Maryland/Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report March 26, 2014

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | March 26, 2014 

This Saturday is the big one for put and take trout fishermen; for outdoorsmen whether they be a hunter or fisherman or both there is nothing that tugs at the child inside of us as much as the thought of opening day. Many will find it hard to sleep the night before and there will be plenty of glances at the bedside alarm clock during the night. For those with young anglers in the house, enjoy and bath yourself in all the excitement and anticipation and for those older, find comfort in spending time with your old fishing buddy. Fishermen have been checking out their gear and tackle shop shelves for weeks now and it all comes to fruition this coming Saturday. Parking and the best streamside fishing spots will be at a premium as will dry feet and the rest of you unless you dress properly because the weatherman is telling us there is a 70% chance of rain.

Despite a late start due to ice conditions at the trout holding facilities the stocking crews have been very busy making sure all areas that are due to be stocked for this Saturday's opener have a generous supply of trout. John Mullican sent in these pictures of stocking trout during yesterday's snow storm; all in a day's work of being a fisheries biologist.

Courtesy of John Mullican

Most likely wherever you decide to fish you may hear some whoops, hollers and excitement at some point when someone catches one of the trophy sized breeder trout that are placed at every trout management area. May luck be on your side and you are the person who manages to heft one of these beasts up onto the bank. If you do catch a Rainbow Trout over 20- inches visit one of our award centers and register your trophy to receive a certificate and entry into the Maryland Fishing Challenge. Entrants are eligible to win several large prizes including a boat, motor and trailer donated by Bass Pro Shops. To find out about theMaryland Fishing Challenge and how to enter, be sure to check out the website.

Freshwater fishermen have had other types of fishing on their minds as well as trout for the last few weeks and have been testing out their favorite fishing holes for a mix of species. If you check the angler's logs you will see a wide variety of fishing opportunities even though it has been cold.

Chain Pickerel are a fun target for fishermen when the water is cold and ponds normally clogged with vegetation in the summer months are open and near snag free. Spinners, swimming minnow lures and spoons are all good early spring choices for Chain Pickerel. Bank and small boat fishermen have been enjoying good fishing for Channel Catfish in the tidal rivers. Crappie can be found holding near structure near deep edges and Largemouth Bass are being found in transition areas looking for a little warmth. A small jig or minnow under a bobber works great for crappie and Largemouth Bass will strike a variety of soft plastic jigs and crankbaits this time of the year. Although the upper Potomac has been running a bit high and cloudy lately, fishermen have been enjoying some good fishing for Walleye and Smallmouth Bass. The best fishing tends to be in the eddy areas where fish are holding out of the strong currents. Small jigs, tubes and sassy shad type lures have been good choices for fishing close to the bottom. Benjamin Powell was fishing from the shoreline when he caught this nice Walleye and others on the upper Potomac recently.

Courtesy of Benjamin Powell

It has been quite a spring so far as cold water temperatures have caused expected spawning runs to be delayed and fast paced when a day or two of relative warm and sunny days causes spawning to bust loose. The Yellow Perch spawning runs are over for the most part now and fishermen saw White Perch arriving at traditional spawning areas over the past weekend. Yesterday's snow and cold temperatures put the skids on most spawning activity but predicted warmer weather for the next week will put White Perch spawning into high gear. There may be a little lag time as water temperatures are slow to change and melting snow will also be bringing an influx of cold water into the spawning reaches of the tidal rivers. Fishermen may find that the top of the flood tide might bring in the warmest water temperatures and therefore cause the White Perch to be the most active. A small chartreuse grub, crappie jig or shad dart tipped with a piece of bloodworm or grass shrimp and under a bobber is hard to beat when fishing in close quarters for White Perch.

Water temperatures today are hovering around the 43-degree mark in the lower Susquehanna River and the Conowingo Dam has been releasing water as much as twice per day. Snow melt is not going to be helpful for elevating water temperatures so it will take a few days at best for the White Perch fishery to begin to show some signs of life. Despite cold water temperatures there are Striped Bass in the Susquehanna Flats area and most likely many of them will be males. It will take some warmer water temperatures to put any of them in a feeding mood.

