TidalFish.com Weekly Chesapeake Bay and Mid Atlantic Fishing Report:May 6, 2007

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http://www.tidalfish.com/Maryland_Reports/p2_articleid/208

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In weatherman lingo we are still in the quiet before the storm...we
hope. The difference between the weather and fishing as this saying
goes is that we hope the storm of fishing turns on soon. All over the
Maryland Chesapeake Bay things have been slower then normal for
catching Striped Bass for this time of year. Are the fish late or did
we miss them this year? That's the million dollar question everyone is
asking. I got some reports from friends up north around New York and
they said the fishing busted wide open for them this past week. This
leads me to believe a lot of the Striped Bass have already made their
way out of the bay and are headed north. However there was a report of
some spawning activity in the Choptank River this past week which
means some more fish will be coming out into the middle bay. As for up
north around the Elk, I did not hear of any spawning and it seems as
if that area is about done.

Fishing on the Susquehanna Flats has been for lack of a better work,
dead. Guides generally never cancel trips as they are always
optimistic that the bite could turn on any day, but this week I got
reports of guides actually canceling. However, I did get some reports
in the last 48 hours from a friend on the phone and confirmed it with
a report on the Tidal Fish message board, that we might have a
topwater bite about to turn on. Some guys had some action on Thursday
and Friday. I also was talking to Capt. Pete from Four Seasons Guide
Service on Friday and just as I was talking to him he was on the
southern end of the flats and said that a wad of fish had just crossed
the line and things were starting to look good. I will be heading,
barring any crazy weather, up to check it out for myself the first
part of the week.

As for guys trolling in the upper, middle and lower Maryland
Chesapeake, they are reporting that it is spotty. Guys are picking up
some fish here and there and at times some big ones, but there has not
been a consistent bite anywhere or on anything. Fill details about all
that is going on is below.

As a quick reminder, if you are fishing the catch and keep Striped
Bass fishery please remember that the regulations have changed from
last year. For 2007, from April 21 through May 15 anglers may keep one
fish per person per day between 28 inches and 35 inches in total
length or one fish 41 inches or greater. Striped bass between 35
inches and 41 inches must be released to the water unharmed. From May
16 through December 15 anglers may keep two fish per person per day
between 18 and 28 inches, or one fish between 18 and 28 inches and one
fish over 28 inches.

As in previous years for the Trophy Striped Bass Season, some areas of
the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries are closed for catch and keep as
well as catch and release fishing. Check the link to the MD DRN
website at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishingreport/frmapindex.asp
for closure information.

Fisheries News

I am working on a story on derelict crab traps in the Chesapeake Bay
and should be ready to talk about it in next weeks report.

Weekend Fishing Events
This weekend we have the MSSA Fishing Tournament as well as the Rodn'
Reel Fishing tournament going on. Needless to say the bay is going to
be a little crowded, so be careful out there and watch for hidden
planer boards.

Fishing Reports

Upper Bay Region
Captain Walleye Pete Dauberg from Four Season's Guide Service reports:
I feel like a broken record, it is much the same as last week. The
fish may have retreated from the flats to the south a bit and also may
be doing some spawning now which explains our lack of fish. Reports
from locals are that there are still plenty of fish in the Elk River.
Trouble is the Elk River is out-of-bounds to fishing. However, on
Friday I did fish the south end of the flats and started to have luck
picking up some decent fish on lures.

With the warmer weather we are having, I think and hope big time the
fish move back onto the flats. I have not been fishing as much up the
Susqy River because I believe the fish are going to show up any day.
Every morning I am running first thing for the south end of the flats
looking for fish from Sandy Point to Turkey Point and the barge
channels between. I"ll be throwing 6" BKD's or 7" Bass Assasins in
water 7' or more. Under 7' I like 5" Storm Shads (charturese) and Tony
Assetta Spoons (gold).

Typically fishing in May on the flats can be phenominal for large
Stripers on the surface and we are already seeing some glimpses that
it is about to bust wide open with some action this past Thursday and
Friday.


So far, except for a few days of great fishing, the flats has been
very tough, but I think we are going to have a fast and furious ending
to what was a slow start.

Good luck fish'in
Capt. Walleye Pete

The trolling reports for the upper bay are still not super hot. When
talking on the phone this week with Captain John Deering he put it
best when saying, "it's spotty everywhere, upper, middle and lower
parts of the Maryland Chesapeake.

