Maryland and Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report
From Ocean City, Taylor Bakke of Always Bent Fishing OC said everything remained status quo on the inshore and offshore grounds this week, and surf fishing took a turn for the better since red drum returned to the Assateague suds. The sheepshead bite is the next best thing going for shore anglers; they continue to be cooperative for those dunking crabs, sand fleas, and shrimp from the jetty rocks and around hard structure like bridge pilings. Additionally, flounder fishing is still holding up nicely in the back bay channels, but good fishing on the nearshore wrecks has been worth the steam out of the inlet and there are nice sea bass in the mix. The offshore scene hasn’t been great, Bakke admitted. The only reliable action seems to be way north and east toward Long Island and southern New England. There are random “ghost” tunas being caught here and there by boats out of OC, but nothing consistent, which is uncharacteristic of this time of year. Typically, a late-summer/fall chunk bite would begin to build, but that’s hardly the case right now. Like many other tuna fishermen, Bakke thinks this year’s Super El Niño might be at least partially to blame. For now, mahi are still available on the midshore pots and there are bluefish, Spanish mackerel and false albacore hitting trolled spoons and jigs a short run outside Ocean City. Check out the Always Bent YouTube Channel and Instagram page to stay in the loop with the local fishing scene, from inshore bites to offshore tournament coverage and more.
Captain Jamie Clough of Eastern Shore Light Tackle Charters reported that they are back on the shallow water striped bass bite this week—their regular program. Last week, the fish followed schools of peanut bunker into deep open water along channel edges and would occasionally push bait on the surface. This week they’re still finding blues out deep, but the bass are holding very shallow and tight to structure like sod banks, docks, and marsh grasses. These fish are most cooperative under low-light conditions, and their recent charters are finding success by casting small white spooks tight to structure. Captain Jamie expects this bite to continue until more bait pours into the bay and the stripers enter their fall feeding patterns. Bluefish, on the other hand, are still being caught on 5-inch Z-Man paddletails and 1-ounce jigheads unless a heavier jig is needed to hold in areas of heavy current. The blues won’t stick around for too long, but Captain Jamie and Captain Mike will stick with them until they vacate the area. To book a charter, head to the ES Light Tackle Charters Facebook page for trip rates and contact info to inquire about their upcoming availability for striped bass and bluefish.
Captain Monty Hawkins of Morning Star Fishing out of West Ocean City reported spotty, but good fishing during their last dedicated mahi trip of the season on Wednesday with some quality specimens hitting the deck. At the first stop, one angler picked up an almaco jack while the second spot yielded the first mahi of the day. From then on, it was a game of spot hopping—one spot would be lifeless, the next would hold a half dozen mahi. Anglers on the rail picked away at fish throughout the day and they even boated the Morning Star‘s largest mahi of the year, which was a fitting way to close out the season. The following day, Thursday, Capt. Monty steamed out to the reefs for a sea bass and flounder trip with a very light rail. On the first drop, the skipper marked loads of sea bass, but everyone was hooking short fluke—and impressive numbers of short fluke—with only a few sea bass mixed in. In the end, they picked through shorts all day to box enough keepers for the few anglers on board to go home with fresh fish for the dinner table. The Morning Star will continue to fish for fluke until late October, and sea bass until the season ends in December. Call 443-235-5577 to reserve your spot on the rail and head to their website for more trip information.
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 Bay Bridge piers and rock piles are a good location to check for striped bass this week. A moving tide during the morning and evening hours offers opportunities to drift live spot and eels or cut bait to pier bases, rock piles, and the concrete bridge abutments. Spot can be found at the shallower waters on the western side of the bridge. Casting skirted soft plastics to the pier bases is another good option for striped bass fishing.
The 30-foot channel edges off Kent Island, Thomas Point, Breezy Point, and south of Bloody Point past Buoy 83 to the False Channel are good places to look for striped bass suspended off the bottom. Live-lining spot will remain a very popular tactic until the spot begin to thin out.