Fishermen looking to shake the cobwebs out of their fishing gear and boats with a little Striped Bass catch and release fishing out in the bay may find it hard to find ready and willing fish; water temperatures are still in the high 30's on top and the bottom for most of the bay. There has been very little activity reported at the Calvert Cliffs Power Plant discharge by drift and jig fishermen. There were reports of some Striped Bass action in the lower Potomac River but were not large migrant fish coming into the bay but smaller resident fish. It would be safe to assume that when things do warm up a bit any large Striped Bass moving up the bay will be near the warmer surface water.

Most Ocean City area fishermen have been sitting it out for the most part. Most captains still feel the water is too cold for a good Tautog bit on the inshore and offshore wreck sites and the Black Sea Bass season doesn't open until May 19th. There was some talk among locals of some large Speckled Trout caught recently in the coastal bays.

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report March 12, 2014

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | March 12, 2014 

By Keith Lockwood

It would have been hard for anyone not to have caught a touch of spring fever yesterday as temperatures soared up to the 70-degree mark, a very welcomed harbinger of what is to come. Signs of spring are beginning to show everywhere if one looks for them; Woodcock or Timber Doodles are buzzing around, Canada Geese and Whistling Swans are headed north, Wood Ducks have arrived, flower bulbs are poking up and one of my nesting Ospreys was waiting for me when I arrived home from work yesterday. Traditional spawning runs of fish are finally beginning to occur, trout stockings are moving along and fishermen will start to make some positive moves towards going out to do some fishing.

My two fishing buddies and I figured we'd give the Yellow Perch a try on the Tuckahoe River near Hillsboro this past Sunday. Despite the chill, we had great fun and felt like we participated; our timing unfortunately did not match up with that of the Yellow Perch. Three hours in a canoe dunking minnows made for some stiff legs at the boat ramp which caused some reflection on younger days that seemed a long, long time ago. A sight for sore eyes developed when four young guys full of purpose and determination pulled up with all the right stuff. We watched as they began unloading their kayaks and hitting the water for a day on the upper Tuckahoe fishing for Chain Pickerel. For an old timer like me it was nice to see young guys enjoying what the outdoors has to offer.

Photos by Keith Lockwood

The fish that tends to be on fishermen's minds this time of the year are Yellow Perch and their arrival to traditional fishing holes has been delayed due to cold water temperatures in many of the bay's tidal rivers and creeks. It only takes one sunny and warm day to get fishermen out to try their luck and several to elevate water temperatures to the Yellow Perch's liking. A water temperature of 46-degrees tends to be the magic number for spawning Yellow Perch and last Sunday for example the water temperature at Hillsboro on the Tuckahoe River was 43-degrees and fishing there was very slow; fortunately recent warm weather has changed all of that. This 10-1/2" Yellow Perch was the only fish caught by three fishermen dunking minnows in the Tuckahoe at Hillsboro on Sunday; they did much better on late Tuesday afternoon.

Photo Courtesy of Tom O'Connell

The last couple of days have done much to change the nature of the Yellow Perch runs and fish that were holding far down river earlier this week have begun to move through traditional areas where fishermen can target them with jigs and bottom rigs baited with grass shrimp, earthworms or minnows. Yesterday's 70-degree temperatures was just what the doctor ordered and Yellow Perch began to make their appearance at traditional locations and fishermen reported good to excellent catches. At Hillsboro on the Tuckahoe there was an excellent run of nice perch during the afternoon and fishermen did very well as water temperatures rose to 47-degrees by late afternoon.

