Daily Reel...'Vision Merisuola'

Vision Merisuola from Juuso Syrjä on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - October 26, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

After a spurt of warm weather last week, cooler air temperatures have returned and water temperatures continue their decline. Fish are feeling the urge to pack on as much as they can to prepare for the winter months so it is an ideal time to get out and fish, whether freshwater or saltwater fish are your target.

At the very top of the bay there continues to be some striped bass action near the mouths of the Elk and Susquehanna Rivers by jigging over suspended fish. Many of the fish are sub-legal but there are enough legal-sized ones to make it worthwhile to jig with metal or soft plastic jigs. There is also some topwater action near shoreline structure and the deeper edges of the Susquehanna Flats for a better grade of striped bass. The Conowingo Dam has had some substantial water releases lately creating strong currents in the river and dropping water temperatures to the 60° mark. Farther south there are schools of striped bass to be found suspended along channel edges or up on the surface chasing bait. Light tackle jigging is usually a favorite way to fish and metal jigs in the 2-ounce size range tend to be just the ticket for action. Soft plastic jigs can be cast to surface fish but the best grade of striped bass often tends to come from the depths beneath the surface action. Trolling is another option with bucktails, spoons and swim shads behind inline weights and often can put one onto a better grade of fish.

Dropping water temperatures are pushing white perch into deeper waters this week and some of the better white perch fish will be found in 20' of water or more. Small jigs or flies above a sinker or heavier jigs can be used when perch can be spotted on a depth finder. In the very top of the bay and the region's tidal rivers yellow perch can also be found along with channel catfish. White perch are also starting to school up near the rock piles at the Bay Bridge.

In the middle bay region fishing for striped bass has picked up once again after last week's warm weather raised water temperatures and put a damper on fishing success. Water temperatures rose to about 70° last Thursday but have dropped back to 62° this week. This is the time of the year to be watching for birds and slicks; jigging is what fall striped bass fishing is all about on the Chesapeake. There have been a lot of sub-legal striped bass in the tidal rivers but often a better grade of fish can be found out towards the bay. The mouth of Eastern Bay near Poplar Island, Thomas Point, outside of the West River, Little Choptank and the False Channel at the mouth of the Choptank have been good places to check. A few sea trout have also been part of the mix when jigging lately. A good running tide is very important. 

Trolling can be a good option along channel edges and anywhere slicks can be spotted. Bucktails dressed with twister tails, spoons and swim shads are good choices behind inline weights. Umbrella rigs are also productive but of course add to the weight of gear that must be reeled in with a fish. Greg French holds up a chunky striped bass he caught while trolling in the lower Choptank River near Tilghman Island.

photo by Dr. Sandy McClinton

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - October 20, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

October is a favorite month for sportsman as temperatures moderate and most of summer seems to be behind and there is a taste of fall in the air. It is an exciting time for fishermen as both freshwater and saltwater fish species shift to an active fall feeding pattern.

At the very top of the bay near the mouth of the Susquehanna and Elk Rivers striped bass in a mix of sizes are being caught this week. Small 12" to 14" fish tend to be following bait and are usually marked by diving birds. Larger fish above 20" are being caught on topwater lures along the edges of the flats and shoreline structure areas. Sparse water releases at the dam are making for clear water conditions in the area. Those who fish the lower Susquehanna River and the Flats area are well aware there are other kinds of bass in the area such as largemouth and smallmouth bass and they can be part of the mix. Beth L'Heureux was fishing in the lower Susquehanna when she caught this beautiful smallmouth bass that weighed close to 5 lbs.

photo by Douglas Rash

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - September 29, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

