![]() Setting out a chum slick from a chum dispenser set close to the bottom can work wonders.Īngler John Reilly caught a 25.5-inch spotted seatrout in the Chesapeake Bay on Apr 29. Using live minnows or nightcrawlers, scented baits, and chicken livers and other parts also work well. Cut bait is very popular and the oily baits tend to attract more bites. The blue catfish are particularly numerous in the Choptank River and are spread out between the towns of Choptank and Denton. In the early morning and evening hours, casting small jigs, spinnerbaits, and spinners along shoreline structure is a fun way to catch them.Ī mix of channel and blue catfish are entertaining anglers in the region’s tidal rivers this week. Fishing with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm on a simple one-hook bottom rig that is fished close to structure is a good way to catch some perch. White perch have made it to their summer habitat areas and can now be found near dock piers, oyster beds, and submerged structures near the lower sections of tidal creeks and rivers. This regulation does not affect the remainder of trophy season in Maryland. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will incorporate a new maximum size of 31 inches for keeper striped bass this year, following action taken for the entire East Coast by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The beginning of summer season, May 16, is just around the corner. The post-spawn striped bass from the Choptank and Nanticoke rivers seem to have moved farther south. There are some post-spawn striped bass moving through the region from the upper Bay spawning sites. In the middle Bay, fishing for trophy sized striped bass has been very slow. The increased creek flows may have spurred on the last hickory shad spawning run for the 2023 season, but time will tell. Last week’s heavy rains brought a lot of runoff to the upper Bay, including Deer and Octoraro creeks. Casting small jigs and spinners with ultra-light spinning tackle is a fun way to fish for them. As waters become more comfortable for the white perch, they can be found holding near shoreline structure in the mornings and evenings. Grass shrimp and pieces of bloodworm are the preferred baits. White perch are holding in the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers and can be found near structure channels, dock piers, and rocks are good places to look for them. Casting white paddletails is a good tactic in open water near grass, and buzzbaits are a good lure when fishing over grass. May is an excellent time of the year to fish for snakeheads since they are in a pre-spawn mode of behavior and feeding aggressively in open waters. Northern snakeheads are being caught by anglers fishing at the Conowingo Dam pool and the region’s tidal rivers and creeks. Fresh cut bluegills, white perch, menhaden, and gizzard shad tend to top the list for the best baits, but many anglers do well with chicken liver and other chicken parts, and scented baits. The lower Susquehanna River, the surrounding tidal rivers within the region, and the Bay itself contain large populations of blue catfish and channel catfish. Most are reporting a skunk on the boat (for the uninitiated, that means fishing without success) or catching a few undersized striped bass.īlue catfish are plentiful enough for anglers to cash in on some exciting and bountiful fishing. Photo by Bud Martin Sr.Īnglers who have been trolling for trophy striped bass along the shipping channel edges below the Brewerton Channel report very slow fishing success. caught and released this nice hickory shad on Octoraro last week. Īs always, the best fishing areas could be further refined by intersecting them with underwater points, hard bottom, drop-offs, and large schools of baitfish.įor 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.īud Martin Sr. To see the latest water clarity conditions, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps. ![]() Expect average water clarity in Maryland’s bay, rivers and streams. ![]() There will be above average tidal currents through Wednesday as a result of the previous full moon on May 6. However, there are still plenty of cool, well oxygenated areas to pursue gamefish.Įxpect average flows all week. Main Chesapeake Bay surface water temperatures are currently in the low 60s.īay salinity is still above average and as is typical this time of the year, we are beginning to see some areas of low oxygen in the bottom waters along the lower western shore. Warm weather in the upcoming week will keep water temperatures rising for fish in Maryland waters. ![]()
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