Fishermen have been reporting earlier this week that they were finding Yellow Perch holding in some of the deeper holes of tidal rivers and creeks downstream of the traditional target areas such as the Ganey's Wharf area on the Choptank, Jug Bay on the Patuxent River and the Shad Landing area of the Pocomoke River. These Yellow Perch are now on the move up river and should provide good fishing through the weekend. There has been some Yellow Perch action reported in the lower Susquehanna in the deepest channel areas for several weeks and last week the ice in the lower section of the Northeast River began to recede; so there should be some fishing opportunities there.

It will be a while before fishermen see any appreciable White Perch numbers moving up the tidal rivers and creeks; fyke netters in the middle river areas have been seeing very little in their nets for the past two weeks. As waters warm up in the next couple of weeks; Hickory Shad will be moving up the tidal rivers and creeks and fishermen will be looking forward to the fun catch and release fishing that these restored populations are providing. Now is the time for selecting shad darts, flies and flashy spoons before you find yourself looking at empty shelves at your favorite tackle shop. Fish passage program leader Jim Thompson has been making sure the fish passage or fish ladders are in good shape for the expected arrival of river herring and Hickory Shad and finds himself up to the top of his waders at the fish ladder at Winters Run which is a tributary of the Bush River.

Photo Courtesy of Jim Thompson

Trout are also on fishermen's minds this time of the year and often the pre-season stocking of trout in the non- closure areas allow put and take fishermen to put a little bend in their fishing rods and a few trout on the dinner table. Stocking crews had been plagued with ice on the trout holding ponds that prevented them from seining out the trout for pre-season stockings in non-closure areas. Some areas have been stocked and crews are working overtime trying to keep up with the closure stockings and fill in some of the pre-season stockings. The best way to obtain the latest stocking information is to subscribe to the Fisheries contact email list where stockings are posted as they occur. The following link will take you to the site where you can subscribe. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/emailcontact.asp One of the places crews were out recently was Hunting Creek Lake at Cunningham Falls State Park where crews had to cut through 13" of ice with a chain saw and pour the trout down through the hole that they had cut into the lake ice; all in a day's work for fisheries crews.

Photos Courtesy of Marshal Brown

The warmer days when they occur entice fishermen to check out favorite local ponds or waterways to try their hand at casting for Largemouth Bass, Crappie and Chain Pickerel; except for the Chain Pickerel the most productive presentations are usually deep and slow. Soft plastic jigs, slow rolled spinnerbaits and crankbaits are often the best choices for lures. Chain Pickerel love cold water and will attack most any kind of spinner, spoon or swimming minnow lure. John Mullican reports that Walleye fishing in the upper Potomac is good this week but warns that recent snow melt and predicted rain may cause the river to be running high and fast later on this week. Readers can check out his recent angler's logs for more detailed information on Walleyes and Smallmouth Bass.

Ice fishermen at Deep Creek Lake have been experiencing one of the best seasons for hard water fishing in a few years. The extreme cold that have seen homeowners heating bills soar and caused some challenging driving conditions has also manifested itself in plenty of thick ice. Fishermen have been catching Yellow Perch, Walleye, Bluegills, Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike. Fishermen have been experiencing some surface slush recently on the warmer days and the edges along shorelines are starting to show signs of receding; so this coming weekend may be one of the last good and safe chances to ice fish at Deep Creek Lake.

Photo Courtesy of Matt Sell

Chesapeake Bay fishermen will start to pull covers off their boats and begin to think about sprucing them up and painting bottoms. Those who keep their boats on trailers usually have less to do and will be checking out the warm water discharge at the Calvert Cliffs Power Plant for some catch and release fishing for Striped Bass that are moving past, on their way up the bay's spawning rivers. The drift begins where the discharge boils up and continues for a couple of hundred yards. Large plastic jigs such as 8" to 10" BKD's, Crippled Herring and butterfly jigs are jigged along the rocky bottom with hopes of a solid thump.

