Maryland & Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report
Anglers Sport Center Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD
The Anglers Sport Center fishing report is written by Anglers Fishing Manager & OTW Columnist, Alex Gallardo-Perez.
The blue catfish bite is still going strong and keeping anglers in the Middle Bay region busy. The bite in the Middle Bay region starts right at the Bay Bridge channel edges and continues to the mouth of the Patapsco River. Sandy Point is still the best spot to target them from the shoreline in the Annapolis area, but North Point State Park is also producing some good blue cats just north of the Patapsco River. The mount of the Magothy River is still a great spot for anglers anchoring up in about 10 to 15 feet of water and chunking bunker or shad on the bottom. Remember to use circle hooks anywhere from 6/0 to 9/0 depending on the size of your bait.
Shad fishing was good for most of the week in the Potomac, but it slowed down during the start of the week because of muddy, high water and fast-moving current. The better places to target them where Mattawoman Creek and Patuxent River. There is still a good amount of white perch being caught in the upper part of the Patuxent River, mixed with some American shad. Shad darts tandem with a trailing spoon are still the best lures to target shad.
Largemouth bass are starting to pair up and bed in some of the region’s reservoirs and tidal rivers. Snakeheads are starting to move around and feed a lot more with the warmer water temperatures. The Upper Bay’s rivers like the Gunpowder, Middle River and Bush River are some of the hot rivers holding good numbers and quality fish.
The Angler’s Sport Center fishing report is written by Anglers Fishing Manager & OTW Columnist, Alex Gallardo-Perez.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Middle Bay
Striped bass have been spawning in the upper Choptank River for a week and the peak of the spawn may have passed. The spawn lasted for more than a full week, which is very good, so perhaps our conservation efforts — which includes the closure of the fishery until May 16 — are paying off. Salinity values are very low so much of the spawn occurred a little farther downriver than usual.
White perch are moving down the region’s tidal rivers headed to their typical summer habitat locations near the mouths of the tidal rivers and creeks. The tidal rivers will have white perch passing through and fishing with a high-low bottom rig is perhaps the best way to target them. Grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm are popular baits. Check our Angler’s Log to learn how you can catch your own grass shrimp.
Due to low salinity values, large blue catfish can be found in the middle Bay this week. Anglers are catching them on a variety of baits, but cut bait tends to be at the top of the list. Salinity values are about 2 ppt at Annapolis and 7 ppt at the Gooses, which allows large blue catfish to roam free. Most anglers are using fish finder type rigs with circle hooks to ensure better hookups. Some prefer a 2-inch float close to the hook, and others do fine without it.
The tidal rivers are a good place to fish for a mix of channel and blue catfish this week. All the tidal rivers within the region have populations of blue catfish, but the Choptank River tends to have the largest populations. Due to low salinity values, the best fishing for blue catfish occurs from the Dover Bridge on Route 331 south to the town of Secretary. Plenty of channel catfish can be found from the town of Denton south.
Freshwater
As we move through the third week of the traditional spring trout season, stocking teams are out almost every day. Trout fishing has been hampered in some streams and rivers due to high flows caused by heavy rains. Conditions are improving and trout from the earliest stockings have spread out due to those heavy flows, so anglers can spread out over wider areas. Check the Maryland DNR website for the latest trout stockings and access maps.
Largemouth bass are aggressively feeding in a variety of locations this week. Ideal water temperatures have fish moving freely through different water depths and all day long. Grass beds are emerging, and they provide an excellent location to look for largemouth bass that are searching for baitfish and crayfish. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, soft craws, and soft plastics are all good choices for baits. Male largemouth bass are holding in the shallow spawning areas now and will be carving out nests to attract females. The female largemouth bass will generally be staged in slightly deeper waters and feeding.
Chain pickerel are providing a lot of fun fishing this week in the tidal and nontidal waters of the state. The upper sections of the Bay’s tidal rivers are a good place to look for chain pickerel holding near sunken wood or emerging grass beds. The state’s many small ponds and larger reservoirs all hold good populations of chain pickerel. Single-hook paddletails, spinners, spoons, and jerkbaits are all excellent lures to use.
Fishing for crappie could hardly be any better this week. They can be found holding near structures such as sunken wood, rocks, fallen treetops, marina docks, and bridge piers. Unicorn Lake near Millington has a program where they anchor old Christmas trees to the bottom of the lake to attract crappie. A simple slip bobber rigged with a small minnow is an excellent way to fish for them. Casting small marabou jigs and various lures and retrieving slowly is also a good way to fish for them.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
It was a blustery weekend in Ocean City, with strong winds churning up the coastal bays and making the ocean rough. Despite the winds, surf anglers enjoyed the mild temperatures and soaked baits hoping to hook up with black drum. Clams, crab, and sand fleas were the most popular baits being used, and several black drum were caught by anglers.
Fishing for tautog at the Ocean City Inlet jetties and the Route 50 Bridge has been very good, with some anglers catching limits of tautog measuring more than 16 inches. Sand fleas and pieces of crab are the most popular baits.
Striped bass are providing a lot of fun fishing in and around the inlet and the Route 90 Bridge this week. Most of the striped bass being caught are coming up a little short of the required 28 inches but are entertaining anglers with plenty of fun catch-and-release action. Casting soft-plastic jigs and paddletails are the most popular way anglers are fishing.
When sea conditions permit, anglers are heading out to the offshore wreck and reef sites to catch tautog. Catches have been good with many large tautog being caught. Pieces of crab are the most popular bait being used.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.