MAryland Fishing repoort 10-13

[Fishing Report]

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | October 13, 2010

Fishermen finally got a break this past weekend and the beautiful weather has been holding out for what some folks call Indian summer. Freshwater fishermen have been enjoying the rewards of a generous fall trout stocking program, those fishermen who seek out smallmouth and largemouth bass are finding them in a very active feeding mode as they aggressively feed on all manner of baitfish and crayfish. Chesapeake Bay anglers are finding a mix of striped bass and bluefish chowing down on juvenile menhaden throughout the bay and the lower sections of the tidal rivers.

Water temperatures have been falling into the low 60’s in the upper most portions of the bay and fishermen are finding striped bass in the lower Susquehanna River area as well as yellow perch and smallmouth bass. Farther down the bay a mix of striped bass and bluefish are chasing baitfish, often marked by diving sea gulls. At times the striped bass on top have been three year old fish that are just shy of 18” but often larger ones can be found by vertical jigging underneath. The Bay Bridge continues to be a great spot to try for the larger striped bass by either jigging close to the bridge piers or the rock piles, slow trolling or live lining spot. There are still some pesky bluefish around and Rich Watts sent us a couple of pictures showing a nice 8lb striped bass and what happens when a bluefish finds your spot.


Fishermen in the middle bay region continue to find good fishing for a mix of striped bass and bluefish this week in many traditional locations such as the mouth of Eastern Bay, the mouth of the Choptank River/False Channel, Sharps Island area and edges of the shipping channel. The lower sections of the regions tidal rivers have also been holding a lot of striped bass action. Breaking fish can be encountered and casting to shoreline structure or jigging along channel edges has been productive. Live lining spot also continues to be a good way to target striped bass if you can put up with the bluefish. Often the action doesn’t start until the evenings or early morning hours and everyone is reporting the fish are responding negatively to boats running through the surface action; so stealth is the word and tolerance the mind set when careless boats put the fish down. Remember you’re out there to enjoy yourself.

Lower bay region fishermen are finding good fishing for striped bass and bluefish at locations such as Cove and Cedar Points. There are a lot of chunky bluefish around the Buoy 72/ Middle Grounds area and the mouth of the Potomac. Trolling spoons and surge tube lures behind planers or inline weights is the most popular method of catching them. Live lining spot has been a tough proposition because of all the bluefish in the area but if you have a good supply you can eventually catch your striped bass at places like the 50’ line off Cove Point.

The large spot are becoming scarce and fishermen are reporting catching more white perch than spot in the lower Patuxent and Potomac Rivers in about 40’ of water. Some exciting news has been traveling through the lower bay fishing community in the form of reports of 12” to 17” sea trout near the Mud Leads.

Fishermen have been enjoying casting to shoreline structure for striped bass and bluefish on the western side of the bay at locations such as Cedar Point. On the eastern side of the bay fishermen have been casting white Gulp mullet baits for a mix of striped bass, bluefish and large speckled trout from Hooper’s Island south through the Pocomoke Sound area.

Fishing for white perch has been very good in all three regions of the bay this week. Water temperatures are in the mid to low sixties now and white perch are starting to mass up near oyster bars, reef sites, prominent points in the lower sections of the tidal rivers and the bay. Jigging with a dropper fly or bottom fishing with bait such as bloodworms and grass shrimp are sure ways to stock up the freezer with perch fillets. Recreational crabbing has been good, especially in the middle and lower bay regions. The crabs are deep, often in 15’ of water or more and they are fattening up very nicely.
Photo Courtesy Kyle Klotz. Click to Enlarge.

Freshwater fishermen have been enjoying some wonderful trout fishing opportunities this past week and the action will continue through the winter due to the generous fall stocking program. Western regional biologist Alan Klotz sent in this report today. "As of this afternoon, all the Western Region Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing Areas (Town Creek, Casselman River, Yough River, and North Branch Potomac River) as well as the Put and Take Trout Fishing Areas of Evitts Creek, Wills Creek, Savage River, and Bear Creek have all been stocked. Alan sent in this beautiful picture of a brown trout he released back into the Yough recently."

Central Regional biologist Mark Staley also sent in a report today from his region. "Trout streams in central MD are still enjoying a little extra water from the rainfall earlier this month. Conditions for stocking and catching our fall trout have been excellent. The Patapsco was stocked at various locations last week and should hold those trout in some spots until winter. Largemouth and smallmouth bass in area reservoirs are gorging themselves on crayfish and any other available minnows and shiners at this time of year to bulk up for the winter months. "

Smallmouth and largemouth bass are indeed feeding aggressively on all kinds of bait and especially crawfish as grass beds in the shallower waters diminish and the crayfish migrate to deeper cover. At Deep Creek Lake topwater lures are still enticing smallmouth to strike and a mix of small crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs are working for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. The upper Potomac is running clear and tubes, stickbaits and small crankbaits have been working well around rocks and submerged ledges for smallmouth bass. Grass beds are beginning to break up in many of the rivers and can be pesky in regards to fouling lines; leaves will be next. Fishing the edges of diminishing grass beds in the tidal rivers with topwater lures, spinnerbaits or crankbaits is a good way to catch largemouth bass this week.

Fishermen at the coastal areas of Maryland are seeing a changing fishery unfolding as water temperatures dip into the mid-60 degree range. Flounder fishing has been good due to clear water this week and many fishermen are targeting the larger flounder moving towards and out the inlet with large baits such as live spot and while Gulp mullet. Tautog fishing has improved greatly at the inlet area with the south jetty being a real hot spot. Sand fleas and pieces of green crab have been the chosen baits. Large bluefish and improving numbers of striped bass are being caught at the inlet at night.

Small bluefish are being caught in the surf on finger mullet and catch and release fishing for large red drum continues to spark up the spirits of surf fishermen looking for a big pull. Fresh menhaden baits have been the bait of choice.

The few boats that have been venturing out to the offshore waters have been coming back to the docks with dolphin, bluefin tuna and a few large yellowfin tuna and wahoo.

"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves- in finding themselves."

Andre Gide 1869-1951


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keith Lockwood has been writing the Fishing Report since 2003 and has had a long career as a fisheries research biologist since 1973. Over the course of his career he has studied estuarine fishery populations, ocean species, and over a decade long study of bioaccumulation of chemicals in aquatic species in New Jersey. Upon moving to Oxford on the eastern shore of Maryland; research endeavors focused on a variety of catch and release studies as well as other fisheries related research at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory. Education and outreach to the fishing public has always been an important component to the mission of these studies. Keith is an avid outdoorsman enjoying hunting, fishing, bird dogs, family and life on the eastern shore of Maryland.


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