Tangier Sound Fishing Report 12/29/2017 Update:
Large rockfish have been a scarcity in the Sound, however Sea Hawk Sports Center is reporting that a few have been caught in deeper water by anglers drifting live eels. That being said, the season has closed out and fish that are caught must be released.
Anglers who want some fish for the box and are willing to make the trip have been heading to the ocean-side and out to the inshore wrecks, where fishing has stayed good thus far. Sea bass, tautog, and even some flounder are still running strong as we move into the last days of the year, but remember that bass go out and tog come in, in many areas, on the first of the year – check the Coastal Report, for more details. The other option for area anglers is to head up-river to freshwater hotspots for crappie, which are covered this week in the Freshwater reports.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report 12/22/2017 Update:
Happy holidays, anglers! Sea Hawk reported that in the Sound large rockfish have been few and far between, however the majority of those that have been caught have been on eels a bit farther south in and below the Pocomoke. Although that fishery is a done deal in Maryland waters, in Virginia's territory you have another week or so to catch 'em. Most area anglers who have the time and see a weather window, however, are now heading to the ocean-side to fish the inshore wrecks and reefs for sea bass. The bite has been very strong (see the Coastal and Way South & VA reports) on squid baits for anglers who have made the trip east.
Perch anglers can find whites in deep water at the mouth of the Wicomico and the Nanticoke. Farther up-river, catfish and crappie are still biting.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report 12/15/2017 Update:
Sea Hawk Sports Center shook free of the cold this week to report that trophy rockfish have moved into the Pocomoke Sound and surrounding areas, particularly around Banana Hole and down south at The Cell. Large fish have been taking live eels. Eelers should remember to use paper towels to hold the eels, go in through the lower jaw and out through the top jaw with an 8/0 (or thereabouts) hook, and add weight after a three to four foot leader. On the bite, give the fish a five-count and wait for it to start swimming off before you set the hook. Ten-inch BKDs and GULP lures in purple, chartreuse, pearl, and white, have also been taking fish.
Crappie have also become active for the season, heavy in the rivers feeding the Sound, with some bass and pickerel also showing up in the catch. Shad darts with one and two-inch GULP minnows have been catching the most fish (see the Freshwater Report for more info). Though we didn't have any reports specific to them this week, catfish are sure to still be around, too.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report 12/8/2017 Update:
The sound seems to have gone dark… at least as far as reports on fishing out in the open Sound goes. We weren’t able to gather a single report, and considering last week’s report (read: super-thin) we’re afraid the Sound's fishing season is really slowing down. That said, last week there were still some schools of (mostly smaller) fish under birds here and there providing some action for light-tackle jiggers, and encountering them will remain a possibility through the end of the season.
Stripers aside, there are still perch and catfish to be caught in this area. Whites had been at the river mouths in 30-plus feet of water and though we can’t officially confirm it this week, we’d be surprised if that had changed. Farther up the rivers catfish should continue to provide action, and further yet, the crappie bite will continue until ice starts skimming the rivers. We heard tell of good bites for this species up the Nanticoke and Wicomico, while putting together the Freshwater reports.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report 12/1/2017:
Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that fishing in the Sound seems to have dropped off for the season, with the smaller stripers present in previous weeks in far fewer numbers. Fish being caught have been reported in deeper water on light tackle, primarily white and pearl BDK and ZMans.
Anglers in this zone will have their bets luck if they focus on alternative species, like white perch and catfish. The perch can be found over hard bottom in relatively deep (30 to 40 foot) areas. The mouth of the Wicomico has been a good bet. The catfish are biting on cut bait fished on bottom in holes and the deeper channels, in the Wicomico and Nanticoke, once you get up into the areas of lower salinity. Many area anglers have turned their focus even farther up-river, where crappie have been willing to bite on minnow fished on shad darts and small jigs under bobbers.