Fishermen in the Ocean City area have been sitting tight for the most part for the past few weeks. Water temperatures at the near shore reefs and wreck sites have become so cold that the Tautog have been fussy about biting. The wreck and reef sites outside of the 20-Fathom Line are the most popular areas to fish this time of the year. Warm days and light winds will bring out a few fishermen who will venture out to the wreck and reef sites to give the Tautog a try and most likely a few fish will cooperate. Surf fishing will mostly be Spiny Dogfish and skates and it will be another month before Tautog start to nose near the Ocean City Inlet.

Keith Lockwood's Maryland Fishing Report

     Oxford, Md. -- It took a lot of patience and of course sweat, but it seems that the back of the drought and heat has finally been broken and cooler temperatures are beginning to appear. We all know there will be a couple of swings back to hot temperatures in the near future but we can all hang on to the hope that cooler and more comfortable temperatures are ahead for fishermen and fish alike. Water temperatures have cooled slightly and the NOAA Buoy at the Gooses actually shows a warmer temperature at the bottom of the bay at 81-degrees and a cooler 80-degrees at the surface. Both saltwater and freshwater fish will begin to slowly drift out of a summer pattern of behavior in the month of September.

     As we approach the last week of August with Labor Day in sight; the 2011/2012 Maryland Fishing Challenge is coming to an end on September 3rd. A wonderful awards event is planned for September 8th with some fabulous prizes and contestants in attendance will get a free Under Armour T-shirt. So check the minimum sizes listed in the Fishing Guide or Fishing Challenge website and hopefully you can catch a qualifying fish to be entered in this year's event.

     Upper bay fishermen are finding a mix of white perch and channel catfish in most of the tidal rivers in the upper part of the bay, The Susquehanna also holds the promise of striped bass near the Conowingo Dam. Farther down the bay fishermen are finding white perch and a few spot on some of the reefs and knolls out in the bay such as Man O War Shoal and the 7" and 9" knolls on bloodworms and bottom rigs this week. A little farther down the bay, in the Rock Hall to Bay Bridge area, fishermen are finding schools of small striped bass and bluefish chasing bait over a wide area. Often fishermen are finding a larger grade of striped bass by jigging under the breaking fish or finding the larger fish holding to structure. Live lining spot and chumming is a good option in the areas around the bridge piers and Love Point but small striped bass and toothy bluefish are a big part of the action.

     In the middle bay region fishermen are finding good striped bass fishing around the mouth of the Choptank River this week at the Diamonds and False Channel. The northwest edge of the Hill off Poplar Island and similar steep channel edges such as Thomas Point are also holding striped bass. Live lining spot is the most popular and effective method of catching striped bass this time of the year but hungry bluefish are extracting a heavy toll on baits. Many fishermen are finding that if striped bass and bluefish are under the boat using fresh chunks of cut up spot work just as well for both species. It is often a game of who can get to it first and the aggressive bluefish often win out. For those who are uninitiated to smoked bluefish it makes a great snack as is or mixed with cream cheese and chives to make a wonderful cracker spread.
     Fishermen in the middle bay region are also finding a mix of striped bass, bluefish and Spanish mackerel chasing bait throughout the region. Bay anchovies tend to be what is on the dinner table, so small spoons and metal jigs have been good choices for lures when casting to breaking fish or jigging. Trolling small spoons such as Clarks or Drones is very effective for the bluefish and Spanish mackerel with inline weights of planers.

     White perch fishing has been very good this week along the shorelines of the tidal rivers in the middle bay and lower bay regions and providing plenty of light tackle fun. Casting small spinnerbait type lures or spinners is an effective way to catch a mess of white perch. Fishing off of docks with bait such as grass shrimp or bloodworms is a wonderful way to introduce young anglers to fishing. Often a deep water dock or pier will provide the action kids need to keep them interested.

     Fishermen in the lower bay region are finding some of the better fishing for striped bass in the lower Potomac River this week around Piney Point out to the mouth of the river. Live lining spot and chumming have been two of the most popular methods of fishing. Fishermen are also finding a mix of striped bass, bluefish and Spanish mackerel chasing bait throughout the region. Trolling small spoons behind inline weights and planers has been a very effective way to catch them. Casting small spoons and metal jigs to breaking fish or underneath them has also been providing a lot of action for area fishermen.

