Keith Lockwood's Maryland Fishing Report

     Oxford, Md. -- Most everyone has been enjoying the cool weather that has recently moved in; warmer weather is on the way for the weekend and this is just such a great time to spend in the outdoors fishing with family and friends; not too hot but just right.

     There are plenty of kid's fishing derbies and such going on this time of the year and they present a wonderful opportunity to take kids fishing in a fun setting. If they don't already have a fishing outfit; let them pick out their own favorite theme related outfit; it tends to make it more personable for them and often these small closed face spinning outfits are just fine for bluegills. Keep an eye in your local newspaper for fishing derbies near you that are usually put on by service organizations. Be sure to check out the youth fishing website so your youngster can join and get a free patch.

     Fishermen who enjoy fishing at the base of the Conowingo Dam were happy to see June 1st arrive since now they can keep some of the fine striped bass they are catching. Casting swim shads and crankbaits has been a favorite tactic and if your bait gets close enough to the bottom there are big flathead catfish also looking for a meal. Farther down the Susquehanna some striped bass are being caught but the excellent white perch fishing tends to dominate the scene.

     Fishing for striped bass in the upper bay has been a trying affair for many fishermen lately with low dissolved oxygen levels lingering near the bottom in some areas due to algae bloom die offs in some of the major tributaries. Some fishermen have been having luck finding fish suspended in a zone above the poor oxygen levels and deep enough to stay cool. White perch and channel catfish can be found in many areas where good water flows occur such as around Hart-Miller Island and the mouth of the Magothy and Chester Rivers.

     In the middle bay region fishermen are finding suspended striped bass near steep points such as Thomas Point and traditional locations like Hackett's Bar and the western edge of the shipping channel. Many fishermen are jigging with soft plastics and others are trolling or chumming. Water temperatures in the mid bay area are running around 73-degrees on the surface and salinities up to 10 p.p.t.

     The shallow water fishery for striped bass is in full swing and fishermen who can get up early enough; which can be tough as sunrise is 5:40am, there is good fishing with topwater or swim shad lures. Wind of course has been a real hindrance since the cold front moved in and fishermen have found it hard to get out on the open waters of the larger tidal rivers or the bay. White perch can fill in the gap when turned back by whitecaps; so bring a smaller outfit and some beetle spin type lures, spinners or small swim shads and cast along likely looking leeward shorelines and take home some tasty white perch.

     In the southern region of Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake fishermen are finding excellent fishing for a mix of bottom fish such as croakers, white perch, spot and kingfish in the Tangier Sound area and a mix of striped bass, small bluefish and speckled trout along channel edges and shallows. The best catches of large croakers are occurring in the evening hours at shoal and channel edges. Croakers and spot are moving up most of the regions tidal river such as the Potomac and Patuxent and with the availability of spot, fishermen are beginning to live line spot near the Gas Docks with good success.

     Recreational crabbers are enjoying good crabbing in most of the tidal rivers south of Kent Island. Many crabbers are reporting large crabs and being able to catch a bushel per outing. The tidal creeks on the eastern side of the bay are being reported to be particularly good.

Freshwater

     Freshwater fishermen in the western region of the state are enjoying good water flows in most of the trout management waters and wonderful fly fishing opportunities. Walleye and smallmouth bass are entertaining fishermen at Deep Creek Lake along drop off edges and largemouth bass are holding outside of the cove areas near any kind of structure or grass.

     Largemouth bass fishermen are finding bass holding near grass and structure such as fallen tree tops and rocks. The large fish seem to be holding along channel edges and drop offs in deeper and cooler water. In some lakes that have been hit by heavy thunderstorms stained water can be an issue this week and the tidal rivers have been running high.

     Bluegills and other freshwater fish commonly called panfish can provide a lot of fun fishing this time of the year. Bluegills are either actively spawning or just finished in many areas of the state and can be caught in a variety of ways. Perhaps one of the simplest ways is a bobber and bait such as crickets or worms. Another method is to use a light weight fly rod and cast rubber-legged spiders and small poppers near the shallows.

