Next Update: April 9, 2008

Fishermen in and around the Ocean City Inlet are seeing the tautog fishing improve as water temperatures rise. The current surf temperature is floating around 45-46-degrees and the best tautog fishing is still occurring at the bottom of the ebb tide. The bulkheads from 1st to 4th Streets and the end of 5th and 6th Streets have been convenient places to fish as is the inlet bulkhead and the Route 50 Bridge. Frozen sand fleas or fresh crab pieces tend to be the most popular baits. There have been a few reports of undersized striped bass being caught now and then at the inlet and even reports of a few flounder up by the Route 90 Bridge.

Surf fishermen continue to do battle with spiny dogfish and clear-nosed skates; while trying to find a striped bass. The only reports of striped bass from the weekend were undersized fish in the surf.

The party boats headed out to the wreck sites continue to buck the weather but when they do get out they have been doing well. Tautog fishing has been good with most knowledgeable anglers catching their limit of 4fish/ person. Susan Samock from Olney had the distinction this past week of catching the first sea bass for the Ocean City fleet on one of the artificial reefs.

---

Click here to view recent bay region satellite images at mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/NASAimagery/EyesInTheSky.cfm

---

OFFSHORE MAP Click Map Icon For a Larger View	Please click for the latest sea surface temperatures from Rutgers University Marine Remote Sensing
	Please Click for the latest automated weather observations from Station 44009 - DELAWARE BAY 26 NM Southeast of Cape May, NJ
Please click for the latest automated weather observations from THE HOTEL BUOY.

A Couple of Closing Notes...

Don't hesitate to e-mail your recent fishing/crabbing photos and trip information. Send your photos via E-mail by the following Monday in order to be included in the next update. The file should be in .jpg format with the longest side sized at 320 pixels. Please keep the file size small. The photo should clearly depict the angler(s), fish, and ethical handling practices. For information on ethical angling practices please reference the Catch and Release information located at URL:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/articles/catch_release.shtml

Include the following information:

• Date

• Angler(s)

• Hometown(s)

• Photo credit

• Location

• Weight/length of catch

• Bait/lure

Important Note: If anyone in your picture is under 18 years of age, we must have a photo release signed by that person and a parent/guardian before we can post your picture.

Send your photos and information to Keith Lockwood

The Fisheries Service is pleased to have you visit. We want to make this site as user friendly as possible, if you have any suggestions, please mail them to Paul Genovese.