Next Update: December 12, 2007

Now that the tautog season is closed for a spell in Maryland waters fishermen in the inlet area have focused their attention on striped bass. This past weekend anglers were unfortunately confronted with cloudy water conditions due to strong winds churning up the bay waters. Fishermen are catching a few striped bass in the Route 50 Bridge/ Inlet area by casting Storm lures and similar type swimming shad lures or by drifting live eels at the last of the ebb tides.

Surf casters reported scant pickings this past week in the striped bass department. A few were caught as were a number of large bluefish but certainly not what one would expect from a fall migration. It would seem that the striped bass on their migration south take a straight line from Long Island to Cape Hatteras bypassing the Maryland beaches for the most part. Fishermen are finding large schools of striped bass and large bluefish a mile or so off the beaches and unfortunately often in the EEZ Zone where all striped bass must be released. Gannets have been leading the way to a feeding melee where the bluefish and striped bass are feeding on large schools of bait also trying to migrate south.

The boats traveling out to the wreck sites report fair to good fishing for sea bass at most wreck sites but also report that spiny dogfish are now part of the equation and often cover up some of the wreck sites; forcing fishermen to move on to other locations. Bluefin tuna are still being spotted pushing water as they migrate south.

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Click here to view recent bay region satellite images at mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/NASAimagery/EyesInTheSky.cfm

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OFFSHORE MAP Click Map Icon For a Larger View	Please click for the latest sea surface temperatures from Rutgers University Marine Remote Sensing
	Please Click for the latest automated weather observations from Station 44009 - DELAWARE BAY 26 NM Southeast of Cape May, NJ
Please click for the latest automated weather observations from THE HOTEL BUOY.

A Couple of Closing Notes...

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 320 pixels. Please keep the file size small. 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

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