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.
Striped bass fishing has been good around the inner harbor and the Patapsco River area, with most of the fish holding near structure like bridge pilings, submerged rock piles or channel edges. The topwater bite has been good in the early morning hours or at sunset, but once the sun is shining high, jigging and live lining in deeper water will produce some fish.
The Bay Bridge pilings are also producing some good striped bass up to the upper 20-inch range. Most anglers are live-lining spot or jigging around the pilings on a moving tide. Bottom fishing continues to produce white perch and spot with a few channel catfish mixed in. Bloodworms and peelers are the two best baits to use when bottom fishing around the Annapolis area.
The Anglers 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.
Summer breezes and warm temperatures set the stage for all kinds of fishing this week. Whether fishing in the Atlantic Ocean or Chesapeake Bay, or just lazily watching a fishing rod nestled in a forked stick at your favorite freshwater fishing hole, it’s all good. We can all find a bit of peace and reflection wherever the outdoors takes us.
As the weather gets warmer, so does the water temperature. Summer heat can be damaging to fish, and for the striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay, certain conditions can be deadly for fish that are caught and released. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources provides a weekly striped bass fishing advisory forecast during the hottest months, using “warning flags” to let anglers better plan their fishing to help protect our state fish.
Lower Bay
Anglers are seeing a wide variety of summer migrant species moving into Maryland’s lower Bay, providing all kinds of fishing opportunities. Striped bass are being caught in the lower Potomac River and locations in the Bay and tidal rivers. In the Potomac, much of the striped bass action occurs in shallower waters; anglers are using spot for live-lining along channel edges as well as jigging with soft plastics. Trolling medium-sized bucktails dressed with sassy shads or twistertails along various channel edges has also been effective. Cove Point, Cedar Point, and the east side of the shipping channel from Buoy 76 south to buoy 72B are good locations.
Speckled trout are being caught in the lower Potomac near Point Lookout, Cedar Point, Tangier Sound, Pocomoke Sound, and north past Hoopers Island. Anglers are catching them in the early morning and evening hours along the shoreline by casting paddletails and sassy shads. Lure manufacturers have been coming out with some very effective underspin jig heads in the 2/0 and 3/0 class, a larger version of the familiar Roadrunner type lures. They provide some extra attraction to puppy drum and speckled trout. One of the most effective ways to catch them is to drift soft crab or peeler crab baits at the mouths of tidal creeks on an ebbing tide. They are also being caught on bottom rigs baited with soft crab or peeler crab, just watch out for cownose rays when fishing this way.
Slot-sized red drum are also being caught in the same manner as speckled trout. Casting paddletails, soft plastic jigs, and spinnerbaits near grass beds or stump fields during the morning and evening hours is an effective way to fish for them. Large red drum are being caught from the Middle Ground north past the Target Ship. Most anglers are locating large red drum and black drum on their depth finders or by spotting slicks and then casting large soft plastic jigs or dropping soft crab baits.
Bluefish are being caught in the lower Bay region, most are in the two-to-four-pound class and are being caught by trolling spoons or bucktails and incidental catches when fishing with soft plastic jigs or bait. Anglers targeting flounder are finding a few near Point Lookout and Cornfield Harbor and Tangier and Pocomoke sounds. The flounder are found on hard bottom near channel edges. Gulp baits in pink or white are favored baits. Cobia season opens June 15 and there have been a few reports of cobia being spotted in the Target Ship area; as the month progresses more cobia will hopefully arrive.
Spot are being caught in the lower Potomac and Patuxent rivers this week for live-lining and some large enough for table fare. Blue catfish tend to be dominating the fishing scene in the tidal Potomac from the Wilson Bridge south past the Route 301 Bridge, The Benedict area to Jug Bay is the place to fish for blue cats in the Patuxent River, and another good location is the section of the Nanticoke River from Sharptown south. Most anglers are using cut menhaden for bait since it is so available and leaves a good scent trail.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
Surfcasters are still catching a few large striped bass that must be released but are creating a thrill. Most anglers are using cut bait of menhaden, mullet, or peeler crab and large red drum can be part of the mix that must also be released. Bluefish are also being caught on cut bait. Black drum are being caught on peeler crab and sand fleas. Inshore shark species and cownose rays are part of the mix this week when fishing with large baits. Anglers fishing with smaller baits of squid, peeler crab, and bloodworms are catching a mix of flounder, blowfish, and kingfish.
Assateague State Park hosts its annual Youth Fishing Derby on June 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event is free for all; participants must be children under 16, and they will get the chance to learn fishing techniques and try their hand at surf fishing alongside Maryland DNR staff. Contact Matthew Smith at matthewd.smith1@maryland.gov or 443-397-0078 for more information.
At the Ocean City Inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, bluefish, striped bass and a few large sea trout are being caught by anglers casting soft plastic jigs and by drifting peeler crab and cut bait in the current. A few sheepshead have been caught by anglers working sand flea baits near the jetty rocks and bridge piers. Hopefully more sheepshead will show up as the summer progresses.
Flounder continue to move through the inlet headed for the back bay waters, so the inlet is a great pinch point to intercept them. Traditional baits of squid and minnows work well, and pink and white Gulp baits often account for the larger flounder. The channels leading from the inlet to the back bay areas are a good place to drift for flounder, just be careful of large boat traffic.
Fishing for black sea bass has had its ups and downs lately but most often if captains move to different wreck or reef sites, they can put together a good catch for their patrons. Flounder have been part of the mix lately.
Out at the canyons boats that are trolling are seeing the first yellowfin tuna of the season. Usually, it is just a couple of tuna per trip, but some have been lucky enough to catch a substantial number of yellowfins. Those who are deep dropping for blueline tilefish are doing very well with some nice catches reaching the docks.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.