     Fishermen are also finding good fishing for a mix of croakers, spot, speckled trout and white perch while bottom fishing in the lower tidal rivers and the Tangier Sound area. Flounder fishing has been good on the edges of the channels in the Tangier Sound area and also the Cornfield Harbor area near Point Lookout.

     Recreational crabbers continue to enjoy good crabbing opportunities this week in most of the tidal rivers in the upper, middle and lower bay regions. The larger male crabs have moved far up the tidal rivers to areas often thought of as more freshwater habitats because of low freshwater flows and saltwater intrusion.

     Fishermen in the western region of the state are beginning to see cooler water temperatures cause more activity in fish species such as smallmouth bass, trout and largemouth bass. Smallmouth bass fishing in the upper Potomac River and Deep Creek Lake has improved recently with fish taking topwater lures during early morning and late evening hours and deeper presentations during the day.

     Freshwater fishing in the other regions of the state is also improving with cooler water temperatures for a wide range of species from channel catfish to bluegills. Largemouth bass are often at the top of the list for many freshwater fishermen and although the fish are still in a summer mode of behavior there has been a slight increase in activity. The mantra continues to be topwater lures over or near shallow grass during the early morning and late evening hours and deeper presentations of crankbaits and soft plastics during the day around structure or under thick grass.

     This week coastal fishermen in the Ocean City area continue to find a nice summer mix of small species in the surf, made up of kingfish, spot, trout small bluefish and the welcomed addition of croaker. In and around the inlet fishermen are catching bluefish and a few striped bass at night and sheepshead around the rocks during the day. A mix of flounder, small sea bass and croaker are being caught from the inlet to the back bay areas with most of the croaker action occurring close to the inlet in deeper water.

     Offshore at the wreck sites fishermen are catching limits of flounder and picking away at sea bass. Even farther offshore the boats trolling the canyons are finding some yellowfin tuna, good numbers of gaffer sized dolphin, multiple releases on white marlin and a few blue marlin and wahoo. Brothers Daniel and Andrew Podlesny teamed up on this nice wahoo they caught while trolling a Clark spoon near the Jackspot; dad, Rick Podlesny helped by gaffing the fish; a real nice family fishing experience to remember.

Keith Lockwood's Maryland Fishing Report

     Oxford, Md. -- The dog days of summer are certainly here and fish and fisherman alike are adjusting their fishing times to the cooler parts of the day. Some relief is in store for this week and into the weekend so fishing should be a bit more enjoyable. Just remember to drink plenty of water, more than you think necessary and use sun block or cover up from that mid summer searing sun.

     Fishermen continue to be pleased with the striped bass action they are encountering in the upper bay this week. All are well aware of recent heat and water temperatures are now 85-degrees or higher. Early morning fishing tends to offer the best opportunities for light tackle jigging, trolling live lining and chumming. Traditional locations such as the Love Point area, Podickory Point, the Sewer pipe and Bay Bridge Piers are all holding fish at times. Light tackle fishermen report finding breaking fish at times; especially in the early morning and often without the company of birds. As is often the case the fish on top are under 18" but often larger striped bass can be found underneath. Trolling Drone spoons has been a favorite lately along with bucktails and surgical tube lures. Chumming has been bringing a lot of small fish into the slicks but fishermen report the largest fish on the bottom. Live lining spot has perhaps been one of the surest methods of tangling with a striped bass once fish are located holding close to structure such as bridge piers or steep channel edges.

