Maryland and Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report
Sailing out of West Ocean City, Captain Monty Hawkins of Morning Star Fishing reported that Tuesday’s trip was met with glass calm sea conditions. During their first few drops, they found a mess of keeper sea bass, triggerfish and fluke before venturing further offshore in search of steadier action. For a short while, the bite got worse for their group despite the skipper marking loads of fish on the sounder. They headed further out yet again, and while it remained slow for a bit, the fish suddenly decided to put on the feed bags and the whole group went home with fillets for dinner and then some. On Wednesday, the skipper ventured back out to the sea bass grounds and on their first drop, with almost no current, anglers on board stuck a few keepers. As the current picked up, the fishing was hit or miss; when it slowed again, there was a noticeable improvement in the bite. The captain reported that while it wasn’t a banner day of fishing, the best bite of the day formed toward the end of the trip. They stuck it out for a couple more hours and during the final stop over a smaller piece of reef structure, double-headers of sea bass came up around the rail with a handful of quality keepers mixed in. A would-be pool-winning flounder almost took the cake when boat regular Cathy caught a jumbo sea bass, and another angler bested her catch at the last second. The Morning Star is sailing for sea bass whenever conditions allow, so give them a shout at (443) 235-5577 between 8 AM and 8 PM to reserve your spot on the rail!
From Ocean City, Taylor Bakke of Always Bent Fishing OC shared that cobia have started showing up in the Ocean City area this week. There are lots of flounder being caught at the wrecks this week, and back inshore, he said, there are still plenty of bluefish and some slot-size stripers lingering near the inlet. Bakke added that the Bad Habit was able to get offshore today and while the action was slower than they left it, their crew boated 3 yellowfin tuna on spreader bars. With more summer weather ahead, steady yellowfin action should continue.
Anglers Sport Center Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD
The Anglers Sport Center fishing report is written by Anglers Fishing Manager & OTW Columnist, Alex Gallardo-Perez.
With the extreme heat, Maryland DNR has recommended to fish for striped bass before 10 AM when the water temperatures are at their coolest. The topwater bite is still going strong in most of the rivers like the Patapsco and Magothy. The key is to be out fishing before the sun comes up; usually, by 7-8 AM the topwater bite is over and it’s time to move deep. Love Point has been holding some fish when the current starts to move. Kent Narrows has also been holding some fish, and jigging and live-lining spot have worked the best. Perch fishing has also been affected since the heat wave hit our area, and it’s moved most of the fish to some deeper water—between 10 to 20 feet—around oyster reefs. Sabiki rigs and bottom rigs with bloodworms have been the best bets for perch this week.
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 anglers continue to be drawn to the Bay Bridge piers, and they are catching some striped bass, although success is not guaranteed, there is enough action to keep anglers coming back. A few factors that help are a good moving tide and fishing during the early morning or late evening hours. Casting skirted soft-plastic jigs at the pier bases is always a fun way to fish, others are drifting live spot or peeler crab to the pier bases. At the shallower ends of the bridge a mix of white perch, spot, and small croakers await.
Anglers are trolling along the channel edges from Buoy 83 south past the mouth of the Choptank with a mixed spread of Drone spoons and surgical tube lures pulled behind inline weights for a mix of bluefish and striped bass. There are also reports of bluefish pushing bait to the surface near Sharps Island Light and providing some fun casting to breaking fish.
Live lining spot is always a popular way to fish for striped bass this week and bluefish will be in the mix. Searching along channel edges, Thomas Point, the Clay Banks near Sharps Island Light, the False Channel, the Diamonds, Breezy Point are all good places to look with depth finders.
Water temperatures in the middle bay region are about 80 degrees this week. There is plenty of fun casting opportunities along the bay shores and tidal rivers. The Poplar Island rocks are a favorite spot to check as is Thomas Point and the lower Choptank and Little Choptank. The best fishing is occurring during the early morning and late evening hours. Casting poppers and Spooks are a fun way to fish over grass and paddletails can offer good success as well.
White perch can be found holding near structure in the region’s tidal rivers this week. Deepwater docks and piers, oyster beds, prominent points with good current flow, and submerged rocks are all good places to find white perch. The deeper waters can be fished with grass shrimp, peeler crab, or pieces of bloodworm on a number 4 hook and a light sinker.
Lower Bay
The water temperature in the lower bay region is about 81 degrees today and the salinity value is 11. Perhaps the most exciting news in the lower bay region is the arrival of the first cobia and increasing populations of red drum, bluefish, and speckled trout.
Anglers have been trolling a mix of Drone spoons and surgical tube lures behind inline weights to target the bluefish. The cobia are hitting the surgical tube lures. The best action for bluefish and cobia has been occurring near the Target Ship and reef sites on the eastern side of the bay. This weekend will be a good time to start targeting cobia with spot and cast tactics or setting up a chum slick with cut bait or a live eel in the back of the chum slick. Chum slicks will also attract cownose rays and sharks and perhaps some bluefish.
Bluefish are providing an additional opportunity over striped bass. They are spreading throughout the lower bay region and can be caught by trolling surgical tube lures or by casting metal jigs when breaking fish are encountered or by blind casting along shorelines and reef sites. The bluefish are generally ranging in size from 2 pounds to 6 pounds in size. The Target Ship area, Tangier and Pocomoke sounds, main channel edges and the mouth of the Potomac River are good places to look for them.
Large red drum are being caught and released along the eastern side of the bay and the Point Lookout area, often in shallower waters during the evening hours on cut bait, soft crab, or peeler
crab. Often shoreline anglers can get in on the action and may catch speckled trout at the same time and of course those pesky cownose rays that seem to be everywhere. Large red drum are also being found in deeper waters near the Target Ship and the Middle Grounds. At times they can be spotted by disturbed water or depth finders. Jigging with large soft plastics or dropping soft crab baits is an excellent way to target them.
Striped bass are being found in several different settings this week. Jigging is an excellent way to fish for them along channel edges and the Route 4 Bridge Piers. Soft plastic jigs are the most popular jig to use. Casting a mix of topwater lures, paddletails and other lures along shoreline structure during the morning and evening hours is a fun and popular way to fish for a mix of striped bass, bluefish, speckled trout, and the occasional slot-size red drum. The lower Patuxent and Potomac rivers, Tangier and Pocomoke sounds, and the marsh shorelines of the Eastern Shore are excellent places to fish.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
Surf anglers are enjoying catching bluefish this week in the surf at Assateague and also catching and releasing large red drum and a mix of inshore sharks and stingrays. Most anglers are using cut mullet or menhaden for bait.
At the Ocean City Inlet anglers casting paddletails, bucktails, and Gotcha lures are catching a mix of striped bass and bluefish. A fair percentage of the striped bass fail to meet the 28” minimum but offer plenty of fun catch and release fishing. Flounder are always in play at the inlet and offer good fishing on an incoming tide when the bay waters are cloudy due to heavy wave action.
There are plenty of flounder in the back bay waters and fishing is good when water clarity is good. The minimum size for flounder is 17” and a portion of the flounder being caught measure under that minimum and must be released. Using larger baits can often be more attractive to the larger flounder.
The anglers headed out to the offshore wreck and reef sites are enjoying excellent fishing for black sea bass this week. Some captains are targeting selected wrecks and reefs for large flounder. The tuna fishery is in full swing out at the canyons where anglers are catching a mix of yellowfin and bigeye tuna.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.