Next Update: December 12, 2007

It’s starting to feel a lot like winter this week especially out in western Maryland where it’s snowing. Fishermen usually can deal with cold if there are fish to be caught but the strong winds we’ve experienced for the last five day up until today have really put a damper on fishing out on the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Ocean. Oh yes, there are striped bass waiting out there for fishermen with the fortitude to venture out and fish for them; large striped bass and plenty of them. Many fishermen and charter captains are reporting this is the best fishing for large fall migrant striped bass they have ever seen and there are still five days of the Chesapeake Bay season left to go where anglers can keep one large striped bass. Freshwater anglers are being treated to some excellent walleye fishing due to colder water temperatures in the lower Susquehanna River, and selected Reservoirs such as Deep Creek Lake, Liberty Reservoir and Rocky Gorge.

As water temperatures dip into the mid and lower forties in the upper and middle bay regions the focus on striped bass has moved to tolling or jigging for the large fall migrants that have so far worked their way as far north as Bloody Point. Most fishermen are trolling large parachutes or bucktails dressed with a sassy shad behind an umbrella rig or in tandem in the first 30” of the water column. Ron Davis holds up a nice 34” fish caught on a chartreuse parachute behind an umbrella rig off Chesapeake Beach.

Spoons are also being employed and certainly work; just keep their spinning action away from other lines or one is in for one heck of a mess. The shipping channel is the place to troll and finding bait under the surface can mean the difference between multiple knockdowns or a slow pick. Gannets lead the way to bait pods and striped bass. A number of fishermen in the middle and lower bay regions who yearn for some light tackle action on these large striped bass have been positioning themselves in front of the advancing and diving gannets, turning off their engines and silently drifting through the underwater melee and jigging up some beautiful fish. Large striped bass are very engine shy; which helps explain why so many are being caught off the planer boards while trolling but they also like large baits that represent what they are feeding on. Menhaden and hickory shad in the 6” to 11” size category is “what’s for dinner” and fishermen are using 10” BKD soft plastic jigs or Tony spoons when jigging. Carson Sloat who is only 4-years old and hails from Severna Park was jigging with a Tony spoon with his dad in Eastern Bay when he caught this nice striped bass.

The lower bay region tends to be ground zero for the striped bass fishery at the moment and boats are catching their limits relatively early and then trying to top their limit off with a small striped bass. Water temperatures in the lower bay region are just a tab warmer and some of the under 28” size striped bass can be caught while trolling or jigging.

Trout fishermen in the western and central regions are enjoying good winter style fishing drifting nymphs with the added bonus of sight casting due to low flow conditions in many areas. Freshwater anglers are also enjoying excellent walleye and smallmouth bass fishing in selected waters. Craig Walrath holds up a nice Triadelphia Reservoir smallmouth bass for the camera before releasing it.

Coastal anglers are picking away at a few large striped bass and bluefish that wander in close to the beaches; but the real action is occurring a mile or so off the beaches. Large schools of migrating striped bass and bluefish are feeding on schools of bait that are also migrating south. Fishermen are trolling and jigging with great success and diving gannets are leading the way to this underwater bonanza. Unfortunately a lot of this action is taking place beyond the 3-mile limit and into the EEZ zone and any striped bass caught in that region must be returned unharmed; but fishermen are reporting the catch and release action sure is a lot of fun. Sea bass fishing at the wreck sites remains fair to good and spiny dogfish continue to be a problem at some sites.

Don't hesitate to e-mail your recent fishing/crabbing photos and trip information. Send your photos via E-mail by the following Monday in order to be included in the next update. The file should be in .jpg format with the longest side sized at 600 pixels. Please try to keep the file size small, under one megabyte. The photo should clearly depict the angler(s), fish, and ethical handling practices. For information on ethical angling practices please reference the Catch and Release information located at URL: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/articles/catch_release.shtml
Include the following information:

• Date
• Angler(s)
• Hometown(s)
• Photo credit

• Location

• Weight/length of catch

• Bait/lure

Important Note: If anyone in your picture is under 18 years of age, we must have a photo release signed by that person and a parent/guardian before we can post your picture.

Send your photos and information to Keith Lockwood

Until next week,

Tight Lines,

Keith Lockwood
MD DNR Fisheries Service

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