Next Update: December 9, 2009 (By 5pm)

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!

The Thanksgiving holiday is a time for family and friends to gather and to rejoice in the many things they have to be thankful for. Parents are always looking forward to seeing older sons and daughters that are away at school or jobs and when they are reunited for the holidays they often share in the things they love best. For many families fishing is one of those family experiences where they can share in the joy of togetherness and tradition. Don and Lucy Arthur were surely thrilled to have their grandson Arthur Reavis visit from his studies at VMI and so they all went out fishing together out of Chesapeake Beach on the family boat. Arthur was jigging with a 12 lb test spinning outfit when he hooked into and landed this whopper of a striped bass that had been tagged.

Most fishermen in the three regions of the Chesapeake Bay are focusing on the large fall migrant striped bass that are in Maryland waters. Trolling along the shipping channel edges is the number one method that is being employed to catch these large fish. Trolling deep with large parachutes and bucktails dressed with a large sassy shad is the most popular way to catch them. Other fishermen are catching them by jigging near the Bay Bridge or wherever fish can be found feeding. Medium sized striped bass are still being caught but to a lesser degree as water temperatures fall to the near 50-degree mark.

Freshwater fishermen are finding good fishing for trout, smallmouth bass and walleye in the western region’s waters. Largemouth bass fishermen throughout the state are mostly fishing deep now for bass holding in deep water near structure such as steep edges, sunken wood or rocks.

Fishermen in the Ocean City area are finding excellent fishing opportunities for large striped bass and bluefish along and just off the beaches of Ocean City and Assateague Island. The large bluefish in particular have been blitzing the beaches in large numbers while chasing bait.

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!

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 try to keep the file size small, under one megabyte. 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:

• Date
• Angler(s)
• Hometown(s)
• Photo credit

• Location

• Weight/length of catch

• 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

Until next week,

Tight Lines,

Keith Lockwood
MD DNR Fisheries Service

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