A very exciting month approaches for all who fish in Maryland. October will see falling water temperatures and fish will be very active as they sense the change and prepare to fatten up for the winter months ahead. I will be absent from the fishing reports for the next two weeks as I spend some time chasing elk in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. Erik Zlokovitz has stepped up to the plate and I'm sure he will bring you the latest in fishing opportunities as we step into October. At the very top of the Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island north to the mouth of the Susquehanna and Elk Rivers an influx of legal-sized striped bass are moving into the area. Water temperatures have dropped to the 76° mark and there is developing early morning and evening topwater action in the shallower areas on the Susquehanna Flats and surrounding areas. The Conowingo Dam has been releasing very little water for the last few weeks so water clarity is very good. Much of the striped bass fishing effort in the upper bay has switched to jigging, trolling and live lining spot. Schools of striped bass which tend to be sub-legal in size mixed with a few bluefish are chasing bait to the surface throughout the region so casting to the surface action or jigging deeper has been very popular. Legal-sized sea trout have recently been a welcomed surprise for those jigging in the upper bay. Those choosing to troll are pulling small Drone spoons, bucktails and surge tube lures ("hoses") behind planers and inline weights near channel edges or near concentrations of breaking fish. Live liners have been able to obtain a good supply of spot and are working the channel edges wherever suspended fish can be spotted on depth finders. The channel edge from Sandy Point Light north to above the mouth of the Magothy River, Brewerton Channel and the Bay Bridge piers have been good places to check for fish lately. In the middle bay region, breaking fish composed of a mix of sub-legal and legal-sized striped bass, bluefish and the last of the Spanish mackerel are working over schools of bay anchovies throughout the region. The channel edges on both sides of the bay, Eastern Bay and the mouths of the region's tidal rivers have been providing a lot of action. Many of the striped bass are sub-legal but there are legal fish being caught, especially by jigging along with sea trout. Trolling has been popular and live lining spot is a very good way to target a better grade of striped bass wherever they can be found suspended along channel edges. The shallow water striped bass fishery is quickly improving with cooler water temperatures. Brad Foxwell holds up a nice striped bass he caught off of Chesapeake Beach. Courtesy of Bill Dickerson

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - September 14, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Anyone paying attention to the outdoors can't help but notice the Maryland landscape is showing signs of changing. The vibrant green of trees is rather dull, and in some areas the leaves are turning brown and falling to the ground. The color change and the falling leaves during this time of year are caused by the general lack of rain. There is no question many areas could use some rain to replenish streams, rivers, lakes and ponds. On the brighter side, despite a recent return of hot weather, the evenings are a bit cooler and profound changes in our freshwater and saltwater fisheries are not far away with cooler weather approaching.

Water temperatures in the upper bay near the mouth of the Susquehanna River have remained above 80° this week due to hot weather and the lack of water releases from the Conowingo Dam. There has been some early morning topwater action in the area but most of the better fishing for striped bass is occurring farther south starting in the area around Pooles Island and extending to the Bay Bridge. There has been good striped bass fishing by a variety of methods. Breaking fish are being encountered from the Rock Hall area south to the Bay Bridge and casting or jigging has offered a lot of fun light tackle action. A large portion of the breaking fish are composed of sub-legal striped bass and bluefish but there are larger striped bass mixed in. Trolling small spoons such as Drone spoons behind planers has also been very effective along channel edges. Live lining spot has been by far the most popular method of catching a nice grade of striped bass. The most productive areas have been the channel edge from Sandy Point Light north to the 30' channel edge below Belvidere Shoal. There has also been good action over near Love Point on the 30' channel edge there and the deeper Bay Bridge piers. Nick Long got to go fishing with his dad recently and gets a little help from dad while posing with this beautiful 35" striped bass that Nick caught above the Bay Bridge. 

Photo courtesy of Travis Long

Daily Reel...'Saltwater Dreams - Exmouth Australia'

SALTWATER DREAMS - Exmouth, Australia from Juuso Syrjä on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Salty Cape Fishing Reports - August 27, 2016

The news on the north side is that the striped bass bite off Sandwich and Barnstable continues to produce large fish.  Meanwhile in Buzzards Bay and the Sound side, the conversation revolves primarily around the wait for albies, although a few folks reported excellent striper fishing down the Elizabeth Islands this week. Offshore, things have become less consistent, but the warm water has made mahi fishing on high flyers an almost guarantee. READ THIS WEEK'S REPORTS

