Maryland anglers have been busy fishing for a variety of species this week. Chesapeake Channa is one of the fish that anglers have come to enjoy during the August striped bass closure. The Maryland striped bass closure will end soon, and anglers across the Chesapeake Bay will be able to fish for striped bass September 1.
Forecast Summary: August 26 – September 1
Main Bay surface and river mouth water temperatures are holding in the low 80s and will likely continue to remain stable all week. Temperatures in smaller rivers and streams are holding in the upper 70s. Currently there is adequate oxygen in most Bay bottom waters except near Indian Head to the Colonial Beach (Potomac River) and in the Upper Bay, from the Sassafras River down to the mouth of the Rhode River area. Due to the continued dry conditions, Bay salinities are running higher than normal throughout Maryland waters. These higher than normal salinities and warm summer waters are perfect conditions for sea nettles, which are currently concentrated between the Bay Bridge and the mouth of the Potomac (and upstream to near the 301 bridge.)
Expect average flows for most Maryland rivers and streams. Expect average clarity for most Maryland portions of the Bay and rivers. To see the latest water clarity conditions on NOAA satellite maps, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps. There will be above average tidal currents all week because of the full moon on August 28.
As always, the best fishing areas could be further refined by intersecting them with underwater points, hard bottom, drop-offs, and large schools of baitfish.
For 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
Anglers fishing in the lower Susquehanna River and the mouths of the Elk and North East rivers are concentrating on blue catfish that are holding in the channels. The lower Susquehanna holds some of the best blue catfish fishing opportunities due to the catfish being attracted to the cooler water flowing down from the Conowingo Dam. Channel catfish will be in the mix and if fishing in the dam pool, flathead catfish are available. Cut baits of menhaden and gizzard shad work well, as do pieces of scented chicken meat and various scented baits.
Fishing for Chesapeake Channa in the middle to upper sections of the region’s tidal rivers is good. Anglers are targeting the grass flats with chatterbaits, soft frogs, and buzzbaits with good success. Paddletails can be a good choice for lures when working the waters along the edges of the grass beds.
White perch offer some fishing action in the tidal rivers and creeks. The early morning and late evening hours offer the best fishing opportunities. Casting small spinnerbaits, spinners, or soft plastic jigs near shoreline structure is effective for the large white perch. A moving current is always important. Fishing with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworms on a bottom rig close to old dock pilings, submerged rocks, and structure is very productive. Deep waters where oyster beds or shoals provide structure for white perch, baited bottom rigs, or dropper rigs are a good way to target them.
Striped bass anglers will see the striped bass season reopen on September 1. Live-lining spot will be one of the most popular ways to target striped bass in the upper Bay. Spot can be found in the Chester River, the mouth of the Magothy River, and shallower waters with hard bottom throughout the upper Bay. Jigging with soft plastics along channel edges is also a good way to fish for striped bass. Anglers will be exploring the Swan Point and Love Point areas for striped bass fishing opportunities.
Middle Bay
When the striped bass season reopens September 1, anglers will be exploring locations that produced prior good fishing results. The Bay Bridge Piers will no doubt attract anglers and hopefully they will encounter striped bass. Live-lining spot or drifting baits to the pier bases will be a popular way to fish. The early morning and late evening hours during a strong current flow offer the best fishing. Spot can be found in the shallower waters at the west end of the Bay Bridge.
The channel edge from Buoy 83 south past the Sharps Island Light will be a good place to explore for striped bass. Thomas Point will be worth checking out as will various channel edges throughout the middle bay region. Live-lining spot will be a popular way to fish and spot should be able to be found in the shallower waters of Whitehall Bay, Chesapeake Beach, Eastern Bay, the lower Choptank, and other tidal rivers.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish are still providing good fishing in the middle Bay and anglers are urged to not delay on enjoying their presence. The Spanish are going to exit the middle bay region soon and head south; the bluefish will usually stick around a little longer. Trolling a mix of Drone spoons and gold Clark spoons behind planers and inline weights are working well for the Spanish mackerel. Bluefish will hit the spoons but placing a few surge tube lures in a trolling spread will increase bluefish catches. Chumming for bluefish continues to be popular while drifting cut spot baits.
White perch are being found in the region’s tidal rivers and creeks, often holding near structure in deeper waters. The larger white perch tend to move into shallower waters during the evening near shoreline structure. Fishing under docks with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm is a fun way to fish, especially for our younger anglers. Casting small spinnerbaits, spin jigs, and similar small lures offer fun light tackle fishing along promising looking shorelines during the evening hours. Fishing over oyster bars with bait for white perch will offer a mix of sizes.
There are blue catfish and channel catfish in all the region’s tidal rivers, but the upper Choptank offers the best fishing opportunities this week. The blue catfish can be found near Denton as they seek the cooler waters in the channels.
Lower Bay
Striped bass fishing remains closed in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake and all tributaries on the Maryland side of the Potomac River until September 1. The main stem of the Potomac River and all tributaries on the Virginia side of the Potomac opened to striped bass fishing on August 21.
Maryland anglers seeking striped bass in the Potomac River have been working the steep channel edge from St. George Island to Piney Point and off St. Clements Island. Most anglers are live-lining spot or jigging with good results.
