Mid Bay Region

[Bassmaster-ND]

[url "http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fishingreport/midbaymap.html"][/url]Mid Bay Region:
New Feature - [url "javascriptopUp('http://mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/newmontech/contmon/MidBay_Conditions.cfm','remote2',325,500);"]Real-time water information[/url] for selected points in the Middle Bay
Fishing for striped bass throughout the region has been providing excellent opportunities for those wishing to chum, troll or cast; it’s all there. The Gooses have been drawing a lot of attention due to the reliable resource of fish that have taken up residence there. On any given weekend when weather conditions are favorable it can get pretty crowded, so many anglers are taking advantage of less crowded conditions during the week. The chumming fleet is mostly using menhaden for chum, but captains are about an even split on using menhaden or razor clams for bait. Other locations such as the Hill and Hackett’s Bar and the West River Lumps have yet to turn on, so a lot of attention has been focused in the area of the Gooses. Fishermen should keep that word area in mind, because often fish can be marked on a depth finder and one can setup on them and be away from the crowds. Those not wishing to chum have been steadily scoring on good striped bass and bluefish by trolling along the channel edges. Small bucktails and #15 or #17 Tony spoons, often trolled in tandem have been catching the bulk of the fish. Some fishermen are trolling spoons behind umbrella rigs with good success and most are using weight to get presentations down.
Fishermen who keep their eyes open are encountering schools of breaking fish throughout the region. Most of these schools are made up of small striped bass and snapper bluefish. Many fishermen are enjoying catching the small blues and adding them to the fish box. They certainly make for some fine eating if eaten fresh cooked on the grill or smoked. Fishermen are finding larger striped bass underneath these schools of breaking fish by vertical jigging with metal jigs or using small bucktails. There are even reports of sea trout every now and then coming up on these offerings. Shoreline casting with top water lures, various shallow water crankbaits and Bass Assassin’s, has been producing some excellent fishing in the early morning and late evening hours. Favorite locations for this type of quiet fishing include rocky shoreline spots, stump fields, points, and large dock areas. This top water action is hard to beat for light tackle enthusiasts and is a very peaceful way to fish with a friend or family.
Many fishermen have been enjoying some excellent white perch fishing on many of the bars in the region, bottom fishing with bloodworms or peelers. Anglers are also bringing up spot and an occasional croaker. Croakers have been playing a “hide and seek” game with recreational anglers for the past several weeks. The traditional favorite spots in the Choptank River have been very disappointing for area anglers. Some croakers are being caught, especially at night on the James Island Rocks and the Gooses, but they’ve been pretty evasive for recreational anglers. The fact that the croakers are around is evidenced by the continued large catches by pound net fishermen. These commercial catches are being made in relatively shallow water, so perhaps this might be the place to look, especially at night. Shore based fishermen have been scoring on croakers at night, casting bottom rigs and small chartreuse plastics from points, piers and docks on a continual basis this summer.
Recreational crabbing has been very good at times from Kent Island south. All crabbers know you have to be able to move around to find the best action and the earlier in the morning the better. Generally speaking the best crabbing is being reported to be on hard bottom as usual and in about 5’ to 10’ of water. Many crabbers are reporting good catches of large heavy crabs, with a few throwbacks of under-size or light crabs. Crabbers are reporting very good catches in the Kent Island area, the Wye River, Tred Avon, Choptank and the Dorchester County shoreline and tidal creeks.
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