Jeremy Clark holds up a beautiful northern pike he caught in Deep Creek Lake. Photo by James Clark
Glorious September is here, and although summer will sweep her hand across Maryland a few times before it is all over, we can all look forward to more comfortable weather. Water temperatures will begin to cool also and fishing in general will shift into high gear.
Forecast Summary: September 4 – September 10
Cooling weather with limited rain predicted will make for comfortable fishing conditions this week in Maryland’s waters. Shorter daylight periods and cooler daytime air temperatures have cooled main Chesapeake Bay surface water temperatures to the upper 70s. Maryland’s part of the Bay continues to run fresher than average. Larger areas with suitable amounts of oxygen – greater than 3mg/l – have continued to increase again this week. However, for finding the best combination of well oxygenated, cooler water preferred by many Bay gamefish, focus on fishing deeper during the daylight hours.
Expect average water clarity for most of the Maryland portion of the Bay. However, expect reduced but improving water clarity in the lower Susquehanna River down to the Patapsco River from recent rains. In addition, expect reduced water clarity in the western shore tributaries (the Bush, Gunpowder, Back, Patapsco, and Magothy rivers) due to algal blooms. To see the latest water clarity conditions on NOAA satellite maps, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps.
Expect average flows for the Susquehanna River and some other Maryland rivers and streams. There will be above average tidal currents all week as a result of the new moon on September 3.
As always, the best fishing areas could be further refined by intersecting them with underwater points, hard bottom, drop-offs, and large schools of baitfish. For more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast.
Upper Bay
Jake Steppe holds up a big upper bay Chesapeake Channa. Photo courtesy of Jake Steppe
The water clarity at the Conowingo Dam pool and lower Susquehanna River have improved in the past two weeks, creating good fishing conditions. The dam is on a late afternoon-evening power generation schedule. Once again anglers are catching a mix of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, flathead catfish, and blue catfish in and near the dam pool. The best fishing for the largemouth, smallmouth, and striped bass is occurring during the early morning and late evening hours. The action for largemouth bass, striped bass, and Chesapeake Channa (northern snakeheads) extends south to the edges of the Susquehanna Flats. Anglers are experiencing excellent fishing for a mix of channel and blue catfish at the mouth of the river.
Much of the striped bass fishing is once again taking place near the mouth of the Patapsco River, and the area around Pooles Island. Most anglers are using spot for live-lining at the mouth of the river and Pooles Island with good success. There has also been some good striped bass action at the Love Point rocks where anglers are live-lining spot or jigging with soft plastic jigs.
Fishing for white perch is very good in the region’s tidal rivers this week. Anglers are fishing with grass shrimp or pieces of peeler crab near deep structure in the form of oyster beds, rocks, and old piers. Casting small spinnerbaits, spin jigs, and small soft plastic jigs is a fun way to catch large white perch along promising-looking shorelines in the morning and evening.
Blue catfish are providing plenty of good fishing in the region’s tidal rivers this week. They tend to be found along channel edges and nearby shelves. The mouth of the Susquehanna and Elk rivers as well as the middle and upper Chester are excellent places to fish with cut bait.
Middle Bay
Spotted seatrout (also called speckled trout), photo courtesy of Michael Bartgis.
Based on reports, the striped bass fishery at the Bay Bridge is beginning to come alive after a long, hot summer. The east side of the bridge near the 30-foot drop-off is often one of the best places to be when drifting live spot, eels, soft crab baits, or fresh cut bait. Casting soft plastic jigs close to the bridge piers is a wonderful alternative and anglers can work from one pier base to another. Anglers are reporting that the mornings offer the best fishing opportunities on a strong running tide.
The westside of the Bay Bridge has been a good place to fish for white perch for some time now. The best action tends to occur in about 15 feet of water. Peeler crab on a simple bottom rig is usually the most popular bait when fishing for white perch. There are also spot in the same area, but anglers will need to use pieces of bloodworms or bloodworm alternatives to get them to bite. The Kent Narrows area lives up to the reputation of one of the best places in the middle Bay to fish for white perch.
The shorelines of the Bay and tidal rivers offer good places to cast small spinnerbaits, spin jigs and small jigs for white perch. Small red drum in the 12-inch to 14-inch range can also be part of the mix. Fishing with grass shrimp or peeler crab near the pilings of piers or rock jetties is a time-proven way to target white perch holding close to structure.
