The offshore bluefin tuna bite is finally on. The bluefin are at the regular haunts: they are most prevalent at the inshore lumps in 20 fathoms of water. The flounder fishing is also good, both in the bay, and at the shoals and wrecks that we fish for sea bass.
The tuna tournament was a happy time for most anglers this last weekend with the bluefins making an impressive showing at the scales. The bluefin showed up mid week. First they started coming in from the Parking lot and areas to the south. Next they moved up to the Jackspot, and to the fingers just outside of the Jackspot. The bite is quick each day, so you’ve got to be there when they decide to eat. There are reports of fish coming from Masseys, the Chicken bone, and the Hambone. The kicker is that the bluefins are cookie cutter around 60 inches and 150 pounds, big enough to whip a grown man!
On Saturday several boats fishing for yellowfin tuna in the Washington canyon caught white marlin. They were big white marlin, and they were aggressive, trying to eat spreader bars and such. Today there were small whiffs of sargassum weed starting to show up fifteen miles offshore, a sure precursor to inshore mahi mahi action, although they have been few so far.
The stripers have sticking around this year so far instead of traveling farther north. They are abundant around the 50 bridge and the mouth of the inlet.
Sea bass fishing is interesting. You can mark the fish but, they seem tentative about biting. It probably has something to do with spawning, as the males are really lit up in beautiful blues right now. 
The ones you catch are a real mix of sizes, up to 16 inches. There is also flounder starting to show up on all the wrecks. So if the sea bass are too slow for your taste, you can always throw a bucktail for a fattie flattie. Also to be caught on the reefs are some large red hake and conger eels. Attached is loggerhead sea turtle we saw while fishing for sea bass this week.
Steve Doctor
Fisheries Biologist
MD DNR Fisheries Service
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
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Paul Genovese.