At the Ocean

Ocean City fishermen report that the spring run of large striped bass along the beaches is starting to fall off. A few big fish are still being caught but inshore sharks such as sandbar, dusky, and sand tigers have become more common and are providing plenty of catch and release action. There are some smaller fish to be caught such as small bluefish, medium-sized black drum and a blowfish or flounder now and then.

     In and around the inlet fishermen are catching small bluefish and sub-legal striped bass and reporting fun catch and release action with hickory shad in the evenings. Flounder fishing inside the inlet and back bay areas has been good when water clarity conditions are favorable.

     Outside the inlet sea bass fishing on the wreck sites has been good and there is a lot of action but also a lot of throwbacks. Some captains report a better grade of sea bass and an occasional cod in deeper waters. The yellowfin tuna bite has turned on along the west wall of the Baltimore and Poorman's Canyons with some boats reporting double digit catches of good sized tuna. There is also a mix of dolphin, wahoo and a few white marlins in the mix. Mako sharks, threshers and blue sharks are also being caught along the 30-fathom curve at traditional locations such as the Hambone, Hot Dog and Sausages.

Keith Lockwood's Maryland Fishing Report

     Oxford, Md. -- More than a few fishermen will have a hard time sleeping soundly Friday night as they periodically peek at their alarm clocks waiting to get up and head off with family and friends for the opening day of the trophy striped bass season. Whether it is opening day of a favorite hunting season or fishing season; few things stir the souls of outdoorsmen more than the traditions of opening day.

     Fishermen looking for catch and release action with large pre-spawn striped bass were finally rewarded for their patience last week and the action has hit high gear this week. Casting spoons such as the Tony Accetta's and soft plastic jigs has been two of the best lures to use this week. Wind can be an issue on some days and fishermen are also reporting an "on and off" situation on some days in regards to action and they are also reporting sighting some spawning activity. 

     The run of hickory shad in the lower Susquehanna River continues this week and fishermen report the run at Deer Creek is peaking and fishing in the lower river is being affected by water releases from the Conowingo Dam. "Plenty of water released- good fishing, no water released- not so good for fishing". Fishing for a mix of channel catfish and flathead catfish near the dam remains very good this week and white perch are also entertaining fishermen. 

     This coming Saturday is of course a big day for striped bass fishermen out to mix it up with trophy sized fish. Captains will be doing their best to jockey into trolling position along the shipping channel edges and couple that with planner boards that seem to be venturing farther and farther on port and starboard each year; it might be difficult to maneuver out there. There is a substantial spawn going on in the Choptank and Nanticoke Rivers and even up on the Elk River this week; spawning will continue to occur into early May. Post-spawn striped bass will be heading south out of the tidal rivers this week so Choptank fish will most likely follow the False Channel out into the shipping channel and Nanticoke River fish are going to slip out through Hooper's Island or Kedges Straits or follow the channel down Tangier Sound. Most fishermen know that the steep sides of the shipping channel on the west side tend to be a super highway for large migrating striped bass due to strong currents there. Steep channel drop-offs such as Bloody Point, the Gas Buoy, Breezy Point, Cove Point and Hooper's Island Light also tend to gain the attention of large striped bass moving north or south in the bay. 

     If you are lucky enough to catch a striped bass larger that 40" don't forget to visit an award center near where you make port to get an award certificate and to be entered in the Maryland Fishing Challenge. On September 8, 2012 someone is going to be drawn to win the grand prize of a boat, motor and trailer and others for thousands of dollars worth of prizes. All fishermen should check out the freshwater and saltwater divisions and be familiar with minimum sizes so when you catch that whopper (and you will) you can enter your fish.

     Perhaps some of the best fishing opportunities will be close to the surface where water temperatures are around 61-degrees this week; so if you don't have planner boards let those flat lines out way back there. Striped bass do not like engine noise and will shy away from boats on the move. Every year there has to be a new hot lure or color and it seems John Deere green is the new color in town for sassy shads and parachutes this year.