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - August 18th, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Water temperatures in the upper bay are in the 85 degree range this week and this can mean some tough going for the larger striped bass. Due to low oxygen levels in many of the deeper areas the fish can not go deep to find cooler water. This week in the upper bay the locations that are holding striped bass tend to be the western side of the Craighill Channel from Sandy Point Light to Baltimore Light on the 30' edge. The 30' channel edge west of the Love Point Buoy has also been a good place to find striped bass as has the Swan Point area. Chumming is still popular but live lining spot and white perch is taking the lead as a better grade of striped bass is possible with these larger baits. There are a lot of 14" to 16" striped bass in the region and they tend to be suckers for a chum slick during a good tide. Sending cut menhaden baits to the bottom and back of the slick as quickly as possible will pay dividends in larger fish. Bluefish are present in the upper bay and will be part of the chum slick mix. Trolling can be a good alternative and working the 30' channel edges is a good place to start. Most are having good luck with umbrella rigs or small spoons pulled behind inline weights or planers to get them down to the fish. Breaking fish comprised of small striped bass and bluefish can be found now and then and jigging deep underneath can pay off with larger striped bass. Laurel Leitner is all smiles with this striped bass she caught while jigging underneath breaking fish. Photo by Lonnie Johnson

Fly Product...RIO’s Coastal QuickShooter Fly Line

Via Pitchengine:

IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO (August 2, 2016) – RIO Products, manufacturers of fly line, leader, and tippet, brings saltwater anglers the Coastal QuickShooter and Coastal QuickShooter XP for fly fishing in the salt in cooler conditions. This product won EFTTEX’s award of Best Fly Line in June, further amplifying its place in saltwater anglers’ aresenal. 

RIO’s new Coastal QuickShooter features a clear intermediate head specifically designed for anglers fishing off the coast in cooler conditions. The short front taper has no problem turning over large baitfish and shrimp patterns in typical coastal winds, and the easy-casting head helps load the rod quickly at close range. This line has been designed for anglers targeting sea run cutties, Cohos, sea trout, and European sea bass. 

In addition, a powerful Coastal QuickShooter XP (Extra Powerful) version with a heavily weighted head, and an aggressive front taper is perfect for casting large flies and coping with stiff on shore winds. This line is ideal for the striper angler, and for the fly fishing needing to use large flies. 

The Coastal QuickShooter is available in WF5I-WF8I in clear and chartreuse, and the Coastal QuickShooter XP is available in clear and purple in WF8I-WF10I sizes. Both models are available at RIO dealers for $79.95.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - July 27, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Hot weather has descended upon Maryland and while some of our fisheries are slowing down to warmer water temperatures, others such as marine are creating new opportunities as summer migrant fish move into our waters. 

At the top of the bay the Conowingo Dam has been flat lined for over 8 days with hardly any water releases. Higher water temperatures have many fish hunkered down waiting for an influx of cooler water that occurs with power generation water releases. Channel catfish and white perch are providing most of the action in the lower Susquehanna and the tidal rivers to the south. There continues to be some early morning striped bass and white perch action in the tidal rivers near Rock Hall and the Baltimore Harbor area for those casting near shoreline structure or jigging along channel edges. White perch can also be caught during the day on bait in deeper water waters.

Chumming for striped bass in the upper bay continues to be a big draw for boats from ports as far south as the lower bay this week. Swan Point, Love Point and the western side of the shipping channel from above the mouth of the Magothy River to Sandy Point Light have been getting the most attention. The 30' to 35' edge tends to be the sweet spot and it is hard to beat a falling tide for the best action. Water temperatures are about 85° and warm water stress and deep hooking of released fish is taking its toll so anglers are urged to exercise caution to protect the future of the striped bass fishery in Maryland.

Trolling deep with umbrella rigs and single lures has been an effective alternative to chumming lately as has jigging when fish can be found suspended along channel edges or near structure. Live lining white perch is also a very effective tactic where fish can be spotted suspended near channel edges. The Bay Bridge piers and rock piles are holding striped bass and jigging or live lining white perch there can really pay off. Dee Kolobow holds up a nice 33" striped bass she caught near the bridge piers on a live white perch.

Photo courtesy of Dee Kolobow

Maryland's Weekly Fishing Report - July 21, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Here is an overview of fishing around the state as we get into late July, starting with Conowingo Dam and ending up at Ocean City.

Water releases at the Conowingo Dam have been sporadic with several days passing before an afternoon water release. There continues to be a limited early morning striped bass bite in the dam pool for those casting swim shads and topwater lures.