The channel edge from Sandy Point Light to the Baltimore Light, Love
Point and the area around the center of the Bay Bridge were popular
spots to check out. The water temperatures are cool due to the cold
weather we experienced in April. Fish are spread out through out the
water column with no fixed pattern. Some were caught deep while
trolling past locations such as the west rock pile at the Bay Bridge
but in other areas the fish were caught close to the surface often off
planner boards.

Shoreline anglers are still having success with bloodworms and cut
herring and catching white perch and some catfish. The white perch are
beginning to make their way out into the open waters of the bay, so if
you are looking for some action, looks towards the mouths of the river
system.

Tidal Fisher on the Tidal Fish Crabbing board say that the Magothy is
usually one of the first rivers in the upper bay to give up crabs,
however not a one has been found yet, but it will be any day now.

Mid Bay Region

We got this report in from Captain Marc Van Pelt from Fish Fear Us
Charters and Captain Ron Jayne from Rockoholic Charters:

Okay guys and gals the fishing out of Rock Hall has been good! Here is
what I know - Captain Lenny on Fish n Party II, Captain Greg Jetton on
Gunsmoke charters with Captain Mark Hall some days at the helm and
ourselves with Captain Bob Ritchie on board the boat Jennifer Ann II
have had good fishing the last few days. Some guys are catching on
tandems and some on umbrellas - For us - white tandems have been the
ticket. All three boats mentioned have had fish over 41 inches the
past few days.

I saw Jimmy Price on Rock Bottom come in with a limit yesterday - I
believe he may have been farther south then where we were fishing.

How long these fish will be around is the question of the week!

In general, the fishing is picking up, but still hit or miss. To say
the fishing is picking up is not saying much compared to previous
years, but at least it is better then last week. Tidal Fishers are
reporting that most of the trolling catching tends to be close to the
surface and far away from the boat. Needless to say, planer boards
seem to be the ticket for the catching that is happening. As I was
driving over the Bay Bridge the other day I got a good view of a lot
of anglers using planer boards and most looked to be 100-300 feet from
the boat. Fishermen not using planer boards have been using parachutes
and bucktails in the 2oz to 4oz size range. chartreuse has been a good
color, but again this week there is no one color pattern that is
standing out as the real "go to" color.

The shipping channel seems to be one of the areas that is holding some
fish and Tidal Fishers are reporting good results along the shallower
edges. The area from the Brick House Bar south to Bloody Point Light
is a good area to check out The western side of the shipping channel
from Herring Bay south to Parker Creek as well as the False Channel at
the mouth of the Choptank has also been productive. There should be a
lot of post spawn striped bass moving out of the Choptank River later
on this week, so the mouth of the Choptank and eastern shore side of
the bay/False Channel area will be a good place to check out.
Parachutes and bucktails rigged in tandem or behind umbrella rigs have
been the most popular lure selections.

Last week we had a Tidal Fisher report the fist report I heard of of
Croaker in the Middle Bay. This week I heard a few reports, but more
have been in the lower portion of the Maryland Chesapeake Bay. Check
out shoal areas towards dusk and using bloodworms, Fishbites, shrimp
or squid on bottom rigs. White perch can still be found in the lower
sections of the regions tidal rivers and larger creeks. They've not
made it to the shoal areas of the bay yet but certainly will soon. A
few crabs are being caught in the lower sections of the regions tidal
creeks and rivers. Crabbers reported catching them off the Choptank
Fishing Pier for example with about a 50/50 throwback ratio.

Lower Bay/Tangier Sound Region

This week we added reports from Mason from Salisbury Fly Shop in
Salisbury, MD. Mason will be sending us weekly reports which covers
the southern Maryland Chesapeake, Salisbury area freshwater as well as
Ocean City, MD fishing reports. Mason sent in this report for this
week:

Delaware & Maryland Ponds are turning on-with good numbers of knot
head size gills and some 14" crappie on # 6 & 8 Poco Minnows in white
estaz with mirage tails. Chipmans Pond gave us two nice pickerel 19" &
21" and one bite-off 26ish..

Lots of Hickory Shad in Ocean City & Indian River Inlet**Ocean run of
Shad will take a much larger fly in the 2/0, 1/0, 1, 2,
buttttt.....fish the rivers and you got-to go to a 6, 8, or 10 for the
most fish.