Anglers are enjoying good fishing in the shallower waters of the Bay along the shorelines and the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers. A mix of striped bass and slot size red drum and a speckled trout at times are offering exciting light tackle action. The early morning and evening hours offer the best opportunities during a moving tide. Topwater lures in the form of Zara Spooks and poppers are an exciting way to fish, especially over grass beds. Paddletails, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits are excellent lures to use in deeper waters. Eastern Bay, Poplar Island, Thomas Point, the mouth of the Choptank and Little Choptank, and the mouth of the South River are just a few of the places to give shallow water fishing a try.
Spanish mackerel have been sparse lately in the middle Bay, but some are being caught by trolling with small Drone or Clark spoons behind No. 1 planers. Bluefish can also be part of the mix. The channel edge from Buoy 83 south to the Diamonds off the mouth of the Choptank and out in front of Chesapeake Beach are seeing some action.
Anglers are reporting seeing a few cobia in the vicinity of Taylors Island and James Island. If spotted on the surface a live eel or large soft plastic cast in their direction can cause them to strike. Trolling surge tube lures is another way to catch cobia and bluefish. A few flounder are being reported at the James Island Flats; targeting them with Gulp baits of traditional baits of minnows or squid is a good way to give them a try for a little variety.
Lower Bay
Landon Derbyshire holds up a nice speckled trout for a pose. Photo by Chris Derbyshire
A mix of striped bass, slot-sized red drum, and speckled trout are taking center stage in the lower Bay. Anglers are enjoying good shallow water fishing along the shorelines of the Bay, the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers, and especially the lower Potomac River. Casting a mix of topwater lures, paddletails, and spin jigs is a great way to get in on the action. The morning and evening hours offer the best fishing opportunities on a running tide. Drifting peeler crab baits at the mouths of tidal creeks or channel areas is another way to target red drum, striped bass, and speckled trout.
Live-lining spot is an alternative, especially later in the day. The 30-foot edges of the channel in the lower Potomac between St. Georges Island and Piney Point, as well as off Cove Point and any channel edge where striped bass can be spotted on depth finders, are good places to give live lining a try. The warm water discharge at the Calvert Cliffs Power Plant has been another place where anglers report catching speckled trout, striped bass, and even a flounder or two by live-lining spot on a drift.
Spanish mackerel are being caught by anglers this week but unfortunately the run of these fish has not been what many had hoped for this year. Speculations abound, but it may have been that the Spanish mackerel had other ideas about how far they wanted to come up the Bay this year. The mouth of the Potomac River and Tangier Sound are two of the best locations lately to find Spanish mackerel. One thing is clear though, the bluefish had no trouble making the trip. Anglers have been catching chunky bluefish all summer in the lower Bay, by casting into breaking fish, trolling spoons and surgical tube lures behind planers, or chumming and drifting cut baits in a chum slick along the edges of the main channels.
Cobia are still in play with the season open through September 15. There have been some reports of cobia moving into the region and being spotted on the surface and coming into chum slicks. If spotted on the surface a quick cast with a large soft plastic jig or live eel is the best way to target them. When chumming, drifting cut bait or a live eel to the back of the chum slick is the most popular tactic. The area near the Target Ship and Smith Point are two traditionally popular locations to find cobia.
Fishing for a mix of spot, croaker and kingfish is good this week. The spot are getting about as large as they’re going to get before heading south towards the end of this month or early October, depending on the weather. The croakers are mostly undersized but there are some larger ones being caught. They do hold promise that we will return to the wonderful croaker fishing we experienced in the late 90’s. The lower Potomac neat Point Lookout, the mouth of the Patuxent, and the Tangier and Pocomoke sounds hold some of the best fishing opportunities. Spot of course love pieces of bloodworm or bloodworm alternatives, croaker will bite on peeler crab.
Fishing for white perch offers plenty of fun fishing in the tidal rivers of the lower bay region. Fishing close to the bottom with peeler crab near structure is one of the most popular ways to fish for them. Fishing along shoreline banks with deep water is a great place to fish peeler crab, grass shrimp or small minnows under a bobber is another fun alternative. Those who enjoy casting, tossing small spinnerbaits, spin jigs and small soft plastic jigs will find plenty of action along shorelines during the morning and evening hours. Small red drum will be part of the mix when casting lures.
Recreational Crabbing
Recreational crabbers are enjoying good crabbing in all parts of the Bay this week. In the upper bay, the Bush, Gunpowder, Sassafras and Chester have been good locations to catch three-quarters of a bushel or more of 6-inch and larger crabs. The middle and lower Bay offer excellent crabbing opportunities, with most crabbers catching a full bushel of large heavy crabs. This is the time of the year when crabs are their heaviest, crowds are down, and crabs are very active. Be sure to get out and enjoy the best crabbing of the 2024 season.
Freshwater Fishing
Mike Biskup holds up a nice Eastern Shore largemouth bass before slipping it back into the water. Photo courtesy of Mike Biskup
Anglers at Deep Creek Lake will begin to see a decrease in boat traffic and cooler water temperatures this month. Floating docks and moored pontoon boats will be a target for anglers casting wacky rigged plastic worms under and near docks. Out in the mouths of coves anglers fishing with large spinnerbaits and spinners can attract the attention of northern pike that frequent the more open waters of Deep Creek Lake.
The upper Potomac River flows are in good shape this week. The water is still warm but if anglers get out on the river in the early morning or late evening, good fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye can be found. Small topwater lures and tubes are a good choice for working riffles and current breaks. The lower Monocacy is another good spot to fish for smallmouth bass this week.
Largemouth bass fishing below the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is reportedly fair to good. They can be located around the bridge piers and the sunken barges in Smoot’s Bay and anywhere sunken structure can be found. Small crankbaits, tubes and plastic worms on a falling tide seem to be the ticket for area fishermen. Early morning or late evening hours will find fishermen working shallow water grass beds for largemouth bass.
A few of the popular reservoirs in the central region are noted for their largemouth bass fishing, but Liberty and Triadelphia also have populations of landlocked striped bass. During the summer they tend to stay deep but as waters cool this fall, they will be found in shallow waters. Slow trolling crankbaits and jerkbaits is a popular way to target them.
On the Eastern Shore, the Choptank River is reported to be slow, and anglers are saying the key to finding bass is to look for clearer water. The waters above Denton seem to hold the most promise and area experts suggest fishing slow and small when selecting retrieves and lure size.
Anglers on the Nanticoke River say largemouth bass fishing is best on an ebb tide or the first part of a flood tide. Cover is the key and sunken wood seems to be a favorite haunt for big largemouth. The Marshy Hope has cooler and clearer water than the Nanticoke, and bass fishing there has been very good. Small spinnerbaits, soft craw jigs, and 4-inch plastic worms have been the lures of choice.
Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays
State record blueline tilefish, photo courtesy of London Anthony
Surf anglers fishing the beaches of Assateague report catching good quantities of spot and kingfish in the surf on bloodworms or bloodworm alternatives. Anglers say the best fishing success usually occurs during the morning and evening hours. Flounder and blowfish are being caught on squid. Anglers might consider fishing at least one line with sand fleas for pompano. This is the time of the year that they infrequently visit us.
At the Ocean City Inlet, bluefish and striped bass are providing some fun fishing for anglers casting soft plastic jigs during the early morning and late evening hours. Jetty rocks, bulkheads, and pier pilings and bridge piers are good targets. Most of the striped bass are undersized, but not by much so they tend to give a good fight. There are some sheepshead being caught on sand fleas and peeler crab, mostly near the South Jetty but bulkheads and pilings should also be targeted. Tautog can be part of the mix also.
The back bay channels offer plenty of good flounder fishing as long as the bay waters stay clear. The Thorofare and East Channel are long time favorites but most any channel is a good place to drift including in front of the Ocean City Airport. Drifting with live spot or similar baits will attract the attention of the largest flounder as will Gulp baits in pink and white. Traditional baits of squid strips and bull minnows will always be a popular flounder bait.
The boats venturing outside the Ocean City Inlet and trolling are finding a mix of false albacore and skipjack tuna in the vicinity of the 30 Fathom Line. The boats intent on fishing the offshore wreck and reef sites are finding good numbers of black sea bass, but captains admit they sometimes need to move to several different locations to find black sea bass willing to bite. The same holds for finding schools of small dolphin which provide thrills and smiles for those onboard. Anglers who are targeting flounder on some of the wreck and reef sites are doing extremely well, with large flounder.
Farther offshore at the canyons, deep drop anglers are enjoying some exciting fishing action with blueline and golden tilefish. London Anthony recently set a new state record for blueline tilefish at 20.6-pounds.
The anglers who are trolling the canyons have been bringing a mix of large and small dolphin and reporting white marlin releases.
“I never lost a little fish-yes, I am free to say. It always was the biggest fish I caught that got away.” – Eugene Field, 1889
Maryland Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Click Before You Cast is written by Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment Director Tom Parham.
A reminder to all Maryland anglers, please participate in DNR’s Volunteer Angler Surveys. This allows citizen scientists to contribute valuable data to the monitoring and management of several important fish species.
This report is now available on your Amazon Echo device — just ask Alexa to “open Maryland Fishing Report.”