     Shore based anglers should not feel left out; there are plenty of good fishing opportunities from fishing piers such as Matapeake and prominent points such as Sandy Point State Park. Fresh cut menhaden and bloodworms will be baits of choice; although white perch can chew up a big gob of bloodworms fairly quickly. Fishermen hopefully understand that the tidal rivers are still off limits to targeting striped bass.

     White perch have moved into the lower sections of the tidal rivers and are offering good fishing this week. Channel catfish are also plentiful and can be caught most anywhere. Reports of croakers showing up in the lower Potomac continue to circulate but so far only a few have been reported; this should change very shortly and Point Lookout and the mouth of the Wicomico River are traditionally the first places to catch them. 

      There are a lot of wonderful freshwater fishing opportunities out there this week in all regions of the state. The lakes, ponds and tidal waters of the state are offering all kinds of fishing fun. Starting out in the western region there are walleye and smallmouth bass in the upper Potomac River and Deep Creek Lake, excellent trout fishing in all of the trout management waters and largemouth bass, crappie and bluegills in most bodies of water. 

      Fishermen in the other regions of the state are enjoying the bounty of generous trout stockings in the put and take trout management areas. Hatchery staff continue to have a few tricks up their sleeves with the continued stocking of large trout that can exceed 8lbs in size in a trout stream near you. 

     Largemouth bass are a favorite with freshwater fishermen and for good reason since they fight so well, entertain us with explosive strikes and are distributed widely in waters all over the state. Largemouth bass are in a pre-spawn mode this week and are aggressively feeding. Fishing grass beds either with topwater lures over the grass or other presentations such as spinnerbaits around the edges continues to be very productive. Soft plastic jigs and crankbaits near transition zones such as channel edges and sunken wood and docks are another good bet. 

     Water temperatures in the Ocean City area continue to rise and surf temperatures are now in the low 50's. Surf fishermen are picking away at large striped bass and medium sized bluefish. Fresh cut menhaden baits have been the bait of choice with fishermen and also with skates and dogfish. Flounder season opened and area fishermen were able to get into some action right off the bat from the Thorofare south to the airport. A couple of real nice doormat sized flounder were checked in at local shops. A few striped bass are also being caught in and around the inlet and back bay areas. 

     Tautog fishing continues to be good inside the inlet from bulkheads, the Route 50 Bridge and for those fishermen with access to a boat; the south jetty remains the best place to catch some nice tog. Offshore the Ocean City fleet has been finding good fishing for tautog on the wrecks with limits catches being common.

Maryland Fishing Report by DNR Biologist Keith Lockwood

     Oxford, Md. -- It truly is a wonderful time of the year for fishermen to head down to one's favorite fishing hole and whether your bank fishing or in a boat to enjoy spring at it's best. Many species of freshwater fish are eager to jump on your hook and there are so many choices it can be hard to choose what type of fishing to pursue. Fishermen on the tidal Potomac are sending in a lot of pictures and entries on the angler's log site of snakeheads they've caught. The snakehead contest has turned out to be a lot of fun as anglers share their experiences of catching one of these frightful looking beasts and then finding out how excellent they are to eat. One of our lucky entered anglers is going to win a $200 gift certificate to Bass Pro Shops in a random drawing at the end of the contest. Contest Details

     Recently an Internet news story got the whole deal wrong and reported that there was a $200 bounty for each fish. As one can imagine there were calls to fisheries by fishermen from as far away as Texas, ready to quit their jobs and come to Maryland to fish snakeheads for a living.

     Fishermen at the Susquehanna Flats area are finding the waters stirred up by persistent winds lately but those winds are predicted to subside by the end of the week. Mike Benjamin reports that the best fishing is on the eastern side of the flats area and of course this has been the windward side lately so fishing has been rough. Water temperatures on the flats are holding right around 50-degrees and less than that in the river. Fishermen are catching mostly school-sized male striped bass on swimming plugs and to a lesser degree on soft plastic jigs and spoons. Power generation at the dam has mostly been in the afternoon. White perch are becoming more prevalent in the upper bay and are a welcomed bonus to fishermen looking to take some fish home; channel catfish are also very plentiful.

