Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, June 4 Update:
The Bay Bridge continues to be one of the hottest striped bass destinations in the Upper Bay, with fish being caught on artificial lures and live spot around bridge pilings. The Patapsco River is also producing quality catches, while white perch activity is beginning to pick up in local creeks as water temperatures climb. Bluefish appear to be moving into the region as well, adding excitement for anglers working bridge structure and deeper channels.
Striped bass season is now open in all Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This means that the rivers that were catch and release only or closed to targeting are now open. The season will be open until the August closure, when all Maryland waters will be under a no-target restriction for striped bass. The Bay Bridge continues to be a standout in the reports coming in from subscribers, with multiple different areas producing fish under, in, and slightly over the slot. There was also a wide range in methods reported as successful, including casting BKDs on white bucktails, paddletails on ¾ and one-ounce heads, and livelining spot. One noted that spot aren’t around in huge numbers but on the west side, you can catch enough in 10’ to 20’ to make a go of it. Another said there was a good concentration of rockfish along the deeper pilings where bait was also visible this week. He also mentioned that bluefish had probably made their way this far north, too, because multiple times he pulled back plastics with the tails removed.
Another hotspot for Upper Bay striper fishing has been the Patapsco River. Trollers and light tackle anglers are finding success near the mouth of the river all the way up into the inner Harbor. The best action has been in the main stem at depths of 20 to 40 feet of water, but fish are also being found in the shallows. The old wooden shipping docks were producing some fish, and we heard from a kayak angler who said jigging a five-inch curly tail soft plastic on a half-ounce jighead did the trick. The fish seemed to be relating to the shade lines in most areas.
Spot are being caught around the Bay Bridge and Sandy Point, but it has not been easy to catch them. A few anglers this week reported trying to bottom fish for them but did not have any luck. As the summer heat kicks in and water temperatures warm up, these fish will start to show up in greater numbers. By mid-June, the spot, white perch, and some croaker should be roaming around the Upper Bay shoals. We did see the first decent report on white perch fishing this week. An angler fishing in Stoney Creek reported that the perch were biting this week while he fished from his pier using a small crankbait. The perch were on the smaller side, but it is a good sign to see them biting in the creeks.
Anglers should note that cow nose rays are moving into the Upper Bay and the large schools have now been spotted at the mouth of the Chester River, near Gibson Island, and the mouth of the Patapsco River. When they move through an area, they can muddy up the water and turn the bite off for other fish with all their commotion. Anglers fishing by boat should do their best to avoid areas with these schools of rays because they can be a serious nuisance while fishing for other species like rockfish.