanish mackerel action, a few croaker still hanging around, and maybe even a few seatrout, including some keepers. (Captain Curtis Johns, Karen Ray, 410.726.7331

REGULATIONS

By Keith Kaufman

Liveliners caught rockfish in July, yet the real challenge was catching spot big enough to use for bait. Fishing grass shrimp and bloodworms on the bottom produced lots of tiny spot which were too small to use for bait. It usually required some time and effort before bigger bait-size spot were caught. Shell bottoms in 18 to 22 feet of water are typically good spot fishing locations. Lenny Rudow at Geared Up Publications said trollers have also had success “when they add a ton of weight, usually 16 to 20 ounces, and troll small bucktails with twisters or shad tails, very deep.”

In August, Lenny is hoping that flounder show up in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay in good numbers. As of July, flounder in the Chesapeake were few and far between, “a solid two months behind schedule,” according to Lenny. Visit Geared Up Publications at www.GETUP.com, or call (410) 798-6503.

“August is one of our most productive months in the mid-bay area,” according to Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service. “Catches of 50 to 100 fish per day are typical. The breaking fish pattern is really strong in August. We concentrate on the open waters of the main bay that have good current and water quality.” Captain Richie recommends 6-inch alewife BKDs rigged on a 3/8-ounce leadhead, and 3/8-ounce Lil Jimmy bucktails in gray and white. “If bluefish are around I use 1-ounce Lil Bunker spoons in silver.” Richie and his anglers cast or vertical jig all these lures. “Spanish mackerel will also show up and can be targeted on the perimeter of the school of surface-feeding stripers and blues.” Call Captain Richie Gaines at (410) 310-1700 or (410) 827-7210.

Breaking rockfish and bluefish have provided exciting topwater action at the Chinese Muds and other locations. Captain Sonney Forrest at Reel Relief said croaker and spot have been caught at the mouth of the Potomac River. Call Captain Sonney at (443) 532-0836.
Anglers with Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters have enjoyed striped bass and speckled trout action in the shallows around Smith and Tangier islands.

Croaker showed up in Tangier and Pocomoke sounds last month, and Captain Walt is hoping hefty 18-inch croaker are on the scene by the time you read this in early August. “August will find me bottom fishing for flounder and horse croaker on the steep and deep drop-offs of both Tangier and Pocomoke sounds. In addition, we will be targeting Spanish mackerel on the Southwest Middle Grounds.” Visit Captain Walt’s website at LTCharters.com, or call him at (410) 957-1664.

Captain Curtis Johns on the Karen Ray II put his anglers on nice flounder at Tangier Island last month that included flatfish to 25 inches. Croaker and a few spot were also caught. Curtis has been fishing at locations such as Hook of the Bar, buoy 9 and Loon Hill. “Once in a while when the tide runs hard a few bluefish have been caught at buoy 8.” In August Curtis is looking forward to more bluefish, some Spanish mackerel, a few breaking rockfish, and more flounder. Call Captain Curtis at (410) 726-7331.

REGULATIONS

By Keith Kaufman

Rockfish have been leaving the rivers and Eastern Bay and setting up in their summer patterns in the main stem of the bay, according to Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service. He recommends looking for fish on and around main bay structure in 22 to 28 feet of water. “I will usually focus on the areas in the main bay right out in front of the mouths of the spawning rivers.

The first spot of the year are pouring in and they like hard bottom areas in slightly shallower depths that the stripers hold in. Look for fingers of deeper water in 18 to 25-foot depths that run up into a large flat with a hard bottom.” Captain Richie said small spot feed and hold on the flats and the deeper fingers serve as a “highway” for stripers to move in and out. “They visit the flats in the evenings and hold where the fingers meet the channel during the daytime.” Richie said it will take some time and patience to cruise around and look for these locations on the sonar.

Once a fishy-looking location is found, drop down a live spot, or ½-ounce bucktails (Specialized Baits) and 6-inch plastics (Bass Kandy Delight). “A bit of yellow on the bucktail helps as the spot have yellow bellies and BKD’s in albino or alewife do the trick.” By the end of July, Captain Richie said “the young-of-the-year anchovies and silversides migrate out of the bays and rivers and breaking stripers become a steady pattern on the bay. Again, concentrate on the main bay where the rivers enter.

Best days are those with no wind and a hot, bright sun.” Captain Richie recommends the area from Bloody Point down to Sharps Island Light, which is usually “productive from late July right through fall.” He also passed along this very important advice that will help you, and others, catch more fish: “When chasing breaking fish please be sure to practice good manners. Don’t run through the school of fish at any time. Best practice is to motor upwind and then drift down alongside the school. If we all do this, four to five boats can share a school for hours. All it takes is one knucklehead to run through the school and this can put the fish down for hours.

