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M id - atlantic
fishing report by Mollie Rudow
Editor’s Note: We all know printed fishing reports are generalized, and days or weeks have passed before the report gets into your hands. For timely, up-to-date reports, visit our web site FishTalkMag.com. Current reports will be published every Friday by noon—just in time for your weekend fishing adventures.
Way North
We spoke with folks at Herb’s Tackle Shop and Sarge’s Bait and Tackle and heard that up north anglers have been catching perch and striped bass. Local anglers found success earlier this spring using grass shrimp for white and yellow perch, and minnow for rockfish and yellow perch; although at times the fishing was slow this winter. Warming weather is expected to bring fish back to the upper reaches of the Chesapeake soon.
Upper Bay
If you`re looking to catch some big ole striped bass this season, be ready to go on opening day. Many local anglers are predicting a quick season due to the warm weather the Mid-Atlantic experienced this past February, which brought the rockfish into the Upper Bay earlier than they`d usually run. However short this season may be, according to the folks at Fishbone`s Bait and Tackle in Pasadena, MD, anglers have been catching and re##Light tackle anglers have been getting in on the pre-season striper action, too. Travis Long caught this pretty fish on a seven-inch Bust ‘em Baits rigged with a skirt.
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leasing massive amounts of large pre-season striped bass. Anglers have been using parachutes, tandem rigs, and umbrellas to target these monster fish. In addition to going after rockfish, fishermen in the Upper Bay also had a good shot at loading up on white perch this season. To target them, head to Beachwood Park or the upper Magothy. White perch had been biting on grass shrimp, but keep in mind that the early spawn could also mean an early departure from these areas for this species, and they could shift to late-season spots sooner than normal.
Middle Bay
Anglers pre-fishing the middle Bay have reported that the rock are in! An early spawn this year means fewer fish with eggs should be caught once the season opens. Dave from Island Tackle Outfitters, located in Chester, MD, recommends using parachutes with nine-inch shad, umbrella rigs, and soft plastics to go after striped bass this April. Dave also shared that catch-and-release fishermen have successfully been finding working birds, including gannets. Soft plastics with a one- or two-ounce jig head have been the ticket, from Bloody Point down to the Choptank. Lenny Rudow recommends that anglers looking to chase birds this season invest in gyroscopically-stabilized binoculars, which will give them the ability to clearly spot birds from miles away. The folks at Angler’s Sport Center in Annapolis agreed that stripers appeared early and in good numbers and say warm water discharges were popular for pre-season anglers. White perch are also expected to be plentiful in the middle Bay this spring,
