Last week was another rough one for fishermen in the Ocean City area due to a stiff northeaster that really churned things up. Heavy surf did a lot of damage to the dunes and beaches and deposited an old tire reef onto the beaches of Assateague. Shore based fishermen hardly missed a beat inside the inlet while they continued to enjoy sound footing and good fishing for tautog and striped bass. The tautog fishing in and around the Ocean City Inlet has really been a bright spot for fishermen this fall. It is not uncommon for fishermen to catch a limit of hefty tautog on sand flea or green crab baits. Striped bass continue to be caught day and night by fishermen drifting live eels or by casting swim shad lures, Got-Cha plugs or jigs.
Surf conditions are calming down and fishermen were already catching large striped bass from the surf by Sunday. Large cut baits of menhaden are the most common bait and particularly the head; since it holds up well from spiny dogfish attacks. Large bluefish are also moving through the surf and some rather large ones are being caught regularly.
The boats that have been leaving the inlet this week have been finding large schools of big bluefish with some large striped bass mixed in out near the Fenwick Shoals. Most fishermen are casting to breaking fish but jigging and trolling are also very effective. Fishermen are reminded that if they are beyond three miles striped bass are off limits and must be released.
The wrecks and reef sites have been producing limit catches of tautog for fishermen this week. There were a few reports of bluefin tuna caught out near the Hambone; it is expected that the calmer weather will encourage more boats to venture out to look for the expected fall southward migration.
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.