White perch fishing continues to be good in most of the upper bay's tidal rivers and creeks this week. The early mornings and evenings have been offering good white perch fishing for those casting beetle-spins, spinners and small jigs along shoreline structure. White perch can be found deeper during daytime bright sun and heat. Rigs with dropper flies or bait will get the job done in the deeper waters. Striped bass can also be found in some of the major tidal rivers such as the lower Patapsco outside of Baltimore Harbor in much of the same way. They can be found early and late in the day close to shallower structure and deep at other times.

The chumming fleets continue to anchor along the channel edges from Sandy Point to above Baltimore Light as well as the Love Point and Swan Point areas. Most boats are chumming and drifting cut baits back into the chum slicks but chunking can also be a good option as well as live lining small white perch; an ebbing tide tends to offer the best action. Striped bass can be found in many other locations along 30' or better channel edges in the upper bay for those seeking a little elbow room. When fish are spotted on a depth finder, jigging can be a satisfying way to catch one's fish. Some enjoy the trolling option and pulling umbrella rigs behind inline weights or small spoons behind planers can be a good way to catch a nice grade of striped bass with a few bluefish thrown in for good measure.

The Bay Bridge piers continue to live up to their reputation of holding striped bass and as long as a good tide is running a variety of fishing methods will work. Casting bucktails and soft plastic jigs at the pier bases to suspended fish, chunking or drifting small live white perch are all good tactics. Alex Cain holds up a nice striped bass caught while jigging near the Bay Bridge rock piles.

Photo courtesy of Alex Cain

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | July 14, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

As a lifelong fisherman and a bit of a softy when it comes to kids and fishing, I had a warm spot glowing in my heart when I stopped by a kids fishing derby in Easton last Saturday morning. The local Elks Lodge did an amazing job of organizing what was a well attended event. One of the things that really struck me was that they provided fishing outfits for some of the less advantaged kids who live in town. To see them running around with a fishing outfit and actually catch one of the bluegill sunfish stocked by the Fisheries Service gave me an inner glow that carried me through the rest of the weekend.

Photo by Keith Lockwood

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | July 7, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Summer is here and children are enjoying extra time with parents, grandparents and that special uncle, aunt or family friend that will spend time to take them fishing. I have always noticed that our young first time fishing buddies love to choose their first fishing outfit and it is usually a theme related push button spincasting outfit. Fortunately they are relatively inexpensive, just the right size for our little buddies and also just the right size for fish such as bluegills and white perch. Frist photo by Pat Donlin, second courtesy of Photo courtesy of Nick Lee

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | June 30, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Blink your eyes, and here we are facing the Fourth of July weekend. It is a time for family and friends and many will be out on the water fishing and crabbing or spending time freshwater fishing near a cool and friendly pond or stream. July 4th is a Free Fishing Day and it is a great opportunity to take a friend or neighbor with you to perhaps introduce them to fishing or to remind a lapsed angler how much fun they are missing.

The Conowingo Dam continues to release water for power generation in the early afternoons but before that there is hardly any water coming out of the dam. There is a limited early morning striped bass bite in the calm dam pool for those casting topwater lures, suspended jerkbaits or flipping out live eels or white perch. Out along the channel edges near the flats and the mouth of the river there is an early morning topwater striped bass bite that is diminishing with rising water temperatures this week.

A large percentage of the resident striped bass from the lower and middle bay regions have moved into the upper bay region in the past couple of weeks. They can be found spread out along the shipping channel edges near Sandy Point Light, the mouth of the Magothy River and the Love Point channel edges. This is a happy time for boat crews coming out of upper bay ports. Chumming and chunking tends to be the most popular way of fishing and the armada of boats anchored up in these areas can be daunting. At times this can seem like combat fishing as boats and captains jockey for the best position and as the fleet swings with changing tides it can get very interesting at times. I would remind all that you're supposed to be out there to have a good time and if the heat is too much in the kitchen get out and find your own little piece of space somewhere else. Charter boat captains have to put their patrons on fish so they are going to do what it takes and they will put up with crowded conditions. If one watches their depth finder and explores channel edges in other areas striped bass can be found holding and you can set up on them with chum or chunks. A fair portion of the striped bass being encountered are sub-legal, so care must be taken to ensure they survive catch and release. Please use and encourage others to use circle hooks to minimize deep hooking injuries which are usually fatal within a few hours when using J-style hooks. 

