The fishing scene in the Ocean city area is really starting to kick into gear this week as waters warm and migrant fish begin to appear in greater numbers in the back bay, inlet, surf and inshore areas. Flounder fishing in the back bays from the Route 90 Bridge south to behind Assateague Island has been good and although there are a number of throwbacks fishermen have been coming home with some large flounder. Most fishermen are using the traditional minnow/squid combination but a growing number of fishermen are learning the value of Gulp swimming mullet baits. White seems to be one of the best colors and they also work well on striped bass and sea trout. They are a “must have” in any serious fishermen’s tackle box. In Florida they work well on snook and redfish and in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, redfish, sea trout, flounder and cobia have a hard time passing them up. The flavored artificial bait end of fishing has really taken a mighty leap forward with Gulps even be used for tautog fishing and Fishbites helping to replace bloodworms.
Tautog fishing has been very good this week in and around the Ocean City Inlet. Most fishermen are using sand fleas and pieces of green crab on a simple bottom rig; the top of the tide through slack often is one of the best times to catch them but given the right spot it is only a matter of getting the bait to them wherever they are holding in the current. The night crew at the inlet has been making some impressive striped bass catches this week by casting swimming shad type lures and bucktails. The Oceanic Pier reports fishermen are catching bluefish and hickory shad at night and tautog and flounder during the day.
Surf fishermen couldn’t be happier this week as large striped bass that are on their northward migration are moving along the beaches. Everyday surf fishermen are bringing in some impressive fish. Most are using cut menhaden baits on heavy surf outfits and although the fish can be caught anywhere; the beaches of Assateague continue to be a favorite with fishermen. A few bluefish and black drum are also being caught and large smooth dogfish and skates will do their best to keep fishermen from napping.
The party boat fleet is now at full strength and taking fishermen out to the wreck and artificial reef sites where fishermen are catching a mix of sea bass and tautog. The sea bass fishing has been coming on strong this week and despite the 12-1/2” minimum size limits of sea bass are becoming a lot more common now. There are still a lot of big tautog coming over the rail and many fishermen are heading home this week with limits of both sea bass and tautog. Chase Eberle holds up a fine looking 11-1/2lb tog that was part of a limit of tautog and a double digit catch of sea bass.
If you submitted a photo and don't see your picture in the regular report please look in the photo gallery that we periodically run. Click here for this week's gallery!
Real-time water information for selected points in the Coastal Bay
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.