Water temperatures in the region’s tidal rivers need to drop another 10 degrees before anglers will begin to see bait exiting the rivers into a gauntlet of waiting striped bass. Water temperatures in the main portion of the Bay have slipped below 80 degrees this week. Anglers are seeing schools of bay anchovies attracting the attention of a mix of striped bass and bluefish in the open waters of the Bay. Diving gulls will often lead the way to them. Slicks can offer hints of something going on below the surface, so depth finders are an essential tool. Jigging with soft plastic or metal jigs is the best option to reach the striped bass.
Shallow water fishing for striped bass is getting better, and lasting longer into the morning and starting earlier during the evening as water temperatures slowly decline. This is a fun and exciting way to fish for light tackle anglers casting poppers over grass beds. Casting paddletails and crankbaits is another option for anglers. The lower sections of the tidal rivers and Bay shores where structure and good current flows can be found offer the best opportunities.
White perch and a mix of croakers, small, speckled trout, and spot are being caught near Kent Island, Eastern Bay, and locations throughout the middle Bay. Peeler crab is a good bait for white perch and croakers; grass shrimp is also a good bait for white perch and spot love their bloodworms.
Spanish mackerel have left the middle Bay for the most part, but bluefish are still in the region. Trolling surge tube lures or Drone spoons behind planers tends to be one of the best ways to fish for them. Chumming and drifting cut bait is another good way to fish for them along channel edges. The area around Sharps Island continues to be a good location to target bluefish.
Lower Bay
Lower bay anglers are reporting that the Spanish mackerel are heading south this week. There is still a chance to catch a few off Smith Point and near the Target Ship and the outside edges of the Middle Grounds by trolling Drone and gold Clark spoons behind planers. Pulling surge tube lures behind planers is a great way to catch the plentiful bluefish that are still in the region. The larger bluefish are being found in the main channels, especially below the HS Buoy. Smaller bluefish are spread along the shallower waters of the Bay.
Schools of large red drum are still present in the lower Bay this week, but anglers report they tend to be moving around a lot and chances of encountering them can be hit or miss. If you’re lucky enough, you may encounter them working over a school of menhaden. Casting large soft plastic jigs will get you into the action whether they are on top or down deep.
Striped bass are being found along steep channel edges, usually suspended at about 30 feet. The steep channel edge from St. Georges Island to Piney Point has been a good place to find them and live-line spot. Anglers report the steep channel edge of St. Clements Island is also holding some striped bass. The shallow water fishery for striped bass in the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers and Bay shores is good this week for anglers casting paddletails and topwater lures. The early morning and evening hours offer some of the best fishing successes.
Fishing for a mix of spot, croaker, speckled trout, and the occasional kingfish and blowfish continues to be very good in the lower Potomac, the lower Patuxent, the lower Eastern Shore, and Tangier Sound. The spot are as large as they’re going to be before they exit south and a good number of the croaker are measuring over the 9-inch minimum.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
Surf fishing along Assateague beaches has settled into fishing for a mix of kingfish, spot, croaker, and flounder. During the evening a mix of inshore shark species provide some entertainment. As we approach the end of September anglers are anticipating a run of large red drum along the Atlantic beaches.
At the Ocean City Inlet, anglers are catching some impressive sheepshead when fishing live sand fleas close to the jetty rocks. Tautog can be part of the mix, although most have a hard time meeting the 16-inch minimum size. Flounder are always in play at the inlet and anglers casting soft plastic jigs are enjoying catching a few striped bass during the early morning and late evening hours.
The channels leading from the inlet and those in front of the Ocean City Airport are providing good fishing for flounder this week. Anglers using squid for bait are also catching some large croakers.
Outside the inlet and inshore, large flounder are being caught on lumps and shoals, such as Fenwick and Little Gull shoals. The inshore wreck and reef sites are also holding large flounder. The wreck and reef sites that are farther offshore also hold large flounder and a few black sea bass. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and false albacore are being caught relatively close to shore by trolling Clark spoons behind inline weights and planers. Anglers are also placing small feather trolling lures in their trolling spreads and catching small dolphin near the offshore wreck and reef sites.
Farther offshore at the canyons, anglers are experiencing multiple catch and release action with white marlin and a few blue marlin. Small dolphin are entertaining anglers near lobster and black sea bass buoys. Deep-drop fishing for blueline tilefish is providing anglers with fish to bring back to the docks.
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.