Special Susquehanna Flats Fishing Season in Full Swing

Havre de Grace, MD (March 29, 2010) — The special catch and release striped bass fishing season on the Susquehanna Flats, which opened on March 1 and runs through May 3, is picking up as the water warms and the native stripers return for the spawning season. Reports from the Flats indicate that the action is best in the channels leading to Havre de Grace and North East, Md.

“Nothing signals springtime on the Chesapeake like the return of our state fish to the Upper Bay,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary John R. Griffin. “This is the time to dust off your gear and head out to test your skills, being sure to carefully revive and release your catch for the future.”

The legal fishing area covers the water from a line between Sandy Point (Aberdeen Proving Grounds) and Turkey Point on Elk Neck, north and upstream to a line from the Lapidum Boat Ramp to Twin Rocks to Tomes Wharf in the Susquehanna River and includes all of the Northeast River. As in other catch and release areas this time of year, eels are not allowed as bait. Additionally, anglers using natural bait must use non-offset circle hooks or J hooks with a gap of ½ inch or smaller, measured from the point of the hook to the shank to reduce the chances of deep hooking damage to the fish.

See maps of the catch and release areas of Maryland’s portion of the Bay.

To learn more about fishing in Maryland, go to www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/index.asp.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 467,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov