Fishing Report from North Eastern MD

Type: Tidal
Region: North Eastern
Location: Kingsville Pond, Carpenters Point, Susquehanna Flats

This past weekend (9/22/12) I fished a small pond near Kingsville. I had my 5 year old son with me. On my first cast to check that the sinker and bobber were set up OK for him this little fish hit the bait before the sinker hit the bottom. It was really cool but my son thought this was going to be how fishing worked at this pond. Consequently after five minutes of no bites he proclaimed "I'm done fishing!" It is hard to explain luck to a 5 year old. I do not do a lot of pond fishing and assuming this is some type of sunfish?

The two rockfish were caught by my uncle on 9/24/12. Both were 18 inches and he limited out by 8:30 AM. He stated he was off the west side of Carpenters Point in the grass bed. He was using a rattle trap. On 9/25/12 he caught a 19 inch and a few smalls. I will be out with him this weekend to try my luck.

The three pictures of the needlefish were caught around the beginning of this month. We were drifting across the grass beds on the Susquehanna Flats and my uncle was using a surface lure when it hit. Very cool fish! It was the same day I ran the boat into a rock off of Sandy Point. The new lower unit was $1900.00 for what I am going to call a "nick" in the cone. Lesson learned. I was "done fishing" that day.

Tags: needlefish, striped bass, hybrid sunfish

What is this fish? A Stargazer.

Type: Ocean
Region: Eastern
Location: Bayside at Ocean City

While fishing with my friend captain Matt on HAPPY OURS and his father-in-law this past Sunday I caught this fish. It hit on a spot and at first I thought I was snagged. We were drifting and I thought it might be a fish when the drag starting going faster then the drift. Wonderful feeling! I have no clue what it is? We were bayside at Ocean City. It was a great day of fishing and while no keepers we landed some flounder, different types of crabs, some spot we ended up live lining, some small fish that may have been ocean perch.

DNR Response: It is a stargazer. The fish is unique. It is called a stargazer because its eyes are on top of its head and look skyward. It supposedly has electrical capabilities and can shock you if you put your hand right between its eyes, although I have never witnessed this first hand. They are common In the bay and near shore waters.

Tags: flounder, crab, spot, ocean perch, stargazer

Susquehanna Flats

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Northern
Location: Susquehanna Flats Area

My uncle tried his luck near Carpenter's Point early last week and described the water as "fishing in chocolate milk." I put in around 7:00 AM last Thursday 11/3/11, while my uncle stayed behind. I saw a bunch of boats off Red Point but headed down to Rocky Point. There were working birds off Rodney and a boat fishing them, at Rocky Point there were more working birds and I caught these two nice fat Rockfish within 90 minutes. I also had other hits which shook off, as well as a smallie. I finally realized they were shaking off because I was using a lure I had bent the barbs down on in the summer when I was catching smalls and did not want to mess them up, that's what I get for not checking my tackle. The two keepers were caught on a 1/2 inch rattle trap with a black top and chrome sides. The water at Rockey Point was not clear (about 6 inch view) but after hitting my limit earlier than I anticipated I drove around the flats. It looks terrible, I would estimate that 80 to 90% of the grass is completely gone. There are still some pockets but they are covered in silt. Has DNR taken a look at this damage? I was told by some that they thought the storm pushed out some of the silt yet other think more was dumped in. I was reading 6 feet on my depth finder in areas that were normally 4 but I figured the absence of the grass I am usually getting my reading over may account for the difference?

Moving on, when I returned and showed my uncle my catch he asked if I was going out Friday morning. He did not have to twist my arm. We left early Friday 11/4/11 and again saw boats off of Red Point. We headed to Rocky Point and I caught two more keepers. The armada that was off Red Point on Friday appeared to move towards Rodney and Rocky Point and appeared to be jigging deeper water in the channel. I caught all my fish off the same rattle trap. One in less than 4 feet of water close to shore.

The Rockfish are definitely biting and fat. I hope the storm's destruction of the grasses is only temporary. Oh, and a word to other fishermen. When you see working birds and a boat working the outside of where the birds are feeding, this is on purpose! Please don't run full throttle into the area the birds are working and start fishing. Not only do you look like a novice fisherman but you mess up the fishing for those trying to actually catch fish!

Tags: Striped Bass, Smallmouth Bass

Trolling Success

Type: Chesapeake
Region: North Central
Location: Mouth of Patapsco River

While I normally fish the Susquehanna flats with my uncle, I was invited to fish with my friends Greg and Matt Ferenschak on Wednesday evening - 10/19/11. While we have all fished together before, we have not had much success, this all changed last night. Matt and Greg had been experimenting with trolling and I was there to learn. Using a lead head with a sassy shad and a husky jerk as well as rattle traps, we started off trolling 4 then 6 lines, but with no luck. We then moved around the Key Bridge and had two rock strike at the same time. Greg was able to reel in a 22 inch while Matt brought in a nice 19 inch. A while passed and I was able to bring in a 24 inch. We had a few smalls as well. You could not have asked for a nicer evening on the water and each of us catching a keeper was icing on the cake.

Tags: Striped Bass

Susquehanna Largemouth

Type: Tidal
Region: Northern
Location: Susquehanna Flatts

I went out Thursday 6/9/11 around 4:00pm to the bridges at the mouth of the Susquehanna River with a friend Matt and used cut bait, bloodworm's, and a few live eels but only ended up with a catfish and being chased off the water by the storm that hit around 7:45pm. The water tempurature was 84 at Red Point and dropped to 79 in the Susquehanna River. When I went back out Saturday 6/12/11 at 7:00am with my uncle Parke John Jr. and brother-in-law Tim Falcioni we tried drifting the east edge of the flats off of Camp Rodney and also off Carpenters Point. I caught this largemouth bass as well as another catfish and my uncle caught 2 catfish (one on his first or second cast) and largemouth bass as well. We were using crank baits. The water is clearing up but still has a way to go. My uncle and I have caught a few very, very small rock fish during this open season. Hopefully our luck will pick up.

Tags: Largemouth Bass

27 inch 8 lb rock fish on a 3/4 oz rattle trap

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Northern
Location: Susquehanna Flats

Went out Saturday morning with my uncle, Parke John. We fished the east side of the flats drifting from Rodney, south along the grass bed. The tide was high so we were able to move in west over some of the bottom grass and still keep the lures from getting caught on grass. I caught this 27 inch 8 lb rock fish on a 3/4 oz rattle trap, chrome with blue top, quick retrieve. My uncle had a nice 19 inch. Both fish very fat. After cleaning mine it cut open the stomach and there were already two fish inside the size of my 3/4 oz lure. How much does a rock fish eat this time of year?

Also, at one point we moved over the center of the flats since the tide was high. The water was as clear as out of the tap. You could see 8 feet down to the bottom which was of course covered with beautiful different types of grasses and some open spaces. It was nice to see the bay looking so good and hope it continues to improve.

Tags: Striped Bass, Rat'L trap, Susquehanna Flatts