Maryland and Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report
It would appear that spring has sprung! At least in the way of the Chesapeake’s striper bite. Last week’s sub-freezing temperatures are gone with the wind, and the forecast calls for consistent highs in the 40s and 50s with the exception of Sunday this week. As bay temperatures rise and begin to approach the 50-degree mark, striped bass activity should only improve. Right now, the key for boaters and kayakers is to locate pockets of moving water in the mid 40s, preferably where schools of menhaden are present. Large soft plastics on jigheads are getting the job done.
Keep in mind that beginning this Saturday, March 1, there are changes to catch-and-release striped bass fishing regulations in Chesapeake Bay, per Maryland DNR Regulations. All spawning rivers and the Upper Bay spawning area are off-limits to striped bass fishing. In the bay, fishing is catch and release only from Brewerton Channel to the Virginia state line. There are also changes to hook regulations in the interest of protecting striped bass. Click here to view all of the updated regulations.
In addition to good striped bass fishing, anglers fishing the bay tributaries for yellow perch, chain pickerel, and catfish are reporting good results. Big pickerel are especially common as they are fattening up before spawning, which typically occurs once water temperatures reach 50 degrees. Fishing around deep grass beds with spinners, jerkbaits, and Z-Man soft plastics has yielded good results.
From Ocean City, Taylor Bakke of Always Bent Fishing OC reported that water temperatures are steadily climbing in the Ocean City area, but are still hovering between 40 and 45 degrees (depending on depth), so the striper bite remains a bit challenging. A few bass have been caught around the bridges at night, which is a positive sign that the action is surely improving. Bakke said that a few more days of consistent warm weather should help to bring those water temps up a few degrees, and once the thermometer hits 50, he anticipates the fishing will really turn on.
Captain Jamie Clough of Eastern Shore Light Tackle Charters in Chester shared that the weather was fantastic over the past week and the striped bass bite was outstanding. With stripers measuring up to 48 inches, many new personal bests were set. The skipper said big fish are on the move and can be found in areas with ample current and a strong presence of menhaden. Larger soft-plastic baits between 8 and 10 inches were responsible for the bigger fish over 40 inches, however, he cited excessive motor noise as a major deterrent. There are a lot of boats out there, and stealth is the main ingredient that allowed them to stay on the bite. Visit their Facebook page for contact info. and reach out to inquire about upcoming availability while the getting is good!
Anglers Sport Center Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD
The Anglers Sport Center fishing report is written by Anglers Fishing Manager & OTW Columnist, Alex Gallardo-Perez.
Finally! We got a break from the cold weather and wind. Since we had mild weather this week, water temperatures have risen to the low 40s and the striped bass bite has picked up all around the area, with some guys catching multiple 40-inch-plus striped bass in a day. Most anglers are still fishing around the south side of Chesapeake Beach down to the power plant. The fish are moving around and should be pushing north to the upper part of the bay. Most are jigging soft plastics on jigheads once they find a school of fish.
Yellow perch fishing has also picked up in most of the creeks in the area like the Patuxent River, and the Choptank River on the Eastern Shore. Bait of choice has been bull minnows or grass shrimp.
Chesapeake Bay Fishing Forecast
Good striper fishing is sure to continue with only a brief kink in a long stretch of mild weather coming up. Anglers should remain focused on fishing open water away from known spawning rivers. With a fair amount of menhaden roaming the bay, staying on the fish has required bouncing around, but as mentioned by Capt. Jamie Clough, try to keep motor noise to a minimum. Big striped bass are especially wary this time of year, and excess fishing pressure can contribute to striper lockjaw.
For those anglers pursuing pickerel, bass, perch and catfish in the rivers, the fishing is only going to improve from here. Remember to keep any blue catfish you catch!
Enjoy the hot striper bite, fish at a respectful distance from other anglers whenever possible, and take the time to revive big fish before releasing them.
Be safe and catch ’em up!