Fishermen spent most of last week sitting out a coastal storm that hammered the Ocean City area and then had to endure the sloppy and cloudy water conditions on the weekend. Conditions look much better this week and the tautog and striped bass are waiting in the Ocean City Inlet area for fishermen. The last and first ½ hour of the tide change and slack tide have been the best time to fish for tautog in the inlet area. Frozen sand fleas and pieces of green crab have been the baits of choice.
Striped bass fishing is getting better inside the inlet as more coastal migrants move along the beaches on their southward migration. Fishermen are drifting live spot and eels with good success and casting Storm type swimming shad lures for their fish.
Surf fishermen are seeing improving conditions this week as the surf calms down and waters clear up. Large fall migrant striped bass are moving into the region and catches should pick up this week. The annual migration of large bluefish is also due and this fishery should commence soon. A few boats have been going outside the inlet and trolling just off the beaches. They are reporting large bluefish and striped bass pushing bait and marked by diving gulls and gannets so the fish should move closer into the surf zone this week.
The boats trying to head out to the wreck sites in search of sea bass and tautog have really been hampered by the weather lately but conditions are predicted to improve this week. Captains are reported some limits of sea bass along the rails with a high throwback ratio and good catches of tautog.
Click here to view recent bay region satellite images at mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/NASAimagery/EyesInTheSky.cfm
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 600 pixels. Please keep the file
size under one megabyte if possible. 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.html
Include the following information:
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Date
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Angler(s)
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Hometown(s)
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Photo credit
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Location
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Weight/length of catch
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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. By sending any photos or art to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources you are giving DNR permission to use the image(s) online and in print. You are also giving DNR permission to distribute the photo for non-commercial purposes to other media, print, digital and television for their use. You are not giving up your copyright, but are allowing the photo(s) to be used for educational and news purposes.
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.