When you see someone do this don’t yell at them, instead enlighten them so they know better next time. Knowledge has no value unless it’s shared!” Thanks to Captain Richie for an extremely detailed and informative report. He can be reached on his cell phone at (410) 310-1700, while his home number is (410) 827-7210.

After trolling up good numbers of 30-inch rockfish in June, Captain Hank DeVito on the Afternoon Delight is looking forward to liveliving spot for rockfish in July. He expects plenty of 25- to 30-inch fish to be available this month. Hank said one problem that has been encountered in recent years is that once a school of rockfish is located, hook and line anglers show up and fish them hard until the school is “wiped out” in only a couple of days.
In June, Captain Hank and others trolled up rockfish on umbrella rigs with bucktails tipped with 4- and 6-inch plastic shads, parachutes dressed with 6- and 9-inch shads, and tandems. Call Captain Hank on his cell at (410) 382-9141.

“I’ve been catching rock, speckled trout, flounder and croaker on the Chesapeake out of Crisfield,” reported Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters. He’s also been catching flounder on the seaside inlets at Ocean City, Chincoteague and Wachapreague. That action will continue through July. “Low-wind days in July will allow me to take my clients 30 to 50 miles offshore of Chincoteague and Wachapreague for dolphin and wahoo on light tackle under the lobster pot floats, sea bass pot floats and any other flotsam we come across. July also offers cobia fishing out of Cape Charles.” Email Captain Walt at CapnWalt@gmail.com, or call him at (410) 957-1664.

“There’s been a nice striper bite just about everywhere you look, yet there’s no one or two hot spots that really stand out.” Lenny Rudow at Geared Up Publications said catches have been “consistent but mediocre whether you’re chumming at the Hill, jigging off 84A, trolling outside Chesapeake Beach, or fishing Hacketts or the bridges.” Lenny said “The best I’ve experienced has been the Hill for 22- to 32-inch fish, slow and steady with just one or two bites per hour, and the best I’ve heard of is breaking fish in the mid 20s outside the radar towers.” Call Lenny at (410) 798-6503 or visit www.GETGUP.com.

Captain C.D. Dollar at CD Outdoors said the bay’s summer visitors, including black and red drum, speckled trout, flounder, croaker and bluefish, arrived last month. “I’ll be leading skiff and kayak fishing trips on the Honga River, Eastern Bay and Tangier Sound. Once the Spanish mackerel arrive we’ll chase them with spoons and flies. It’s prime time for speckled trout in the grass flats of the lower Maryland bay.” Email Captain C.D. at cdollar@cdollaroutdoors.com, or call him at (410) 991-8468.

MAY 2010

As this report was written, catch-and-release striped bass fishing on Susquehanna Flats was slower than many had expected, and trollers were gearing up for the beginning of the spring trophy season on Chesapeake Bay.
Captain Hank DeVito on the Afternoon was looking forward to trolling for striped bass and one of his favorites is a daisy chain with a parachute or tandem parachutes on the end. He also pulls two to four umbrella rigs. To avoid some of the heavy boat traffic at the very beginning of the season, Captain Hank was planning to run to the mouth of the Choptank River where he would set up and troll down the 60-foot line. Just prior to the beginning of the spring trophy season, Hank said the better reports were coming from 35 feet of water on the western side south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridges.

Captain Hank also reported that the Maryland Charter Boat Association had reached an agreement with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in that captains would have planer board lines no longer than 150 feet, would paint planers a visible color, and if possible the captains would put flags on their planer boards.

Captain Sonney Forrest on the Reel Relief was in Marathon, Florida early last month, putting the finishing touches on his winter and springtime tarpon fishing adventures. He was looking forward to returning to Maryland and fishing for rockfish in Chesapeake Bay. Sonney had received reports that pre-season fishermen had been trolling up about 10 to 13 fish on half-day trips. Sonney said big bunker, with gannets over them, had been reported along the Western Shore in 45 to 65 feet of water. In the lower Potomac, fishermen had been hooking some croaker, especially right at dark and at night on squid baits.

During the spring trophy season that opened April 17 and continues until May 15, an angler is allowed one fish of at least 28 inches per day. Beginning May 16, anglers are allowed two fish per day of 18 to 28 inches, or one 18- to 28-inch fish and one fish larger than 28 inches.

Some really big rockfish were caught on Susquehanna Flats and in the lower Susquehanna River during the spring catch-and-release season, however many anglers and captains commented that by mid-April, the fish were not nearly as plentiful as everyone had hoped, despite water temperatures near 60 degrees and decent water clarity.

Anglers with Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters caught huge stripers to 54 pounds, and a vast majority of them had come on live herring and whole fresh dead herring while only a very few had been hooked on lures. The catch-and-release season on the flats closes during the first week of May.
In May, Captain Chris Dollar will be splitting his time between his Kent Island Kayak shop, Eastern Bay, and the Honga River/Tangier Sound marshes. “In Eastern Bay, we’ll fish on the passing schools of rockfish, mostly males to 12 pounds, that flood out of the Chester and Miles rivers. Specialized Baits with BKDs or Bass Assassins work well for me.”

White perch action should be available to anglers fishing the Tuckahoe and Choptank rivers. Productive perch baits include spinners and shad darts tipped with grass shrimp. Captain Chris is also looking forward to the annual big black drum bite, which is usually best approximately a week prior to Memorial Day until the week after. Drum are caught just south of Poplar Island and inside Eastern Bay on soft crabs and peeler crabs. “Farther south, speckled trout are cruising the marsh points and grass flats on the Eastern Shore rivers, such as Manokin, Honga and Annemessex.” Chris’ favorite baits include 3- to 4-inch soft plastic curly-tail grubs in glow white, tooty fruity, and rootbeer. Specks can also be caught on yellow, pink and glow white Clouser flies in sizes #1 to 1/0.

REGULATIONS

Maryland Fresh and Saltwater Fishing Reports

APRIL 2010

By Keith Kaufman
The best of the springtime catch-and-release striped bass season on Susquehanna Flats is yet to come! This month, as the water continues to warm, more fish, and more bigger fish, including trophy 30-, 40- and maybe even 50-pound rockfish, will be caught. When the water temperature hits 48 degrees, it’s time to start targeting big female stripers with 6-inch soft plastic lures such as Bass Assassins, Storm Lures, and Bass Kandy Delights (BKD).

Bombers and other big plugs, Rat-L-Traps, and Tony Accetta 17 spoons will catch nice rockfish too. Topwater poppers such as the Stillwater Smack-It and the Creek Chub Knucklehead will also trigger strikes, especially in low-light conditions. Cast them into water as shallow as two feet and work them back over drop-offs into deeper water of six to eight feet.

Expect the best fishing of all when the water warms to 50 to 52 degrees. Live herring fished on a 1-ounce fish-finder rig with a 7/0 or 9/0 non-offset circle hook will entice some of the biggest stripers of the entire season. For best results, try to locate troughs on the flats, where the surrounding two- to three-foot depths drop down to five or six feet of water.

Anchor in the trough, cast the live herring into shallower water, and slowly retrieve them over the edge into the deeper water of the trough. The catch-and-release season on the flats continues until May 3. Following a brief closure, striped bass fishing on the flats will open again on May 16, when anglers will be allowed to keep one striped bass per day of 18 to 26 inches.

Captains Walt at Light Tackle Charters, Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service, “Walleye” Pete Dahlberg at Four Season’s Guide and Charter Service, Karl Bunch at Karl’s Bassin’ Adventures, and Chris Dollar at CD Outdoors will be among the charter boat captains in pursuit of rockfish on the flats this month.

Captain Richie Gaines reported his son Ricky caught lots of large 11- to 14-inch yellow perch in the Tuckahoe River last month, especially while fishing on the bottom in deeper 10- to 12-foot holes with grass shrimp and minnows. To arrange an exciting big-game striper trip on Susquehanna Flats, Call Captain Richie at (410) 310-1700.

Up until the first week of April, Captain “Walleye” Pete Dahlberg fished the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant for large migratory stripers. “Drifting the outflow current with a 15-ounce jighead with a 6- or 10-inch Bass Kandy Delight is the ticket. Fish over 40 inches are not uncommon.” Now Captain Pete is fishing the flats, “working the entire area with BKDs, crankbaits, surface plugs or herring (if conditions are tough). Call him at (703) 395-9955.

Also this month, the much anticipated spring trophy season on Chesapeake Bay will begin on April 17. Anglers will primarily troll for big stripers in the main stem of the bay from Brewerton Channel to the Virginia state line, including Tangier and Pocomoke sounds (other areas of the bay are closed to striped bass fishing until May). Umbrella rigs, bucktails, parachutes, and mojos are popular early-season trolling lures. Anglers are allowed one striped bass per day of at least 28 inches.

REGULATIONS