Fished the Pocomoke River out of Snow Hill -Plenty of Shad taking
'Poco Minnows' in orange, pink, white, or green glow-n-the-dark
flashabou tied with red thread, and Herring like the size 12-14 white
most days---fish sink tip lines( I have them in stock) to get a little
deeper for the bigger fish.

Wicomico River in Salisbury is fishing well with lots of shad and
herring & white perch mixed in--I picked up a 1 1/2 pounder at the
boat launch this morning.

An occasional jailbird(striper) in some places, along the rivers. You
know the ole story points & drop-offs, channel edges....

Some of the big early Bass are also taking the 'Big Eyed Buggers".

Keith Lockwood from MD DNR provided us this report for the lower
section of the Maryland Chesapeake: Lower bay fishermen in search of
trophy striped bass this past week are starting to see better fishing
as the bays waters warm up and more striped bass are exiting the
Choptank, Nanticoke and Patuxent Rivers. Most of these rivers saw a
large amount of spawning activity two weeks ago so it's about time
these fish migrating from the spawning grounds should be entering the
bay and headed south. The area from Point No Point to Buoy 72A and up
to Hooper Island Light has been a very popular location this past
week. Cedar Point and Cove Point can be expected to provide good
fishing soon as well as Buoy 72. Fishermen are seeing striped bass
behaving similarly as they are in other regions of the bay in regard
to traveling near the surface. Most fish are being caught off the
planner boards or far behind the boat on the flat lines; as much as
300' or more. Eight year old Holden Stehle recently caught this nice
34.5" striped bass at the mouth of the Patuxent on a 27-year old
fishing rod that belonged to his dad.

Croakers have begun to show up in the shallows of the lower bay region
in a big way this week much to the delight of fishermen. Fishermen
have been finding towards dusk in the shallows near river mouths such
as the Patuxent, Potomac, Nanticoke and the Honga Rivers. The croakers
are large sized and readily taking bottom rigs baited with bloodworms,
Fishbites or squid baits. Fishermen have also been picking up a few
large striped bass in the process on the same rigs. Recreational
crabbers are reporting catching crabs in the lower sections of some of
the regions tidal creeks and rivers. The crabs are coming from
relatively shallow water and there is about a 2/1 throwback ratio.

Ocean/Coastal Reports:
Sue Foster from Oyster Bay Tackle in Ocean City, MD gives us this
report:

Though fishing was not "hot and heavy" by any means, we did have
several reports of fish this week. Unfortunately, we had a couple days
of bad weather and Saturday was an especially slow fishing day for
anglers fishing in the bay and surf. Earlier in the week, we had the
first reports of bluefish in the surf and Indian River Inlet. We also
had reports of the first blowfish in the surf.

Assateague surf saw a few stripers, a couple blues, lots of skates,
some black drum and dogfish (sand sharks). Allen Sklar e-mailed in
that he caught 5 black drum on Assateague surf this week on clam and
bloodworm Fishbites.

From the Ocean City beaches we heard mostly skates, sand sharks, a
couple bluefish, and a short striper here and there. One angler
reported catch and releasing a 27-inch striper from around 22nd Street
on Friday night on bunker. Another angler said he caught skates at
133rd Street. Delaware beaches reported sand sharks, skates, bluefish,
blowfish, and a few stripers. One day in the middle of the week,
anglers caught several blues and blowfish at 3 R's Road. The same day
I had reports of snapper blues on Assateague up to 24-inches. Friday's
weather was bad and on Saturday, though it seemed like it would be a
nice day on the beach, anglers had a hard time holding bottom and only
caught a few fish.

Freshwater Reports

Western Region:

Fishermen at Deep Creek Lake have been enjoying good walleye fishing
since the season opener. It's been a bit windy at times on the lake
but the weather has generally been good. Fishermen are mostly using
small jigs such as 1/8 oz and either fishing it with a minnow or amber
colored grub tails close to the bottom. Others have been using Lindy
rigs with nightcrawlers or minnows with good success also. The hump in
front of the state park or steep drop-offs along the lakes shorelines
have also been favorite places to fish for walleyes. Large yellow
perch and chain pickerel are also being encountered at the same time.

Largemouth bass are in their pre-spawn mode and are staging at deeper
water points before entering the shallower coves where they will spawn
soon. Northern pike have already moved into these shallower coves and
can be caught with large shiners under a bobber or various lures.
Crappie are steadily moving from the deeper areas of the lake into the
warmer shallow areas.

