Maryland and Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report
From Ocean City, Taylor Bakke of Always Bent Fishing OC reported that late last week, there was a noticeable improvement in the local striper fishing, and it has continued this week. Bakke said they are catching slot-size fish and a few over-slots from the inlet to the bridge, and there have also been some red drum caught around the inlet. The size and consistency of bass continues to increase. Sheepshead, he added, are still biting along the jetty rocks, and more recently, they’re seeing the tautog bite pick up steam. The best local tog fishing has been right off the jetty rocks, but he’s confident that the wreck bite is heating up too. The yellowfin tuna action to the north seems to have shut down after the big nor’easter last week, and he’s hopeful that this Sunday, they’ll find them feeding in the warmer water that has moved south into their territory from Hudson Canyon. Give Always Bent a follow on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel for more local fishing content.
Captain Jamie Clough of Eastern Shore Light Tackle Charters said that despite the wind, striped bass fishing has been very good for the past few days. After the recent drop in temperatures, the skipper said the fish have moved to deeper water and they are hanging out on ledges. Their charters are catching the bulk of their fish on 1-ounce skirted jigs paired with 6-inch paddletails, and there have been some decent bass in the mix. Head over to Capt. Jamie’s Facebook page for contact info and rates if you want to get in on the action.
Anglers Sport Center Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD
The Anglers Sport Center fishing report is written by Anglers Fishing Manager & OTW Columnist, Alex Gallardo-Perez.
There are plenty of fishing opportunities now that fall is in full swing. Whenever it’s not blowing, anglers have been able to get out in the open water and look for schools of breaking striped bass feeding on peanut bunker. Most of the striped bass are in the 18- to 26-inch range with some pushing the upper 20s. Casting 5- to 6-inch paddletails and straight-tail plastics, paired with 3/4- to 1-ounce jigheads, has been the trick. Eastern Bay down to Chesapeake Beach have been the hot areas to encounter breaking fish.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Read the full DNR report here.
Middle Bay
The winds have been relentless for the past week making fishing and boating out on the Bay tough. The Bay Bridge piers and rock piles continue to draw the attention of anglers, but the rough conditions make it difficult. Jigging and live-lining near the pier bases has been producing some striped bass and the shallower western side of the bridge has been a good place to fish for white perch.
The shallow water fishery is alive and well in the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers and Eastern Bay. Prominent points, structure, and a moving tide are good factors for successful fishing. Poppers, paddletails, and jerkbaits are popular lures to use.
The bluefish left the Bay during the recent winds. As water temperatures in the tidal rivers drop toward the 50s, baitfish will start pouring out of the tidal rivers and striped bass will line up along steep channel edges. This fall pattern is always something to look forward to. The striped bass will show beautiful color and be heavy-shouldered, and the sight of diving gulls is not to be missed. Casting soft plastic or metal jigs with a fast taper jigging rod and reels spooled with braid puts it all together for light tackle anglers. Trolling down deep with umbrella rigs behind heavy inline weights will be another way to put striped bass in the boat.
Lower Bay
The recent winds pushed the bluefish out of the lower Bay for the most part; there might be a few stragglers that may be found near the Target Ship. Large red drum are found in the shallower waters of the Eastern Shore and Tangier Sound, providing exciting catch-and-release action. Popping corks with plastic shrimp underneath or casting paddletails are great ways to target them along with striped bass and speckled trout. Jigging with large soft plastics in deeper waters works well, as does drifting cut bait.
Striped bass are being found in the lower Potomac and Patuxent rivers and all along promising Bay shorelines. Jigging with soft plastic jigs is very popular along channel edges and live-lining spot continues to be a good way to fish. Trolling umbrella rigs down deep is becoming more popular as striped bass become suspended along steep channel edges.
There are still some spot to be found in the lower Potomac River, Patuxent River, and Tangier Sound this week, and they are as big as they’re going to get before they head south. White perch are showing up in the same areas as they move down the tidal rivers. Hard bottom and oyster reefs are a few of the best places to look for them. Anglers are reporting catching a few black sea bass near reef sites and some are exceeding the 13-inch minimum length.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
The Assateague surf continues to be a bit stirred up but anglers are catching a mix of bluefish, flounder, and large red drum (catch-and-release only). Sheepshead and tautog are being caught near the jetty rocks, bridge piers, and bulkheads in the inlet. Striped bass are being caught on soft plastic jigs.
Flounder are making their way from the coastal bays to offshore waters, so the Ocean City Inlet is a good pinch point to intercept them. The channels leading toward the inlet are the place to be if you’re flounder fishing.
The bay waters are a little stirred up from the winds so an incoming tide might offer better fishing success. Anglers are enjoying some fun catch-and-release fishing for striped bass at the Verrazzano and Route 90 bridges, while casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs.
When sea conditions allow the boats to take anglers out to the wreck and reef sites, there should be good fishing for black sea bass and a mix of tautog, triggerfish, and flounder. Some boats specialize in flounder fishing and are finding good catches of large fish. We have not heard much from offshore canyon anglers this week, but calmer conditions will allow them to venture offshore soon.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Read the full DNR report here.