Upper Bay Fishing Reports

Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, September 5 Update:

The bulk of the summer heat has passed, and we have cooler temperatures to look forward to. This usually helps turn on the bite as fall has long been regarded as one of the best times to fish on the Bay. The striped bass bite in the Patapsco River has been tough at times, but anglers are reporting better success when timing the tide. The first half of the incoming and the first half of the outgoing have been noted as best. One angler said that after fishing for a few hours with only a few fish to show, once the incoming tide started, the bite turned on. They caught close to 20 fish up to 24 inches, with most falling within the slot. The striped bass bite around the Bay Bridge has also been tide dependent, with the fish holding near the bridge pilings and rock islands waiting to feed until the current is moving. Jigging the pilings has produced some fish for anglers, but live lining has been the most effective.

There are plenty of spot in the vicinity of Sandy Point that can be caught using bottom rigs tipped with bloodworms or Fishbites. The spot are typically in depths of five to 15 feet of water. There have been some jumbos around, but plenty of small ones that are the perfect size for stripers. We did not hear any great white perch reports this week. The Upper Bay tidal rivers such as the Magothy, Patapsco, and Chester have been holding fish in the smaller tidal creeks and in areas with shoreline structure such as docks and riprap. Perch spinners and small jigs are working in the shallows. Areas with chunk rock and oyster bottom have been producing perch and other bottom feeders as well. Recently, the perch bite has been best in the evening, especially when the last hour of light coincides with a strong moving tide. While fishing the shallows, striped bass will likely be around docks, marshy shorelines, creek mouths, and other areas with cover. It is worth casting a paddletail around these areas as cooler weather will trigger stripers to feed more.