     Middle bay region fishermen continue to enjoy very good fishing for striped bass below the Bay Bridge south. Much of the action tends to be centered near the Gum Thickets, the Hill, Tolley's and Thomas Points. Early morning and evening tend to be the most productive times reported for a wide variety of fishing methods. Light tackle fishermen are finding fish on top at times or suspended over structure. Trolling with a variety of lures such as Drone spoons, bucktails and surgical tube lures has been a good choice. Bluefish are moving into the region so many fishermen have placed their expensive swim shads in safe storage. Chumming has been productive and live lining spot is probably the number one way to catch your striped bass if one has the time and savvy to collect live spot for bait. More than a few fishermen are also finding bluefish chopping up baits and that fresh cut spot can catch striped bass also.

     Fishermen looking for striped bass in the lower bay are now able to concentrate on live lining spot outside of the Gas Docks with very good success. Spot have moved into the Patuxent River and the tidal rivers and creeks in the lower bay region making bait much easier to obtain. Fishermen are also light tackle fishing and trolling for their striped bass and increasing numbers of bluefish at the Middle Grounds and channel edges. Fishing for speckled trout on the eastern side of the lower bay from lower Hooper's Island to Pocomoke Sound continues to offer exciting fishing opportunities for light tackle fishermen. Croaker numbers have increased this past week in the region and especially in the lower Potomac River. Flounder are also becoming more common in the lower bay region.

     Fishing for white perch continues to provide good fishing opportunities for fishermen throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay and the tidal rivers and creeks that flow into it. They are being caught in deeper waters with bait and bottom rigs, around the piers of docks, sunken wood along shorelines and rocks. Grass shrimp, minnows and bloodworms are all excellent baits and small lures such as Rat-L-Traps, spinners and Beetle Spins are all good lure choices.

Crabbing

     Recreational crabbers report fair to poor catches in the upper bay and good catches south of the Bay Bridge in the bay's tidal rivers and creeks. Undersized crabs and females are making up a large portion of the crabs being encountered on trotlines and in collapsible traps but most crabbers report being able to catch a half bushel to a full bushel per outing.

Freshwater

     Freshwater fishermen continue to see most of their fisheries set in a typical summer mode of behavior and that translates into early morning and late evening fishing action in shallower waters and fishing deep or under shade during the day. Largemouth bass in particular are roaming the shallower grass beds during low light conditions and are hunkered down in deeper cool waters during the day or under heavy grass or the shade of a dock or sunken wood.

     Fishermen at Deep Creek Lake are catching a mix of smallmouth bass in the 12" to 15" size range, large yellow perch and crappie by drifting live minnows over rocky points, humps and deep grass edges. At the deep dam faces many are drifting minnows and nightcrawlers deep for trout. Upper Potomac River fishermen report typical summer low flow conditions and are catching a mix of smallmouth bass and channel catfish.

     Much of the summer time fishing action focuses on largemouth bass and with cooler temperatures this week the action should pick up. Topwater lures such as frogs, poppers, chatterbaits and shallow running crankbaits over grass or along edges are always good choices. Grubs, spinnerbaits and soft plastics are good choices to try near sunken wood or shade.

At the Ocean

     Ocean City area fishermen are enjoying good fishing conditions this week; surf water temperatures are now up to 78-degrees and they are catching a summer mix of small species in the surf such as kingfish, small bluefish, croakers, spot and flounder. In the late evenings some fishermen are also practicing catch and release with large inshore sharks such as sand tigers. In and around the inlet flounder and sheepshead are being caught and small bluefish and a few striped bass at night.

     Flounder fishing has been good due to good water clarity and fishermen are working the deeper channels for some impressive sized flounder. Many are using larger baits now such as live spot and catching a better grade of flounder. Croakers, small sea bass and spot round out the bottom fishing mix.

     The boats heading out to the wreck sites report good catches of sea bass and increasing numbers of flounder for patrons on the party boats. The throwback ratio tends to be high on the sea bass but fishermen who stick to it often come up with double digit catches of legal sea bass or limits. Offshore fishermen report bluefin tuna and a few yellowfin tuna along the 30-fathom line and traditional fishing areas such as the Hot Dog, Hambone and Chicken Bone. Farther offshore fishermen are finding a mix of white marlin, blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna, dolphin and bigeye tuna in the canyon areas.

