Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 26 Update:
Now that the summer rockfish season has opened, many anglers are turning their attention to targeting these fish in the upper Bay. We received some diametrically opposite reader reports, with one jigger hitting six different locations (none specified) and coming up blank, while another caught some spot and live lined them at the bridge to catch a limit for four people on fish up to 23-inches. Another angler checked in after trolling in the Patapsco last weekend during a morning trip. They had five rods out and caught eight fish in a few hours work. All fish were between 15 and 25 inches and were released to be caught another day. Overall, the bite seems to be hit or miss at the usual spots like Love Point, Tolchester, and the Bay Bridge. The Angler in Chief added that he briefly hit a few of the the east side bridge pilings and the east rockpile (for about an hour) after the Blue Anglers show mid-week, came up blank, and didn’t see any fish caught by the other boats in the area before running back south. Ultimately it might just come down to pure luck whether you find fish willing to bite right now. There are still areas in the upper Bay that are closed to targeting rockfish while other areas are catch and release only. Maps of the open and closed areas to targeting striped bass can be found on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
Blue catfish are a popular target this time of year as they spawn in the region's tidal waters. The Magothy and Patapsco Rivers have high concentrations of these fish, with some weighing up to 50 pounds. Fresh cut menhaden on fish finder rigs works great when targeting the cats. We also had a reader report from Rock Hall, where eeling produced blue cats up to 20 pounds. There will likely be a lot of boat traffic during the holiday weekend but getting away from the crowds to less disturbed waters will increase your chances of catching fish.
Fishbones Bait and Tackle let us know that the white perch have moved into the shallows of the tidal tributaries and along the bayfront. Shore fishermen in the Magothy and Severn are catching perch using bottom rigs baited with blood worms, Fishbites, or lug worms. The bite has been really picking up in the late evening hours. Spot have also returned to these waters and are being caught on the same rigs used for perch. Boats have been finding them in 10 to 20 feet of water near the Bay Bridge and areas north like Six and Seven Foot Knolls. The early schools seem to be moving around quite a bit and where they are one day might not be where they are the next. One angler reported that he has been finding them just north of the Bay Bridge but each day is hit or miss.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 19 Update:
The summer rockfish season has now opened on the Bay and many anglers are enjoying good luck while jigging soft plastics near the Love Point rocks, Bay Bridge, and along the shipping channel edges. Both water quality and clarity are good this week which is promoting favorable fishing conditions. Trolling is still a viable option with umbrella rigs or tandems. You will want to downsize to smaller shad baits now that most of the keeper fish around are 20 to 30 inches. As more spot show up, live lining will return as a popular option for those targeting the rockfish. Remember that the new slot for rockfish in the Bay is 19 to 31 inches. There is also still a section of the upper Bay that is closed to targeting rockfish. The striped bass regulation maps can be found at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
The Angler in Chief reports that perch have already made their summer move-in into the creeks and coves, and on one outing up the Magothy chunky white perch were hitting tube jigs and darts with grass shrimp around piers. He also noted that briefly stopping by the west side 4X pilings at the bridge, 15- to 19-inch rockfish were biting. Another reader checked in after bank fishing from the mid-section of the Magothy who reported that the bite turned on during the last hour of light. They caught a mix of spot, white perch, and blue catfish. The spot and perch were caught on bottom rigs tipped with lug worms while the catfish were hitting fish finder rigs baited with cut menhaden. The blue catfish are now spawning in the upper Bay and can be caught chunking or chumming near channel edges. Six- and Seven-Foot Knolls are also popular spots for this type of fishing. You can also catch rockfish this way, making it a fun way to fish while enjoying some steady action. Angler should remember that they must use non-offset circle hooks when targeting striped bass with bait.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 12 Update:
It has been a lackluster trophy season in the upper Bay and reports of keeper fish were slim again this week. The fish spawned early this year, and most have already headed south to start their journey up the coast to their summer haunts. Though this may be a disappointment to many anglers hoping to bag a trophy fish, it is better for the future of the striped bass fishery if fewer breeding size fish are kept. Only one reader confirmed a trophy catch in the area, a 45.5-incher that hit a purple tandem in 70 feet of water a mile south of the bridge. Another angler fishing near Love Point early in the week reported marking lots of bait and fish early in the day. They landed a 24-, 26-, and 27-and-a-half-inch fish but once the tide changed, the bite shut off. Luckily, there seems to be a decent amount of 20- to 30-inch fish hanging around the upper Bay and once the summer fishery opens on May 16th, anglers should have better success finding keeper-sized fish. Contributor Eric Packard casted to the pilings at the Bay Bridge on his kayak over the weekend, and reported a nice bite on fun 18- to 22-inchers. A white BKD on a one-ounce head did the trick.
