Maryland and Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report

Departure to West Ocean CityCaptain Monty Hawkins of Morning Star Fishing Charters Anglers reported slow action on the bass grounds last Friday through the weekend. Despite calmer conditions and plenty of tagged fish, they had to work for every bite to send their regulars home with nets. There were a few brief bursts of action, as the captain said, but the fish were generally tough. One angler caught a near 4-pound biscuit that took over, while regular boat Sea Bass Bob worked his way up to double digits (with a few good keepers) by sticking with jigs. Saturday they had good action, mostly short bass, and there were a few scabbards in the mix. The captain canceled their trips Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday due to strong southwest winds and rough seas, but they are back today. Give them a call to get in on the action.

Quality bass have been harder to find this week on the Morning Star, but some anglers sticking with jigs have been able to put some larger fillets in the cooler. *(Photo by Captain Monty Hawkins)*

From Ocean Citythe guys from Fishing still curved OC reported: “We had a great few days towards the end of last week catching yellowfin every day; we had our limit on Thursday and one over 120 pounds on Friday! The boats had difficulty finding them on Wednesday and Thursday, but by Friday everyone had caught them. White and blue marlin, and even a sailfish have been hooked, as well as bigeye tuna, bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna! Over the weekend, large yellowfin tuna were caught. It appears the summer bite is finally heating up with fish being caught from Wilmington to Norfolk Canyon.

Taylor Bakke of Always Bent Fishing OC shared this photo of a large, table-bound yellowfin tuna that was caught while trolling on a trip late last week. (IG @alwaysbentfishingoc)

Earlier this week, OTW editor Jimmy Fee took advantage of a fishing vacation in the Chesapeake Bay to catch cobia and big red drum. The cobia were harder to come by, but he managed to catch his first fish, which crossed it off his bucket list. As for the red drum, Jimmy said the big schools of drum they encountered made for some incredible fishing. However, sometimes boats moving through the schools spooked the fish and killed the action. They caught everything from bucktail jigs to big soft plastics.

OTW Editor Jimmy Fee caught a glimpse of the Chesapeake Bay red drum trail while on vacation earlier this week. This one took a bucktail jig.

Fishermen’s Sports Center Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD

THE Fishermen’s Sports Center The fishing report is written by Alex Gallardo-Perez, Anglers fishing director and OTW columnist.

Fishing this week has been good during the early morning hours, especially for those targeting striped bass. The surface bite continues to hold if you can get out before sunrise. Once the sun is up, finding moving water is essential! Fishing the Bay Bridge pilings has produced good fish when the tide comes in, and fishing with a jig or live line has been the key to success.

Anglers jigging with soft lures or live line around bridge pilings are finding healthy striped bass this week. (IG @mid_atlanticadventures)

Meanwhile, anglers fishing shallow water have found good white perch up to 12 inches, and even small drum at times, especially for those fishing south of the Bay Bridge. Curly Tail Beetle Lures with Curly Tail Grubs worked, as did NLBN 3-inch Paddle Tail Lures.

Fishing small soft plastics or Beetle Spins tipped with Curly Tail Grubs around shallow structure is a great way to target larger white perch this time of year. (IG @mid_atlanticadventures)

THE Fishermen’s Sports Center The fishing report is written by Alex Gallardo-Perez, OTW fishing director and columnist.

Maryland DNR Fishing Report

The Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

It’s now officially summer, but with this heat we didn’t need a calendar to tell us that! Early mornings and evenings offer some relief for anglers: wading or using a drop cloth, T-tops or the simple shade of a shoreline tree, or wading can provide a cool, peaceful place to fish. The Fourth of July is coming up and offers a license-free fishing day in Maryland – a great opportunity to introduce someone to fishing for the first time.

For anglers catching striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay, remember that summer heat can be deadly for fish that are not keeper-sized and need to be released. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources provides a weekly striped bass fishing advisory during the warmer months, using “cautionary flags” to allow anglers to better plan their fishing to protect our state’s fish .

Lower bay

Water quality is good across the lower bay this week, with the exception of areas of the Potomac River in the general Highway 301 bridge area, which have low dissolved oxygen values for fish . On the lower Potomac River near Point Lookout and in the St. Marys River, anglers find good fishing opportunities for a mix of small to medium-sized striped bass and red drum along the banks.

A mix of striped bass and red drum, often called “puppy drums,” provide good fishing near Hooper Island in the southern waters of Tangier Sound. Casting topwater lures over weed beds has proven to be an excellent tactic. Drifting soft crab or peeler crab baits at the mouths of creeks draining marshes on an outgoing tide is also a great way to target striped bass, small drum and speckled trout. Speckled trout catches declined last week, but some are still being caught.

Flounder are a welcome addition to the species caught recently in the lower bay area. There are a fair number of throwbacks, but anglers targeting them are catching legal-sized flounder around Point Lookout and Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. The hard bottom areas next to the channels have been a prime spot to target.

Spot fishing has been good in the lower Patuxent and Potomac rivers, as well as Tangier Sound, but recreational anglers aren’t the only ones interested in this fish. Schools of dolphins attacked the schools of spot and reportedly pushed them further up the rivers.

Catch and release fishing for big red drum has been good in the general area from Middle Grounds to the target vessel. Most anglers spot them with side-scan sonar, then ride them out and drop soft crab baits or large soft plastic jigs. If we monitor slicks or disturbed waters, schools of red drum can be spotted. Trolling with large spoons is also a viable option. Bluefish are being caught along the edges of the main channel using trolled spoons and surgical tube lures. Cobia have been known to also strike tube lures and a few are caught this way. Most anglers looking for cobia use cut bait or live eels; When the waters are calm, sight-casting large soft plastic jigs or live eels to surface-cruising cobia is an exciting way to catch them.

Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays

Surf fishermen are enjoying a mix of summer species along Assateague beaches this week. Bluefish and large red drum are being caught on cut mullet and menhaden along with a variety of inshore sharks. Black drum are being caught on peeler crabs, sand fleas and clams. Kingfish and peas are being caught on bloodworms, while flounder and pufferfish are being caught on squid.

In the Route 50 inlet and bridge area, a mix of striped bass and bluefish are caught by anglers casting soft plastic jigs early in the morning and evening. Pier rocks, bulkheads, bridge piers and docks are all good targets. Drifting cut bait in the current is also a good way to catch both species.

Flounder are providing plenty of action in the entrance and back bay channels this week. Boat traffic can be a real problem and safety risk, so be careful. Fishing in Sinepuxent Bay can be a good alternative with less boat traffic. Across from the Ocean City Airport, there has always been a productive place to fish for flounder.

Outside of Ocean City Cove, anglers find flounder on some of the inshore banks and wreck sites. A little further offshore, artificial wrecks and reefs offer good fishing for black sea bass, although captains sometimes report that the bass appear to have lockjaw.

In the canyon waters, yellowfin tuna are becoming more common for trolling boats. Gaffer-sized dolphin can also be part of the mix, and with any luck, white marlin will start to make an appearance. Deep water anglers enjoy good fishing for a mix of gold and blue tilefish, with some impressive fish returning to docks.

The Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.