Longtime Director of the MSSA Passes Away

     Annapolis, Md. -- Rich Novotny, one of MSSA's founding members, first president of the Essex-Middle River Chapter, author of Catchin' Chesapeake Rockfish, and longtime Executive Director of the MSSA, passed away on July 1 at the age of 67.

     Novotny will be remembered for the contributions to recreational fishing in Maryland. His lifetime commitment to fisheries made him a natural choice to lead the MSSA for so long. He will be missed.

Keith Lockwood's Maryland Fishing Report

     Oxford, Md. -- A lot of folks could be seen on the highways this past weekend headed for day trips or perhaps week long vacations with family in tow most with one purpose in mind; to get near water and its cooling effects on the body and soul. Whether it is a favorite lake, the bay or the ocean, water offers fun and relaxation and fishing can be a big part of that equation. I took my own advice this past weekend when three youngsters came to visit from Manhattan to come and play on the eastern shore. After a lot of swimming and chasing frogs and turtles; we set aside some time to go to our local tackle store and let the kids pick out their own character related fishing outfits and head to the bay for some white perch fishing. Fortunately despite the searing sun the white perch and small striped bass were hungry for grass shrimp and our young fishermen caught their first fish ever and I might add the 2nd and the 12th and so on.

     Fishermen in the upper bay region have been finding plenty to do in the tidal rivers such as the Susquehanna River, fishing for white perch and channel catfish with a few striped bass tossed in now and then. Farther down the bay in the region from Rock Hall south fishermen are finding schools of striped bass along channel edges. These fish range from typical 3-year old fish that are less than 18" to 4 and 5 year old fish that can go a nice 22" or more. Most fishermen have been trolling but chumming has been successful and those lucky enough to find some small spot have been live lining along the channel edges and the bay bridge piers with good success. These fish are chasing juvenile menhaden and bay anchovies and often can be spotted on the surface in the mornings and evenings chasing bait; fishermen are reporting that often there are no diving birds to mark the activity.

     The fishing for striped bass below the bay bridge down to the Breezy Point area continues to provide a lot of good fishing for striped bass along the edges of the shipping channel in the vicinity of Hackett's Bar, Thomas Point, the Hill, the False Channel area and out in front of Breezy Point. Fishermen have been seeing surface action in the mornings and evenings as striped bass chase bait up to the surface. Casting soft plastic jigs, bucktails and metal has been providing fun light tackle fishing. A good depth finder has also be a real asset this week in regard to finding fish suspended and holding along the channel edges; soft plastic jigs and metal have been effective choices to reach the fish. Trolling continues to be a very popular method to work the channel edges for striped bass this week; swim shads and bucktails in tandem or behind umbrella rigs as well as spoons and surgical tube lures have been good choices.
     Fishermen in the southern region of the bay are reporting good trolling opportunities for striped bass in the lower Potomac River with small to medium sized bucktails along the channel edges. Chumming is also been productive at the mouth of the Potomac River for a mix of striped bass and bluefish. At Cove Point along the 35' channel edge out in front of the Gas Docks fishermen are live lining spot on a regular basis now and catching striped bass. There are plenty of small spot in the Patuxent so it makes it easy for the Solomons fleet to obtain bait.
     Bluefish are mixing it up with striped bass in the lower bay region and can often be seen chasing bait to the surface. The bluefish are also showing up in chum slicks, nipping a live lined spot now and then and attacking lures trolled behind boats. Many of the fishermen trolling have put their swim shads in storage and are using Drone spoons, bucktails and surgical tubing lures. The Mud Leads and the lower bay in general have been good places to catch medium-sized bluefish.
     Croaker fishing in the lower bay and middle bay regions has been most productive at sunset and into the evening hours when a good tide is running. Shoal areas near deep channel areas have been good places to fish such as Buoy 72 in the lower bay and Sharp's Island Flats in the middle bay region. White perch fishing in the channel areas and tidal rivers in the middle and lower bay regions remains good with bloodworms being the most popular bait when fishing with bottom rigs.
     Shallow water fishing for white perch and striped bass remains good in the early morning hours with much of the fishing shutting down once the sun rises. Due to hot weather, the evening fishing kicks in gear once the sun sets. Topwater lures and jerkbaits are good choices for striped bass and spinners and Beetle Spin type soft plastics are good choices for white perch.