Anglers in the lower Bay region are very fortunate that they have several fish species that are in abundance and that they can fish for. Spanish mackerel are at the top of the list since they are only here for a short time and make wonderful table fare. Most Spanish mackerel are being caught by trolling Small Drone spoons and gold Clark spoons behind planers and inline weights. At times anglers may encounter breaking fish consisting of Spanish mackerel and bluefish working over a school of bay anchovies. This is the time to ease up carefully, upwind, and cast metal jigs into the melee. Allow the jig to sink and then rapidly retrieve; a slower retrieve will allow bluefish to catch up to the lure.
Bluefish are spread throughout the lower Bay and most now tend to be in the one-pound size range, but larger ones are being caught. Most anglers are trolling a mix of surge tube lures and small Drone spoons when targeting bluefish. They are being caught along the shores of the bay by casting a variety of lures or by using cut bait.
Large red drum are providing exciting catch and release action this week. Jigging is one of the most popular ways to target them when schools can be located. Large soft plastic jigs are a favorite but heavy Crocodile spoons also work well. They are also being caught by dropping cut bait or soft crab baits down to the red drum when they can be located. Schools of red drum are often located on depth finders, disturbed water, and slicks.
Anglers are chumming for cobia and report that catches have dropped off recently in some areas. Smith Point, the Target Ship, and Point Lookout remain popular areas to chum or sight cast for cobia. Anglers are reminded that they cannot use live eels for cobia bait during the striped bass closure.
Speckled trout are being caught by anglers casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails along promising looking shorelines. Drifting peeler crab or soft crab baits in areas with currents is also a popular way to fish, especially in the creeks draining from the marshes on the Eastern Shore.
Spot continue to provide fun and rewarding fishing in most areas of the lower bay region. The lower Patuxent River, the mouth of the Nanticoke, Hoopers Island, Tangier Sound, and Point Lookout are just a few of the areas where spot and a mix of croaker can be found.
Blue Crabs
Recreational crabbing could only get better if the crabs jumped into the boat on their own accord. Recreational crabbers are enjoying excellent crabbing opportunities in the middle and lower Bay regions and good in the upper Bay. The largest crabs are coming from waters 15-20 feet deep and medium to small crabs in waters less than 10 feet. There are doublers everywhere and they can be seen swimming south in the current or holding on to dock pilings a few feet under the surface. Once the sooks harden up, the jimmies will abandon their lady friends, and the sooks will begin their long journey to the mouth of the Chesapeake.
Freshwater Fishing
Deep Creek Lake and similar western region reservoirs are offering good fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, holdover trout, and depending on your location, other species like yellow perch, northern pike, chain pickerel, crappie, and of course bluegill sunfish. The largemouth and smallmouth bass can be found near the shallower waters searching for food during the evening and early morning hours and holding in cool shaded areas during the heat of the day. Crappie will be holding near deep structure, and bluegill sunfish will be in relatively shallow waters waiting to entertain anglers of all ages.
The central region reservoirs offer much the same variety of species and the same general activity patterns. Prettyboy, Liberty, and Loch Raven are three of the largest and most popular reservoirs within the central region with anglers. The DNR website provides fishing “hotspot” maps to explore reservoirs, lakes, and ponds in all the regions in Maryland, check the website for a body you might consider exploring.
A feisty fish that is often overlooked by adult anglers is the bluegill sunfish. On any summer day they can provide plenty of fun light-tackle fishing in most any pond or larger body of water. Anglers using spinning gear can cast various small lures or fish bait such as crickets or earthworms under a bobber. Fly casters with a small 4-weight fly rod can have a lot of fun fishing out of a canoe or kayak and pitching small poppers or foam ants.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
Surf anglers are settled into fishing for a mix of kingfish, croakers, and spot in the surf when using bloodworms or bloodworm alternatives. The large red drum have moved to somewhere else for the time being but anglers fishing with large cut bait are keeping busy catching sandbar, blacktip, sand tiger sharks, and sting rays. Casting a jig with a strip of squid in the surf wash is a good way to fish for flounder.
At the inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, sheepshead and tautog are being caught close to the jetty rocks, bulkheads and bridge piers on live sand fleas. Striped bass are being caught, but almost all are below the 28-inch minimum.
Flounder fishing has been fair in the back bay areas; water clarity has been an issue and many of the flounder being caught are below the 17.5-inch minimum. A flood tide offers the best fishing opportunities for flounder and larger baits tend to weed out the smaller flounder. Fishing with squid is a fun way to catch the abundant croaker and blowfish can also be part of the mix as well as small black sea bass and sea robins. Spot can be caught in the back bay waters on bloodworms.
Outside the inlet trolling for Spanish mackerel has been very good relatively close to the beach. Small chrome Clark spoons pulled behind long fluorocarbon leaders, or wire and planers is the best way to target the Spanish mackerel. Bluefish can be part of the mix at times.
The offshore wreck and reef sites are producing excellent catches of large flounder. Fishing for black sea bass has been fair and triggerfish and small dolphin can be in the mix. Farther offshore in the canyons, releases of white and blue marlin are common. Yellowfin tuna have been hard to find.
“I never lost a little fish-yes, I am free to say. It always was the biggest fish I caught that got away.” – Eugene Field 1889
Maryland Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The Forecast Summary is written by Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment Director Tom Parham.