Shore based fishermen have really been enjoying excellent fishing for tautog in and around the Ocean City Inlet this week. Despite windy and sometimes rough conditions; fishermen with both feet planted solidly on terra firma hardly have a care in the world. The fishing has been great off the Route 50 Bridge; the bulkheads along 2nd through 4th Streets and of course the jetties. The change of tide seems to one of the better times to catch tautog; pieces of green crab or sand fleas have been the baits of choice.
More and more striped bass are being caught each day and night at the inlet this week as the fall southward migration of striped bass begins to arrive from up north. Fishermen have been catching striped bass by casting swim shad lures, Got-Cha plugs, plastic jigs and good old bucktails with twister tails on them.
The surf water temperature is holding at about 59-degrees this week and fishermen are finally enjoying some good fishing for the fall southward migration of striped bass along the beaches. 
Heavy surf outfits, plenty of lead and large cut baits of spot or menhaden have been the ticket. There also some large bluefish being caught as well. Joel Busbee from Accokeek was visiting Ocean City last weekend and sent us this report and picture. My girlfriend and I went over to Ocean City, MD this past weekend for a wedding. Of course I found time to slip out and wet a line. It was Saturday, November 7th at 127th St and Coastal Highway. There was still frost on the cars when I left the hotel at 06:30am. I had my twelve foot rod rigged with the head of spot-fish on a standard two hook bottom rig in the water by 07:00am. After an hour, I had already released two skate when wham, my pole hit the ground. After a ten minute fight, I had in my hands a 30 pound, 41 inch (weighed with a personal digital fishing scale and measured with a tape measure) rockfish in my hands! Someone who was fishing about fifty yards south of me ran over once he noticed me fighting the beast. I didn't get his name in all the excitement, but as I did about a hundred times on site, I'd like to thank him. 99% of the time, I practice catch and release; this beautiful creature will be dinner however. The entire experience was beyond words. This is why we go fishing!
There are plenty of large bluefish and increasing numbers of striped bass outside the inlet at locations such as Great Gull Shoals and the Isle of Wight to the Bass Grounds. Most fishermen are jigging under diving birds but trolling is also a good option.
The party boats and private boats heading out to the wreck and reef sites are finding good fishing for tautog and limits all around the rail are common this week.
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.
