For the next few weeks, state hatcheries arestocking most trout management watersthroughout Maryland. The trout are providing quality fishing close to home and allowing success on a fishing adventure, especially for our young anglers.
At the Atlantic coast, sea bass, flounder and dolphin are biting.
And in Chesapeake Bay, autumn is one of the most anticipated times for striped bass fishing. Rockfish like the cooler water temperatures and begin to feed aggressively to build up lost body stores. Cooler water also forces baitfish in the form of bay anchovies, juvenile menhaden and silversides to exit the tidal rivers and head down the bay.
This is a time for light-tackle vertical jiggingwith soft plastic or metal jigs. The advent of braided line has given anglers increased sensitivity; make sure to check the first 10 feet or so of line for fuzzing and damage. There is a new generation of braided line with a clear polymer coating that reduces fiber abrasion. Because it makes the line slick, one can cast a lot farther.
The results of the 2018 striped bass young of the year survey are out and the news is good. This survey of spring reproduction by spawning striped bass in Maryland’s tidal river spawning areas is one piece of the puzzle about striped bass populations throughout the year.
Forecast Summary: Oct. 17-23
It will be windy Wednesday and again Saturday with another chance of rain. Expect sunny to partly cloudy conditions most other days with temperatures from the mid-50s to mid-60s and nighttime temperatures in the upper-40s to low 50s. These breezy, cooling air temperatures continue to mix and cool and uniformly mix bay waters, providing plenty of cool, well-oxygenated water from the surface down to the bottom. The upper bay and part of the upper Potomac still suffer from poor water clarity. So for this week, anglers should focus on main bay areas with good structure such as underwater points, oyster bottom, reefs, channel edges and large schools of baitfish.
At the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration buoys, water temperatures are cooling, with the Susquehanna River at 64 degrees and Gooses Reef and Point Lookout at 70 degrees. Expect the Susquehanna River’s muddy water to continue to reduce clarity in the upper bay down to the Bay Bridge. In addition, poor water clarity remains on the Potomac River down to about the Wicomico River. In the mid-bay down to Little Choptank River, including Eastern Bay, expect poor water clarity near the Gooses due to an algal bloom. There will be above average tidal currents from Saturday through Tuesday as a result of the full moon Oct. 24.
For the full weekly fishing conditions summary and more, please be sure to check out Click Before You Cast.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
Water conditions at the mouth of the Susquehanna River remain stained and chilly. There is a lot of water coming through the Conowingo Dam driving water temperatures down to 63 degrees. Water conditions improve as one moves down the bay, as does fishing success. There has been good success in the Baltimore Harbor area for those casting topwater lures and swimshads near shoreline structure or jiggingalong deeper structure such as channel edges and bridge piers.
Chumming is popular and successful at Swan and Podickory points this week along the 25-foot to 30-foot edges. A few resourceful anglers are having success by live-lining small white perch at these locations and others have been live lining eels near the Francis Scott Key Bridge piers.
Trolling has been a good option along channel edges in the bay or river mouths with umbrella rigs using swimshads or bucktails as trailers. Small spoons have also been a good lure to use in gold or with a splash of chartreuse behind inline weights or planers. Green and red hoses have also been a good addition to trolling spreads.
Breaking fish are becoming a more common sight this week and although many of the fish being encountered are small striped bass, larger fish can be found at times by jigging underneath. Soft plastics have been a favorite to reach the striped bass that are often suspended at 25 inches or more.
The Bay Bridge rock piles and piers have been a popular place to fish this week. Jigging with soft plastics has been one of the best ways to fish for the suspended fish which are a mix of striped bass and large white perch that are holding at depths of 25 feet to 35 feet. Chumming and chunking are also effective ways to fish by anchoring up current of the bridge piers. Live-lining eels is another great way to target the striped bass holding near the bridge piers.
Middle Bay
Now that water temperatures are 70 degrees or lower, baitfish are pouring out of the tidal rivers and schools of striped bass are waiting for them along channel edges near the mouths of the major tidal rivers and out in the bay. Pods of baitfish are being pushed to the surface by feeding striped bass where diving sea gulls join in. A good set of binoculars is an important tool to keep on the boat this time of the year. Light-tackle jigging with metal or soft plastic jigs is a fun and productive to jig underneath breaking fish or to suspended fish along channel edges.
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Water conditions at the mouth of the Susquehanna River remain stained and chilly. There is a lot of water coming through the Conowingo Dam driving water temperatures down to 63 degrees. Water conditions improve as one moves down the bay, as does fishing success. There has been good success in the Baltimore Harbor area for those casting topwater lures and swimshads near shoreline structure or jiggingalong deeper structure such as channel edges and bridge piers.
Eli Adams holds up a nice striped bass caught while jigging. Photo by Travis Long
Chumming is popular and successful at Swan and Podickory points this week along the 25-foot to 30-foot edges. A few resourceful anglers are having success by live-lining small white perch at these locations and others have been live lining eels near the Francis Scott Key Bridge piers.
Trolling has been a good option along channel edges in the bay or river mouths with umbrella rigs using swimshads or bucktails as trailers. Small spoons have also been a good lure to use in gold or with a splash of chartreuse behind inline weights or planers. Green and red hoses have also been a good addition to trolling spreads.
Breaking fish are becoming a more common sight this week and although many of the fish being encountered are small striped bass, larger fish can be found at times by jigging underneath. Soft plastics have been a favorite to reach the striped bass that are often suspended at 25 inches or more.
The Bay Bridge rock piles and piers have been a popular place to fish this week. Jigging with soft plastics has been one of the best ways to fish for the suspended fish which are a mix of striped bass and large white perch that are holding at depths of 25 feet to 35 feet. Chumming and chunking are also effective ways to fish by anchoring up current of the bridge piers. Live-lining eels is another great way to target the striped bass holding near the bridge piers.
Middle Bay
Now that water temperatures are 70 degrees or lower, baitfish are pouring out of the tidal rivers and schools of striped bass are waiting for them along channel edges near the mouths of the major tidal rivers and out in the bay. Pods of baitfish are being pushed to the surface by feeding striped bass where diving sea gulls join in. A good set of binoculars is an important tool to keep on the boat this time of the year. Light-tackle jigging with metal or soft plastic jigs is a fun and productive to jig underneath breaking fish or to suspended fish along channel edges.
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