Way North Fishing Reports

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 25 Update:

The striped bass season is still closed in the Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The closure will remain in effect until the end of the month and will reopen on August 1st. The season will then remain open until December 10th. This summer has been extremely warm and dry, so it is good that we are giving our striped friends a break for a bit. We have also been enjoying cooler temperatures and some rain this week with many of us hoping that this pattern continues. Fishing at the Conowingo Dam is always better when water is being released which bumps flows and triggers the fish to bite. The recent generating scheduled continues to be in the late afternoons which has offered good fishing for smallmouth below the Dam and in the lower Susquehanna. Spinnerbaits, tube baits, and crankbaits are popular lures to throw. Down on the Susquehanna Flats, snakeheads have been found taking cover in the extensive grass beds while protecting their fry balls. Kayak anglers are having success moving stealthily through the SAV to spot and catch fish. Topwater frogs and weedless flukes will be two of the best options to throw in thick cover. If you get a strike, make sure to wait a few seconds before setting the hook, because snakeheads are notorious for short striking.

You can’t talk about fishing in this zone without catfish being in the conversation. They are a popular target year-round and the bite has been good this week. From the Conowingo Dam down the Susquehanna and into the tidal tributaries, catfish are abundant. Flathead catfish can be found lurking in the waters below Conowingo, while channel catfish and blue catfish are more widespread. An angler fishing with his daughter at the Dam this week caught five channel catfish. Further down the river, an angler fishing near the 95 bridge found a steady bite of blue catfish up to 30 pounds. We also had another angler check in to let us know that blue catfish in the Susquehanna Flats are concentrated around the mussel beds. Mussels are a primary food source for these fish and clams are a great bait option when targeting them. This same angler was out on a night trip late this week and caught several big fish. Their largest was 41 pounds with several others in the 20-to-30-pound range. Catfish will continue to be a great fishing option while striped bass are off limits.

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 19 Update:

Now that the striped bass closure is in effect (until July 31st), anglers will need to shift their focus to other species for the remainder of the month. The good news is that there has been a good smallmouth bite in the Susquehanna. Low flows have made good wade fishing conditions for anglers fishing above the Conowingo Dam. The early mornings have offered a good topwater bite on poppers and later in the day, sub-surface baits are doing the trick. The recent storms have brought some downpours to the area, so make sure to check local river conditions before hitting the water because the water levels can rise quickly with the rain. Below the dam, a kayak angler who fish from below the Conowingo Dam to Lapidum this week reported a steady bite on one-to-two-pound smallmouth bass. The bass were hitting Rapala crankbaits and a few accidental striped bass and catfish also were willing to hit.

Now is a great time to target invasive blue catfish while the stripers are off limits. Blue catfish are found throughout the northern Chesapeake Bay and are one of the more abundant species in the lower Susquehanna River. The Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna Flats, and all the tidal rivers are great places to fish for them. Bank fishing is effective and casting out any form of cut bait can usually draw the fish in. Bunker, eel, bluegill, and chicken are all popular baits that are proven to work. Anglers should also consider signing up for CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count which allows us to help fisheries managers track the location of where invasive species such as blue catfish, flathead catfish, and snakehead are being caught.

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 12 Update:

The summer fishing lulls have set in as the weather has become extremely hot lately. You can still have successful days, but conditions will play a major role. Fishing during the cooler parts of the day is highly recommended as a high sun and scorching heat will shut down a bite quickly. The Conowingo Dam is a popular fishing location but power generation water releases have been limited to evening hours due to the little rainfall we have received in recent months. The best fishing for just about all species near the dam happens when water is being released as it creates cooler, more oxygenated conditions. Whenever you are fishing near the Conowingo Dam, or the lower Susquehanna River for that matter, make sure to bring extra tackle because the rocky bottom is like a graveyard for lures and bottom fishing rigs. A great rig for targeting striped bass and other fish that hangout in the flowing waters below the spillway is a two- or three-ounce inline sinker with 12 to 18 inches of leader below and a jighead or bucktail as your lure. Another option is to sink a bait and wait for the catfish to bite, which usually doesn't take long just about anywhere in the river or northern areas of the Bay at this time of year.

Striped bass action on the flats has also been limited and there are only a few days left to target them until the closure. Bottom fishing for white perch and spot will be a good alternative at the mouths of the rivers. They can be caught using a bottom rig tipped with bloodworms, Fishbites, lugworms, or night crawlers. Bass and snakehead are other popular targets. Grass beds are great areas to fish as they will be holding baitfish, frogs, and other food sources. Topwater lures and weedless soft plastics are great for fishing thick cover. Sub-surface lures like chatterbaits and spinners will attract fish cruising the edges of the grass. We are moving into prime fryball season for snakehead fishing, and this will offer an abundance of sight fishing opportunities.

Reminder: The striped bass summer closure for the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay will begin on July 16th and go until July 31st. Targeting striped bass during this time will be prohibited.

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 5 Update:

It was a busy week on the water as we celebrated Independence Day and hopefully you did so by casting a line. Summer fishing can be tough, but it still beats anything we may have on the honey do list. The striped bass bite has slowed down as the summer heat has set in. Little rainfall so far this summer has also led to very warm water temperatures and low oxygen conditions in some places. The best bite has been early in the mornings from before sunrise to about an hour after the sun is up. Topwater spooks and poppers are catching fish below the Conowingo Dam, in the lower Susquehanna River, and on the Flats. An angler fishing the Flats last weekend reported catch a few slot and underslot fish while casting Rat-L-Traps to the edge of weed beds. They mentioned that the grasses are getting thick now and finding open water has become hard on the Flats. They also reported that on their way in they saw breaking fish around the Perryville area.

Blue catfish fishing is hitting a summer run, and we had multiple reports this week of monster cats reeled in from the lower Susquehanna. The spawning activity seems to be coming to an end as the bite is getting back in order for these big invasives. Snakeheads are also a great option right now and we are moving into prime fry ball season. Parent snakehead will guard their young and can often be sight fished by harassing the fry with a topwater frog or weedless fluke. Fishing the thick grass on the Flats with topwater lures has been producing both snakeheads and largemouth bass. If you target invasive fish and want to help out with some cool citizen science, consider signing up for CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count. Anglers submit where they catch invasive species like blue catfish, flathead catfish, and snakehead, which helps fisheries managers track the spread of invasive species in our region. Once you register, you are also entered for a chance to win a monthly giveaway. Let’s do our part in helping manage invasive species!

Important Reminder: Anglers should remember that the striped bass summer closure is quickly approaching and will last from July 16th through July 31st. The season will then reopen on August 1st and remain open until December 10th. Striped bass don’t handle warm water and low oxygen conditions very well and the summertime catch and release mortality can be very high if we don’t use proper handling techniques. If you plan to release a striper, it is best to do so without taking them out of the water. If you want to take them out for a quick picture, minimize their time out of water, handle them with wet hands, and don’t let them flop around on the ground or floor of the boat. We owe it to the fish to handle them with care and ensure they swim off strong.