Fishing Report as of 10/22 for the Chesapeake

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Upper Bay:


Shoreline fishermen are catching some larger sized striped bass below the Conowingo Dam by casting top water lures; swimming shad type lures or by using live eels, small white perch or good old chicken livers. Fishermen in small boats are also doing well by casting lures or drifting live eels and white perch, but have also been trolling large plugs and surgical tube lures in the lower sections of the river with good success. Fishermen are reporting striped bass in the Susquehanna Flats area but most are small and sub-legal in size. Pearl colored sassy shads, Bass Assassin’s and BKD’s along with Rat-L-Traps have been the favorite lures to use along the channel edges. Anglers also report excellent fishing in the area for white perch and channel catfish. The Conowingo Dam has recently gone to a twice per day release schedule and it’s uncertain how long that will continue.

Fishermen in most of the upper bay region have been enjoying good fishing for striped bass and the last of the small bluefish. Out in the main waters of the bay and river mouths the striped bass can show up on the surface at any time and anywhere and can be either a “Boom or Bust” situation for anglers as these fish encounter schools of bait. Many fishermen are finding that the traditional locations that often involve channel edges or drop-offs have been more reliable places to find striped bass holding deep. A good tidal current is paramount for success at these locations as these fish are holding and waiting for schools of bait to be swept by in the strong currents. Jigging has been the preferred practice for catching these fish and metal such as Crippled Herrings, Stingsilvers and hammered spoons as well as lead head plastic jigs are favorite choices. Other fishermen prefer to troll, especially when they’re on the prowl looking for fish. Medium-sized bucktails dressed with a sassy shad, Storm or Tsunami swimming shads have been popular choices. Deep diving plugs such as Stretch 25’s have also been working for anglers trolling the deeper channel edges, such as the edge between the Baltimore Light and the Sandy Point Light. Don Buan hoists up a whopper of a striped bass caught on a Mann’s stretch 25 just north of the Bay Bridge on the channel edge.

Anglers fishing inside the large tidal rivers such as the Patapsco and Chester have been finding breaking fish, finding them holding along channel edges and enjoying good shallow water fishing. Fishermen are also enjoying good chumming or chunking for striped bass at many of the more traditional upper bay locations.

Large white perch can be found in many areas in the lower sections of the tidal rivers and on hard-bottomed shoal areas out in the bay. Recreational crabbers are starting to see the last of this seasons crabs. The ones they are catching are in 10’ to 20’ of water and collapsible crab traps seem to be a good choice.



Middle Bay:

Striped bass are where you find them and that seems to describe what has been going on in the middle bay region this past week. Some days fishermen barely clear their home port and are into either breaking fish or the signs that lead them to schools of fish holding deeper in the water column. Unfortunately on other days, fishermen can’t find any action in the same areas that were on fire only the day before. Patience is one of the most important attributes of a good fisherman. Successful fishermen also learn to experiment when the same old tricks are not working. Generally speaking fishermen have been finding good striped bass fishing throughout the middle bay region. Eastern Bay, the Bloody Point area, the mouth of the Choptank River, off Parkers Creek, the False Channel/Summer Gooses area and drop-offs and structure locations have been some of the more productive spots to check out. It’s October and striped bass and the last of the small bluefish are lining up in favorable locations to pick off schools of small bay anchovies being swept along by the tidal currents. Jigging with metal and lead head plastic jigs has been the method of choice for most fishermen. Don Rottman was fishing with his dad when he caught this nice 32” striped bass in Eastern Bay over an oyster bar on a Shorty Hopkins metal jig.

Fishermen are still finding some spot in a few of the regions tidal rivers and live lining them along channel edges such as the False Channel/ Diamonds area. Others have been having good success with chumming and still other fishermen have been catching good numbers of striped bass and bluefish by trolling.

The shallower areas of the middle bay region are holding a lot of striped bass and small boat anglers and shoreline anglers are enjoying good fishing whether casting lures or fishing bait. Recreational crabbers have been catching plenty of crabs lately but they’re deep and in the lower sections of the regions tidal creeks and rivers.





Lower Bay/Tangier Sound:

The fall season is in full swing in the lower bay with striped bass and bluefish spread throughout the region. Schools of striped bass and bluefish can erupt just about anywhere as they chase down schools of bay anchovies but key structures such as drop-offs, points and lumps are favorite holding and ambush locations for striped bass. Cedar Point, Point No Point, Point Lookout, Buoy 72 and the Middle Grounds are just a few examples. The striped bass are moving around a lot but these locations usually hold some amount of fish. Tide is critical to get things going in the way of feeding as bait is swept by in the currents. Most small boat fishermen have been heading out into the bay and keeping a close eye on their depth finders and a good pair of binoculars close by. Neil Cruz only made it to the mouth of the Patuxent River before he ran into this bluefish.

When they find fish they usually opt for jigging with metal or lead head plastic jigs. Some anglers are trolling along channel edges such as the Buoy 72 area with bucktails, umbrella rigs, surgical tubes and deep diving plugs with good results. Several large striped bass over 35”have been seen in the last few days in the lower bay region and may signal the arrival of the larger migrating late fall striped bass.

Chumming has been a very good option for many fishermen at the Middle Grounds. They have been catching early limits of striped bass and a number of bluefish. Other fishermen have also been jigging over concentrations of fish in the Middle Grounds area and coming up with a mix of striped bass, bluefish and sea trout.

There are also some flounder still in the lower bay region and fishermen continue to find them in the Cornfield Harbor and Point Lookout area as well as Tangier Sound. Fishermen are also finding the last of the croakers and spot in the Tangier/Pocomoke Sound area along with good sea trout catches.

The shallow water areas of the lower Eastern Shore have been providing excellent fishing for anglers exploring cuts, creek mouths and points. A mix of striped bass, bluefish, small red drum, sea trout and speckled trout are being found throughout the region from Hooper’s Island south to Pocomoke Sound. This is also a great time of the year for shore bound anglers casting lures or bait rigs off of points, piers and various access points. Recreational crabbers have been enjoying a good fall run of crabs as they move out of tidal creeks and rivers. Most crabbers are reporting the crabs tend to be deep.