As the warmer temperatures and milder weather start to settle in on
central and southern Maryland fishermen are seeing some profound
changes in fish behavior. Largemouth bass throughout the regions are
beginning to enter their pre-spawn mode of behavior in the largest
reservoirs and tidal rivers to the smallest ponds and tidal creeks.
The largemouth bass are steadily moving into the shallow areas and
staging near spawning flats, coves and smaller creeks. Mau-En Lee
caught and released this 21.5" largemouth while fishing the shallows
of Greenbelt Lake this past weekend.

The warmer water temperatures in the regions larger lakes and
reservoirs are causing striped bass in some of the impoundments such
as Piney Run Lake and Liberty Reservoir to start to head for deeper
waters and the reverse is true for crappie. Crappie are starting to
move into shallower and warmer waters. Small tubes, minnow/jig
combinations or simply a minnow and a bobber setup are good ways to
catch crappie around shallow water brush piles or fallen tree tops.

Trout fishermen are fishing the catch and release areas such as the
Gunpowder River areas are seeing water flows lowering and have been
switching to presentations such as streamer or beaded nymph flies.

Eastern Region:

Freshwater fishermen in the eastern region of Maryland are seeing
largemouth bass steadily progressing towards their spawning behavior.
Whether the bass are being observed in local lakes and ponds or the
great tidal rivers of the region there are great changes at hand. The
largemouth bass in lakes and ponds are moving into shallower and
warmer waters such as shallow coves and emerging grass beds. Anglers
are finding small crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of soft
plastics to be the ticket when enticing a strike. Often largemouth
bass can be found near shallow sunken wood near points that lead into
these shallower coves where largemouth bass will soon be fining out
spawning beds. Fishermen on the tidal rivers are finding largemouth
bass going shallow on spawning flats, especially near spatterdock or
milfoil beds. Largemouth bass can also be found staging at the mouths
of creeks or creek points. A wide variety of baits will work this time
of the year, but soft plastic grubs, lizards, tubes and worms always
seem to be a favorite with fishermen. Spinnerbaits are also just the
ticket to elicit a strike from largemouth bass that are becoming more
aggressive as spawning nears.

Crappie are moving into shallower waters in many of the lakes that
contain them. Shallow brush piles or fallen tree tops are good places
to find schools of crappie and small jigs, minnow/jig combinations or
a simple minnow and bobber set up are hard to beat for catching
crappie this time of the year. Area grass beds and lily pad beds are
growing fast as the warmer weather and longer periods of daylight
progress in many of the regions shallow lakes and ponds. This will
make making casts to lurking chain pickerel and panfish increasing
difficult.

Fishing for channel catfish is beginning to reach ideal conditions in
most all of the tidal rivers in the region. The water temperatures
have warmed up enough that the catfish are very active but not so warm
that they are hunkered down in the deepest holes in the rivers. Many
fishermen are using cut bait such as river herring or chicken livers.
Most of the striped bass in the spawning reaches of the Choptank and
Nanticoke Rivers are starting to leave now so the chances of hooking
up with an unwanted striped bass are becoming less of a problem. There
will most likely still be at least one more heavy spawn in the next
couple of weeks so fishermen should be cautious in these spawning
reaches when fishing bait.

White perch fishing is on the minds of a lot of eastern region
fishermen as these fish continue moving down the tidal rivers. Most
white perch are now in the middle to lower sections of the tidal
rivers and very accessible to shoreline fishermen. Most any pier,
bridge or dock can offer good casting access for reaching the white
perch that are following the deeper regions of the rivers. Most
fishermen are using bottom rigs, a forked stick and bloodworms,
nightcrawlers or grass shrimp for bait. A few anglers who are only
looking for the really large slab-sized white perch are using small
minnows on their bottom rigs.

I hope everyone has a great week and I look forward to reading
everyone's reports if you make it out on the Maryland Tidal Fish
Chesapeake or the Tidal Fish Mid Atlantic Offshore Message Board .

Until next week, good times and good fishing!

Find the full report and pictures at:
http://www.tidalfish.com/Maryland_Reports/p2_articleid/208

or Log into Tidal Fish's Homepage at: http://www.TidalFish.com and get
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and Northeast weekly
fishing reports along with daily reports on the message boards from
the 39,500 anglers on them.

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