     Fishermen looking for hickory shad at Deer Creek are finding a slow pick at the mouth of the creek and in the river; catching and releasing mostly males. The larger female hickory shad are in the river and the fishing there is expected to gain momentum this week as warmer weather moves in.

     Water temperatures in the middle bay region are around 54-degrees in most areas and large pre-spawn striped bass are making their way towards the upper bay spawning areas. A few fishermen have been practicing some catch and release along the shipping channel edges and out in front of the Calvert Cliffs Power Plant Discharge. One of the reactors is reported to be down for maintenance so there is not much of a warm water plume to attract striped bass. Shoreline fishermen along the bay have also been trying their luck with circle hooks and bloodworms or cut bait at prominent point and fishing piers.

     White perch are moving into the traditional locations at the lower sections of the bay's tidal rivers and are providing some fun action for fishermen fishing with bottom rigs and small jigs. Channel catfish continue to be plentiful in most tidal rivers and fishermen hoping to catch the first croakers at the Bushwood area on the Wicomico River are not finding any croakers yet but plenty of medium-sized blue catfish. Fishermen have been standing vigil at Point Lookout and the Wicomico waiting for the first croakers of the season to arrive.

     Freshwater fishermen have a lot of good choices this week in regard to what type of fishing they would like to do. Smallmouth bass are beginning to move into transition areas nearing spawning coves at Deep Creek Lake and fishermen are finding plenty of action by working crankbaits and jigs along drop-offs and secondary points. The lake was stocked with plenty of trout; which has made for good trout fishing and walleye, largemouth bass and large yellow perch are active. Fishing in the upper Potomac for smallmouth bass, walleye and muskie continues to be very good this week. Trout fishing in the many trout management waters in the western region could hardly be better; it is just a wonderful time of the year to be out fishing in the region.

     Fishermen in the central/southern regions to the eastern shore are finding excellent fishing for largemouth bass in tidal rivers, small farm ponds and larger lakes. The largemouth bass are in a pre-spawn feeding mode and are presenting good fishing in a wide variety of situations. Chatterbaits and other topwater lures over grass, spinnerbaits and crankbaits near grass or spatterdock edges and soft plastics and grubs near sunken wood and docks are all catching fish. The crappie bite is on in lakes such as Deep Creek Lake, Piney Run, Liberty, Loch Raven, small ponds and tidal rivers. It has been a very good trout season so far for put and take trout fishermen.

     Fishermen at the Ocean City area are seeing surf conditions improve this week as the strong winds of last week taper off. Surf fishermen are picking at striped bass, lot's of dogfish and skates and a few bluefish and black drum. Our neighbors to the south tell us a swarm of northern puffers, blow toads or blowfish are headed our way; they can be real bait stealers but a smaller long shanked hook and a piece of squid will never fail to put the some fine eating in your cooler.

     In and around the Ocean City Inlet fishermen are finding good fishing for tautog and fishermen are reminded that the new minimum size is now 16". Traditional haunts such as the South Jetty, the Route 50 Bridge, and the bulkheads near the inlet are where fishermen are catching them on frozen sand fleas and pieces of green crab. Offshore the head boats headed out to the wreck sites are catching big tautog and most fishermen are catching their limits.

Keith Lockwood's Maryland Fishing Report

     Oxford, Md. -- The month of April is upon us and it would seem that temperatures are more within the norm now. Late February and last months warmer than normal temperatures had a profound effect on the traditional white and yellow perch spawns causing them to be earlier than normal. Fishermen have been expressing concerns that the same might also stand true for our spawning striped bass and a big question has been looming out there, like the elephant in the room sort of thing. Will there still be post-spawn striped bass around for the trophy season opener on April 21st?
     Although there was some spawning activity in late March; it was relatively minor and not at all out of the norm. There is usually a small spawn in late March according to striped bass experts. The water temperatures are certainly warm enough in most spawning reaches for spawning activity to take place but many of the striped bass have not arrived yet or if the females are there the eggs they are carrying are not mature enough to be released
     This past week the Susquehanna catch-release-area received an influx of male striped bass so the females will be arriving soon. In other spawning rivers such as the Choptank and Nanticoke Rivers which traditionally have an earlier spawn than the upper bay; the big female striped bass are spawning but only sparingly. Most of the spawning population of females are hunkered down waiting for the eggs they carry to mature enough to commence spawning. That traditionally should occur anywhere from this coming weekend to the end of the second week of April.
     Maryland DNR's Eyes on the Bay water quality website now has a mobile browser application. View the latest water temperature, salinity, and water quality measurements on your phone, from over 15 real-time tidal stations.
     Fishermen at the Susquehanna Flats area who have been putting in their time got a pleasant surprise this week as male striped bass moved into the region in force to provide nonstop action for those armed with soft plastic jigs and spoons. The males of most spawning species are the vanguards of the spawning run so larger female striped bass are anticipated to arrive soon. A few large fish are being reported by fishermen but most fish caught and released are falling in the 16" to 28" size range and are being caught tight to the bottom in water depths less than 15'.
     The hickory shad catch and release fishery in the Deer Creek area has kicked into gear with fishermen catching mostly male fish this week at the mouth of the creek and out in the Susquehanna River. Fisheries biologists were out on the Susquehanna recently electro-fishing for hickory shad brood stock and reported they found more American shad than hickories which is a very pleasant surprise. The adult American shad will be lifted over the dam in a mechanized fish lift so they may continue up the Susquehanna to spawn.
     Fishermen are practicing catch and release fishing for striped bass from prominent points and fishing piers all along the main stem of the bay; chunks of fresh menhaden or bloodworms have been the baits of choice on bottom rigs and circle hooks. A few fishermen have also been out on the bay trolling along the shipping channel edges practicing catch and release also. Water temperatures in the bay are holding around 53-degrees. All fishermen should remember that the spawning tidal rivers are off limits to any kind of catch and release fishing for striped bass until June 1.
     Freshwater fishermen who love their put and take trout fishermen were out in force on the traditional opening day and despite crowds most had a good time and caught trout. More than a few trout fishermen were surprised by a large bonus trout that were as large as 8 lbs on the end of their lines. The hatchery crews took the initiative to hold these trout and grow them up to exceptional sizes and give a thrill of a lifetime to lucky fishermen. Fishermen at Deep Creek Lake were happy to see the floating docks go in at the DNR boat ramps last week and many fishermen are enjoying the fishing action out on the lake for a mix of smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye and a northern pike now and then. The fishing in the upper Potomac for smallmouth bass and walleye and muskies continues to be very good this week; water levels in the river are fine and of course the weather is gorgeous on most days.
     Largemouth bass fishermen are experiencing the best of the best this week as hungry pre-spawn largemouth bass are roaming the edges of emerging grass beds, sunken wood, rocky points and drop-offs for something to eat. Fishermen are finding excellent fishing opportunities in small farm ponds, lakes and tidal waters. A wide variety of lures from topwater lures to spinnerbaits, crankbaits, soft plastics and grub jigs are all working well; each in its own particular niche. Bluegills are offering plenty of sport this week and crappie fishing is always popular this time of the year.
     Ocean City fishermen continue to see tautog fishing inside the inlet improve as water temperatures hover at the 50-degree mark. All the traditional areas such as the south jetty, the 2nd to 4th street bulkhead, the ends of 5th and 6th streets and the Route 50 Bridge are all offering good fishing this week. Frozen sand fleas and pieces of green crabs are the preferred baits and the very beginning of an ebb tide seems to hold favor for many fishermen. Fishermen inside the inlet are also reporting catching and releasing a few flounder. Flounder season opens April 14th with a three flounder per day limit with a minimum of 17" each.
     Surf fishermen are catching some big striped bass, a few bluefish and plenty of dogfish and skates in the surf on menhaden baits. Offshore the boats taking fishermen out to the wreck sites are catching tautog and boats headed out to the canyon edges are finding tilefish and assorted deep water species.