While the rock fishing is slow, Fishbones Bait & Tackle recommends targeting blue catfish as they provide a great opportunity for some fun fishing this time of year. The big fish are entering spawning mode and are eager to take a variety of cut bait. The Magothy River, Fort Smallwood Park, and bayfront areas off Gibson Island are all great locations to target blue catfish. Most fish will be five to 10 pounds but fish up to 50 pounds have been caught this spring. Anchoring in 10 to 20 feet of water and throwing out fish finder rigs with your favorite catfish bait is a common tactic that works well.
White perch are still in the lower sections of the tidal rivers but are starting to move into their summer areas as water temperatures rise with the warmer weather. Bloodworms on bottom rigs are the top bait right now. Once the perch move into the shallows in greater numbers, small spinners and jigs work great when casted to nearshore structure like rock jetties and dock pilons.
Important Notice: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources made an announcement regarding striped bass regulations this week. New regulations change the size limit for the striped bass summer and fall fishery for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, including the Maryland tributaries of the Potomac River. Starting May 16th, 2023, the minimum size for striped bass is 19 inches and the maximum size for striped bass is 31 inches. All other rockfish regulations for the Bay remain the same. See Striped Bass Maximum Size Capped at 31 Inches-Update MD Regs for the latest news on this development.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, May 5 Update:
It was not a forgiving opening day of trophy rockfish season on the Bay. The wind made fishing difficult for most of the week and reports were slim from those who went out searching for the rock. We had one reader who braved the winds check in from the area around the bridge on opening day, saying a few fish did bite but all were under the 35-inch mark and by 10:00 he couldn’t stand the rocking and rolling any longer. Another angler fishing north of the bridge reported catching one keeper and four throwbacks across two outings this week. The warmer winter and spring made for an early spawn this year, so most of the trophy sized fish have headed out of the Bay and made the turn north along the coast, but there are still a few big ones around to chase after. The weather forecast looks much better for this weekend, so we hope to hear some better reports come this time next week.
Spawning activity for big blue cats is starting and more fish are being caught along the bayfront from the Bay Bridge north into the upper Bay tidal Rivers. Anglers Sport Center reports that catfish as big as 30 pounds have been caught this week. Chunking fresh menhaden on fish finder rigs usually works best. The Magothy and Patapsco Rivers, along with the bayfront between the two, have great numbers of blue cats. Anchoring in 10 to 20 feet of water is usually around the zone where you will have the most action this time of year. Anglers also reports that the white perch bite is good in the tidal rivers. The fish haven’t quite pushed into the shallows of their summer spots, but we aren’t far from that happening. Right now, the deeper channels and areas around oyster beds are best. Bottom rigs tipped with blood worms are the go-to but heavier perch jigs work well in the deeper waters if you want to target them with lures.
A major update to the coastal striped bass fishery was announced by The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Atlantic States Striped Bass Management Board who voted to take emergency action to reduce coastwide harvest of striped bass. This action requires states to lower the top end of the slot limit to 31 inches. Learn more about the measures in Striped Bass Maximum Size Capped.