With the fall equinox behind us, the days are getting noticeably shorter. There’s no sweeter time of the year – or place to be — than late September and October in Maryland, whether you are a fisherman or a hunter or just someone who likes to enjoy the sights and sounds of autumn.
Forecast Summary: Sept. 26- Oct. 2
After the seemingly endless rain, anglers will be treated to several sunny, cool, calm days from Saturday through Tuesday next week. The cool, rainy and windy weather has continued to mix and cool Chesapeake Bay waters, providing favorable conditions for rockfish. Anglers should continue to seek the best combination of clear, cool, oxygenated waters – which can be found right now from the surface down into deeper waters.
Water temperatures is 68 degrees at the Susquehanna River, 75 degrees at Gooses Reef and 78 at Point Lookout, with more cooling as the week continues. Expect poor water clarity from the high flows coming from most rivers and streams. The Susquehanna River’s muddy water will likely extend below Swan Point. There will be above average tidal currents through Sunday as a result of the full moon Sept. 26.
For the full weekly fishing conditions summary and more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast.
Water temperatures is 68 degrees at the Susquehanna River, 75 degrees at Gooses Reef and 78 at Point Lookout, with more cooling as the week continues. Expect poor water clarity from the high flows coming from most rivers and streams. The Susquehanna River’s muddy water will likely extend below Swan Point. There will be above average tidal currents through Sunday as a result of the full moon Sept. 26.
For the full weekly fishing conditions summary and more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
The upper bay continues to present a mine field of floating debris to boaters and it becomes even more dangerous when wind tossed waves make floating logs harder to see, so be careful out there and take it slow. Waters continue to be stained from runoff and the Conowingo Dam continues to dump a lot of water coming down the Susquehanna.
Fishing for striped bass is very good this week with chumming taking center stage at traditional locations. The 20-foot to 25-foot channel edges at Swan, Love and Podickory points has been very good as well as the Bay Bridge and there has even been some action at the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Smaller striped bass tend to swarm into chum slicks with larger fish holding close to the bottom in back of the slicks. Anglers will find channel catfish holding back there also.
Spot are becoming harder to find this week as water temperatures dip. They can still be found in the lower Magothy River and the shallower side of the Bay Bridge in about 15 feet of water. Live lining is a great option at all of the chumming locations.
The Bay Bridge piers have been a good place to find suspended striped bass and one can either jig, chunk, chum or live line spot for them. At times there has also been some breaking fish near the bridge and if one looks carefully sometimes slicks will reveal the presence of underwater action which depth finders can confirm for some jigging action. Steve Fisher holds up a nice striped bass caught while jigging.
Fishing for white perch has been very good in the tidal rivers for those casting small spinnerbaits and jigs near shoreline structure. Fishing with a bottom rig baited with peeler crab, bloodworms or grass shrimp is a good way to catch them over hard bottom in deeper areas. Channel catfish are very active and can be caught in all of the region’s tidal rivers.
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The upper bay continues to present a mine field of floating debris to boaters and it becomes even more dangerous when wind tossed waves make floating logs harder to see, so be careful out there and take it slow. Waters continue to be stained from runoff and the Conowingo Dam continues to dump a lot of water coming down the Susquehanna.
Photo by Rich Watts
Spot are becoming harder to find this week as water temperatures dip. They can still be found in the lower Magothy River and the shallower side of the Bay Bridge in about 15 feet of water. Live lining is a great option at all of the chumming locations.
The Bay Bridge piers have been a good place to find suspended striped bass and one can either jig, chunk, chum or live line spot for them. At times there has also been some breaking fish near the bridge and if one looks carefully sometimes slicks will reveal the presence of underwater action which depth finders can confirm for some jigging action. Steve Fisher holds up a nice striped bass caught while jigging.
Fishing for white perch has been very good in the tidal rivers for those casting small spinnerbaits and jigs near shoreline structure. Fishing with a bottom rig baited with peeler crab, bloodworms or grass shrimp is a good way to catch them over hard bottom in deeper areas. Channel catfish are very active and can be caught in all of the region’s tidal rivers.
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We used to throw the big ones back that we caught in the nets if they were still healthy.3 or 4 would have been world records if they had been caught on hook and line.100 lbs was the biggest and a couple of 80 lb and one 75.They just aren't good to eat when they're that big.
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