Maryland Weekly Fly Light Tackle Fishing Report: Covering the

Published at LateraLineCo.com by Brandon White

Maryland Weekly Fly Light Tackle Fishing Report: Covering the Maryland
Chesapeake Bay & Ocean City Offshore and Insho Updated June 6, 2008

Wow, what a week. I wish I was talking about the fishing, but instead
I am talking about the weather that has been keeping a lot of anglers
off the water over the last few days. We have had some wicked storms
which have left people all over Maryland with fallen trees, flooded
basements and some with no electricity. As for the fishing, well I
think Richie Gaines summed it up when we were talking today when he
said, “It’s transition time for striped bass right now. It’s one of
the toughest times of year for light tackle and fly striped bass
anglers in most of Maryland tidal waters ” I thought it was just me
having a tougher time then normal catching stripers on structure, but
it was good to hear that my angling skills were not slipping and other
anglers and experts were experiencing the same thing. (Pictured is
Billy O'Brien,left, from Shore Tackle and Custom Rods along with Tidal
Fisher Mark "fischadler" with a monster black drum caught in the last
week on Stone Rock on peeler crab. Read the full report here.) and
This is the time of year striped bass (or rockfish as we sometimes
call them) move off the structure that they were holding on in the
river systems and start moving out onto structure in the main stem of
the Chesapeake. They are moving and in this transition period spread
out all over the place. It means you have to cover a lot of ground to
find where they are on a given day. This is a time of year when
trolling can at times have the advantage. However, it does not mean
you can not find them with light tackle or fly gear, and some anglers
this week have had success working structure in the upper bay in and
around the Susquehanna Flats with top water plugs. In the middle bay
Eastern Bay fishing has been OK, but not as consistent and not as many
big fish. In the lower middle bay there have been a few schools of
fish that anglers have been able to jig and get some nice stripers,
they are just on the move and in a different spot every day.

While the striped bass fishing has slower then it has been, black drum
have been getting some attention in and around the Stone Rock area.
The key to catching these fish has 1) been locating them and 2)
getting them to eat your bait. One of Richie Gaines clients caught a
92lber in Eastern Bay over a week ago now on a jig of all things.
Lucky catch, but goes to show they are in Eastern Bay in addition to
in and around the Stone Rock area.

Croakers have been around the Honga River area, but have not yet moved
into Eastern Bay. White perch have been all over the region on channel
edges. There have been some flounder caught in the lower middle bay
area as well as speckled trout.

Shore Tackle and Custom Rods on Kent Island Maryland, Kent Island
Maryland Fishing, Chesapeake Bay Tackle ShopsAlso this week we finally
got a fishing tackle shop right at Kent Narrows. Shore Tackle and
Custom Rods has expanded. The new store is a full service tackle shop
conveniently located at Kent Narrows in the parking lot of Fishermans
Inn. The new store will continue their focus on customer service and
also include rod and reel repair.

They are open at 5:30 AM and sell bait, ice, and a wide selection of
tackle, plus rods and reels. They also have a custom rod room with
samples of the custom rods they offer. I was in the shop this past
week and checked out a few of the new custom rods they are making with
abalone wrap. The abalone makes for one hot looking rod.

Tackle includes but not limited to the BKD's, Specialized Baits
including "The Bug"
Tsunamis, Bucktails and Parachutes and Flies tied by local fisherman.
All of their custom rods will be manufactured at their main location
at 115 Pullman Crossing Road in Grasonville. ( By the 7-11).

Also, there is a new boat ramp open in Hillsboro on the Tuckahoe River
thanks to a state grant and hard work of a few locals. The grant money
comes from a boat transfer tax that that state collects on boats
purchased which is then distributed in grants for waterway improvement
projects. The boat ramps open up access for small boats, kayaks and
canoes.

Also on the boat ramp front Thomson Creek ramp in Queens Ann County
received $150,000 from transfer tax money grants to replace the old
ramp and protect the eroding shore line. I do not have any details
construction, but when I do I will make sure to let you know.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Region (Susquehanna River/Flats to Bay Bridge
Waters)
As of June 1 anglers fishing the Susquehanna Flats are subject to the
bay wide striped bass regulations which means the lower limit to keep
a fish is now 18 inches. Ele and Captain Mike from Herbs Tackle
reports that the striped bass fishing has been good. Light tackle
anglers are having success in shallow water with top water poppers.
The big striped bass have definitely moved out, but the resident fish
are settling in to their summer pattern allowing for some consistent
action in the shallow water areas. Be prepared to catch those green
bass otherwise known as largemouth bass and they have been haunting
the area as well.

Anglers are still doing some trolling in the upper bay region. Areas
that have been producing a Brewerton Channel, The Dumping Ground
above the Bay Bridge, and the sharp edge from Baltimore Light down to
Sandy Point Light. Having said that, many of the trolling anglers have
switched over to chumming. Key is moving current. Make sure to check
the tide charts not just for the tide, but also check the current
information. Current does not run at the same speed throughout the
tide cycle and fishing the right time of current can be the different
between catching and not. Knowing this will also allow you to adjust
your weights so you can vary the bait location in the water column.
Hot areas have been the Triple Buoy area outside of Rockhall at the
mouth of the Chester River as well as Baltimore Light and Podickory
Point.

Mid Chesapeake Bay Region (Bay Bridge to Honga River Waters)
Anglers are continuing to troll to target striped bass, although a lot
of anglers who normally troll have been chasing the several schools of
black drum that have been swimming the waters of the Stone Rock area.
These fish have been averaging 50-70lbs which makes for some good
action. The light tackle and fly guys are struggling a little as the
stripers have started to...

Read the full report with pictures at Lateral Line at the Lateral Line
Blog at: http://laterallineco.com/blog/