Crabbing

     Recreational crabbers report slim pickings this week in the upper bay tidal rivers and creeks and fair crabbing in the middle bay region's tidal rivers and creeks. Crabbing success picks up in the lower bay and Tangier Sounds area this week.

Freshwater

     Many of Maryland's freshwater fisheries are now in what most fishermen would call a summer pattern of behavior. That translates into early morning and late evening fishing for the best success. Whether one is fishing for trout in the western region streams, Deep Creek Lake, the upper Potomac or a small farm pond in southern Maryland fishing early morning and late evening is the key. Potomac River expert John Mullican sent in a short report from the upper Potomac that reflects this typical summer pattern. The Potomac is low, clear and temperatures are running in the mid-80s. Fishing has been pretty good during the morning and evening hours, but gets pretty slow during the day, a typical summer pattern.
     Fishing for largemouth bass has been good for fishermen who can get up early and work the shallows with topwater lures over grass such as frogs and poppers. As the sun gets higher in the sky targeting shade such as docks, fallen tree tops and under thick grass will often produce strikes from largemouth bass hunkered down in the shade. Creek mouths that flow into lakes and tidal rivers often run a bit cooler are also good places to target for bass holding there.

At the Ocean

     Ocean City fishermen are finding the best fishing for a mix of small summer species in the surf in the early morning and evening hours now that surf water temperatures are around 76-degrees. Kingfish, croaker, small bluefish and flounder can be found in the surf as well as catch and release fishing for inshore sharks this week. In and around the inlet and Route 50 Bridge are fishermen are catching flounder, croaker and sheepshead during the day and striped bass at night. Flounder fishing in the back bay areas is good when water clarity is favorable.
     Outside of the inlet the party boats are finding good fishing for sea bass on the wreck sites with a high throwback ratio. Farther offshore fishermen are finding good fishing for yellowfin tuna and a mix of bigeye tuna, bluefin tuna, dolphin, white and blue marlin and wahoo. Deep drop fishermen are finding tilefish along the canyon edges.

Coastal Conservation Association Kent Narrows Tournament Saturday, June 2

     Chester, Md. -- This year’s Coastal Conservation Association Kent Narrows Fly and Light Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, June 2, with three divisions—kayak, fly and light tackle. Registration is $40, which includes a one-year CCA membership and can be done online link.

     There will be a captain’s meeting at Shore Tackle (in Kent Narrows next to Fisherman’s Inn) at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 31. Refreshments will be served; the rules will be outlined; rulers for measuring fish and tournament shirts will be passed out. Those who can’t get to the captain’s meeting and live on the western shore may pick up rulers at Angler’s Sport’s Center after 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 31.

     Lines may go in no earlier than 5:30 a.m. Winners will be determined by photos only, and fish should be measured on the special rulers for the photo. Final time for having photos in is 3:30 p.m. (You must be in line at the judge’s computer station in the Jetty no later than 3:30 p.m.) Fishing boundaries are the Sassafras River to the north and Cedar Point to the south.

     Food and beverages will be served starting at 3 p.m. at the Jetty (the beer tap will no doubt be turned on before 3 p.m.) Shirts will be passed out for those not at the captain’s meeting.

     Prizes will be awarded for three divisions – fly, light tackle, & kayak (1st, 2nd &3rd places).

     Tournament sponsors are Under Armour, Shore Tackle & Custom Rods, Kent Island Kayaks, Annapolis Boat Sales, and Dvorak Electrical Contractors.