For those who wish to skip the mess of ground up menhaden, jigging over a suspended school of fish can be a lot of fun on light tackle. Soft plastic jigs such as BKDs or Bass Assassins have been favorite jigs to use. Trolling can also be effective and one can cover a lot of territory in their search for fish, just be careful to stay away from the chumming fleet. Umbrella rigs behind inline weights with swim shads or bucktails for trailers have been hard to beat. Small spoons behind planers are a close second and tend to be easier to reel in. A few of the alternative locations worth looking over are the mouth of Baltimore Harbor, the Triple Buoys, Swan Point and the Hart-Miller Island area. If all else fails, the Bay Bridge piers always seem to hold fish. This happy group of friends caught these nice fish north of the Bay Bridge in about 30' of water while jigging.

Photo courtesy of Jay Bernstein

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | June 23, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

It is summertime, and as the song goes “the living is easy”. Many of our fisheries are transitioning as water temperatures warm and summer migrants drift into our bay and ocean areas. The living is easy and we all need to take time to enjoy it. There is no better way to spend special time with family and friends, to relax and do nothing but concentrate on fishing. There are a lot of wonderful fishing opportunities available no matter where you live in Maryland, don’t miss out. Mary Mahoney accompanied her husband for some fun shallow water fishing recently and proudly holds up a nice striped bass caught on a popper in the shallows of the Choptank River.

Photo courtesy of Matt Mahoney

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | June 20, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

The summer season officially starts today, but for most, schools are out and it is time for family vacations and spending more family time together. Traveling the highways linking vacation destinations, family vehicles can be seen loaded down with all kinds of fun gear ranging from bicycles of all sizes to kayaks and pulling campers. On the Eastern shore, where I live, most of the traffic is on Route 50 headed towards Ocean City or returning. Last Saturday I happened to take stock of some of the traffic headed east and had fun guessing where families were headed by what gear they had packed. Some were headed to camp grounds and some to rental properties; one particular pickup truck from West Virginia was stuffed with mom, dad, the kids, and a pickup bed full of bikes, with a surf rod sticking out and a camper being towed behind. I suspect they were headed for Assateague State Park. When I was checking out of a discount department store familiar to all; a guy in front of me had a collection of hooks with wire leaders, a Got-Cha lure and a spool of new monofilament. I knew he was headed to Ocean City and wondered how he heard about the good fishing for bluefish there. I thought maybe, just maybe, he had read the fishing report? As I headed out the door a 12 year old girl in pigtails was proudly walking with her parents with a flashy metallic red spinning rod and reel and I surmised they were headed to do some local freshwater or tidal river fishing. All great sights as families enjoy the many fishing opportunities we have here in Maryland. Don't miss out on the fun and special time with family as we step into the wonderful summertime in Maryland!

Photo Courtesy of Tom O'Connell

E-Zine...Flylife #84

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | June 02, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Memorial Day Weekend is come and gone and we are now entering the month of June. This is great news for anyone fishing for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and the tidal rivers since now all waters are open to the standard striped bass regulations we are all familiar with (Bag limit is 2 fish, minimum size is 20 inches, only one of which can be equal to or greater than 28 inches). Out of a three day weekend we at least had two good days of weather and what better way to celebrate than to take a veteran fishing. In this case Travis Long took his dad (Ed Long, a Vietnam Vet) and family for a fun day of jigging striped bass on the Chesapeake together.

Photo courtesy of Travis Long

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | May 19, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

" The sun will come out tomorrow so you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow come what may, the sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun, tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow, you're only a day away". Those broken lyrics from the stage show Annie drifted through my mind yesterday evening as I was practicing some fly casting on my front lawn and getting damper by the minute in the drifting drizzle. Looking at the extended forecast, tomorrow promises to be sunny but it would seem we're right back into rainy weather by Saturday. 

Photo courtesy of Wayne Young

Daily Reel...'Black Torpedos'

Black Torpedoes from StripStrike Productions on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan