Maryland & Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report
- Bay temperatures cool with the passing of Tropical Storm Ophelia.
- Conditions conducive to striper fishing line up for the weekend.
- Pre-storm puppy drum are caught in the middle Bay near Poplar Island.
- Snakehead take spinners and soft plastics.
- Sheepshead fishing holds steady near inlet jetties.
- Sea bass season closes Saturday, 9/30 until 10/10
Tochterman’s Fishing Tackle Report — Baltimore, MD
The Tochterman’s Fishing Tackle Fishing Report is written by Tochterman’s team member, Kevin Trupia.
This week has seen cooler water temperatures at the Conowingo Dam and throughout the lower Susquehanna River. Cloudy conditions are contributing to the dropping water temperatures, which are hovering around 70 degrees, making the striped bass fishing a lot better. The good fishing lasts longer during the day at the dam, and throughout the river. Fishermen on the Susquehanna are casting paddletails, soft plastic jigs, jerkbaits and poppers with good results. Stripers are also active in the Patapsco River, and around the Key Bridge, where live-lining eels and spot have been the best methods to get bit.
The Tochterman’s Fishing Tackle Fishing Report is written by Tochterman’s team member, Kevin Trupia.
Reel Chesapeake Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD
The Reel Chesapeake Fishing Report is written and compiled by writer and media professional, James Houck. Find the full report here, at reelchesapeake.com.
It’s no mystery that Tropical Storm Ophelia shattered this past weekend’s dreams of angling for big autumn fish taken in big water. The middle Chesapeake Bay was lucky though, having avoided the worst of the storm’s path with it veering toward the Atlantic coast by early Sunday. Alas, the winds blew high, waves and surge met expectations, and just about everybody kept off the water regardless. This week has been “the calm after the storm,” for the most part—still patchy winds reaching the upper teens, so small craft advisories have been in effect most days.
All this said, the weather windows for the next couple days provide opportunities to fish in the rivers and bay, and the weekend through early next week looks very good. The water temperature has continued to dip…to 76F, 75, then 74. Additionally, we’re reaching a full moon on Friday, so the tides will be running strong. Combine this with a hanging cloud cover approaching 100 percent Thursday through Friday and I’d say if striped bass (and all manner of species) are what you’re after, now is the time to strike
The topwater game was excellent last Friday (9/22) just before the storm blew through. I caught several 21s on a white Stillwater Smack It, Jr. and a floating Daiwa Salt Pro. Birds and blitzes were relatively easy to locate, giving away schools of low-to-mid 20-inch fish. And if you found them, then you were sitting on top of fish that could be jigged up on a drift.
There’s not necessarily a need to run ‘n gun from blitz to blitz, tempting as it may be. Big fish will sit low in the water column. Try 3/4- to 2-ounce jigheads loaded with 7-inch BKDs or paddletails and bounce the bottom. If you’re reading down- or side-imaging, sometimes you’ll see the fish sitting in the middle of the water column, in which case lighten your jighead between a 1/2 to 1 ounce. Try locating fish at the major shoals, reefs, points, and structure (Bay Bridge, Sewer Pipe) in the main Bay.
Our success was primarily in the middle Severn River (no surprise there), but other anglers were pulling good size schoolies from the Patapsco (Harbor to mouth), lower South River, Thomas Point, and Poplar Island. The back side of the island was also where puppy drum routinely were caught just before the storm. We’re looking forward to reports from these next few days.
With this storm cooling the region down, which it will continue to do this coming week, white perch are likely to start exiting the shallow creeks and stage in deeper environs. But don’t give up on them yet. Fall perching is still quite active over deep structure, oyster beds, and even deep docks along the main stems of rivers. Bonus: yellow perch will start to be in the mix more, as the season progresses and, dare I say, pickerel (?) if you’re fishing rivers with healthy populations (Severn, Magothy, Choptank). Try twitching small Rapala countdown minnows, tiny dropshots, micropaddles, or baited bottom rigs.
The bass and snakehead bite could be a smidge tougher in the popular watersheds. Anglers are already chatting about the topwater bite cooling off and switching to plastics (jerkshads, etc.). Spinner baits and inlines might be a good option, too, right now, as the water has been stained from the heavy rains, especially in the rivers’ upper portions and headwaters where the species thrive. I tried throwing frogs over dying pads at a Patuxent offshoot, early Tuesday morning, with no success. Switching to Tex-posed Yum Dingers didn’t get any bites either. I’ll chalk up the finicky fish to Ophelia post-storm blues (it’s never the angler, right?). If you have better success than I, let me know. Good luck!
View the full Reel Chesapeake Fishing Report, written and compiled by writer and media professional James Houck, at reelchesapeake.com.
Angler’s Sport Center Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD
The Angler’s Sport Center fishing report is compiled and written by Anglers Team Member, A.J. Lewis.
Upper and Middle Bay
As the water temperatures continues to drop after the weather we’ve had this past week, baitfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel are starting to move south towards warmer waters. Even with the change in the bite, they’re still being caught while trolling under a #1 or #2 planer at speeds of 5 to 7 m.p.h.
Blue catfish are being caught all along the Susquehanna River. Areas around the Conowingo Dam Pool are prime spots for catching catfish, striped bass and snakehead. The lower Susquehanna River is providing excellent opportunities to catch catfish from shore or from small watercraft such as kayaks in shallow water. Anglers are catching good sized 30-pound blue cats on anything from jigs and plastics to cut bait while casting towards the grassy shallows.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a prime spot to get lots of spot, croaker and white perch before they begin to move south. As the water temperature cools, these fish will be moving deeper, so drop-offs and channels are your best bet to get on the biggest spot or white perch. To target the schools in deeper waters, anglers are using Chesapeake Sabiki Rigs or bottom rigs tipped with either live or artificial bait.
Anglers are having luck catching striped bass in the early morning hours while casting around shallow water structure using topwater lures near places like Poplar Island and Thomas Point. Right now, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Key Bridge are excellent areas to either troll or jig for consistent action from slot-size stripers.
South Bay
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still being caught all around the South Bay area, however, with the cooling temperatures from last weeks whether they will soon begin to move south. More breaking fish can be found as bait moves out of the tidal rivers and through the channels, where mackerel and blues corral them in strong, open water currents. As always, a #1 or #2 planer while trolling at speeds of 5 to 7 m.p.h., is ideal. However, casting into a school of breaking fish will also net you a nice bag of these speedsters.
Lots of red drum are being caught around the Target Ship, Tangier Sound, and Pocomoke Sound. Anglers are finding success using 7-inch bubblegum Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ with a pink G-Eye Jig, but you may also find success using topwater lures.
Spot and white perch are still being found inside all tidal rivers in the south bay. With last weeks temperature drop however, the spot will begin to move south, so now is the time to get in on the last of the spot fishing! White perch, on the other hand, should be present until the first frost. Dragging inline spinners past structure is the best way to get on a good amount of these fish in shallow water. Using a Chesapeake Sabiki Rig or bottom rig with either artificial or live bait is ideal for targeting the larger perch holding in deeper water.
The Angler’s Sport Center fishing report is compiled and written by Anglers Team Member, A.J. Lewis.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report
Maryland Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
This past week, northeast winds created rough ocean conditions with pounding surf and higher-than-normal tides, and churned up bay waters. The first northeaster of September usually brings changing conditions for most summer fisheries. As water temperatures cool, many summer species will start to get the hint of moving offshore or south.
Surf fishing was a bust over the weekend and those same conditions will prevail through the week. Once the surf calms down, kingfish and bluefish should still be present to entertain anglers.
The inlet jetties and Route 50 Bridge area has been getting a lot of attention from anglers fishing for sheepshead using sand fleas and peeler crab for bait.
It will take a while for flounder fishing in the back bay areas to return to pre-storm conditions, but water clarity will steadily improve when winds calm down. The best tactic for flounder anglers might be to fish near the inlet on incoming tides where water clarity might be better.
Sea bass season closes September 30 and will not reopen until October 10, with a daily limit of 15 fish per angler and a 13-inch minimum length. The offshore canyon waters will certainly see some changes this week– there is hope of yellowfin tuna passing through from northern waters, white marlin fishing should be very good, and hopefully the small dolphin will stick around a little longer.
Maryland Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.