Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 4/27/2018 Update:
While it's true that overall fishing in the Tangier has remained slow, like just about everywhere else, there have been some interesting developments to report on. Sea Hawk says that some flounder have actually arrived, can be found on channel edges in five to 15 feet of water, and will hit minnow drifted along the bottom. There are also stripers being caught around the marsh islands by anglers casting jigs and sub-surface plugs, although most of these are 20-somethings or smaller and we didn't get any reports of keeper-sized fish. Trollers working deeper water near Hooper's Island did catch a few keepers, but just a few. As with elsewhere in the region, the best bite has been for anglers trolling extra lines down deep, as the trophy stripers seem to be staying away from the upper sections of the water column for the time being. We'd expect this to change as the waters warm but for the immediate future, putting out more boat rods with lots of weight would seem to be a good move.
The other interesting reports we're hearing form this area are of flounder, puppy drum, and some small black drum, on the sea-side and also down the Bay in Virginia waters. Sea Hawk said clam was the best bait to get the drum biting. Flounder are hitting the expected minnow/squid on fluke killers, and anglers are also jigging for them with bucktails and leadheads dressed with Gulp. You'll find more info on this bite in the Coastal report.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 4/20/2018 Update:
Fishing has been universally slow, and the Sound is no exception this week. With no exciting reports of stripers coming in, the Sound's primary fishery has been blue catfish and white perch in the rivers, where the perch are still hanging around despite the late date. Bait on a bottom rig is still the best bet, however live bait can be used for anglers targeting large blue cats. J&W had reports this week of anglers who caught blue catfish upwards of 30 pounds, primarily in deep water.
Meanwhile, considering how far behind the calendar the fish seem to be, the timing might be right for fish to be laying up against the Sound's marsh islands looking for pockets of warmer water. We didn't get any reports from anglers probing these waters this week. That said, considering the other options on the table it might not be a bad move. Check out Eastern Shore Catch and Release Trophy Stripers in Pre-Season to learn more about how to be successful in these areas (and how to spot likely hot-spots in the first place). Note - even though the season opens tomorrow and "Pre-Season" is in the article's title, the delay in rising water temps likely makes this fishery a viable option.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 4/13/2018 Update:
The Sound's tributaries have been absolutely alive with catfish this week, with Sea Hawk confirming that fish over 30 pounds have been caught. Cut bunker has been the best bait, however anglers looking to catch larger fish might consider using live bait as an alternative. There wasn't much talk of stripers in the Sound the past week, but that's more likely due to a lack of anglers than a lack of fish. As the upcoming warm weather and strong sunshine warms up the shallows, opportunities for catch-and-release fishing with soft plastics and plugs along the marsh islands should be excellent.
As is true throughout the region, another opportunity many are taking advantage of right now is the perch run. Anglers heading up the Wicomico, Nanticoke, and Pocomoke are getting into plenty of white perch, on grass shrimp and bloodworms. Same goes for those running towards the sea-side and fishing tributaries to the coastal bays. Our Coastal Correspondent John Unkart hit a spot and "filled half a bucket in an hour, with most 10 or 11 inches." Get in on this action fast, folks, because the warm weather will jolt those fish into action and the remainder of the run can't be expected to last much longer.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 4/6/2018:
There still aren't a ton of people fishing the Sound, however, thanks to a few days with warmer weather and a bit less wind some folks have been making exploratory runs out on the water. Fortunately, at this point water clarity has finally recovered from the massive snow-melt and storms we had in March, allowing for the Sound to open back up into a productive fishery. Sea Hawk reported plenty of schoolie-sized fish in the Sound, and catch-and-release anglers shouldn't have a problem bending a rod. A few more days of warm weather and sunshine should bring trophy-sized fish in near the marsh islands to join their little brothers (read Eastern Shore Catch and Release Trophy Stripers, to learn more about this fishery).
White perch are providing the action to anglers looking for fish they can keep, with the upper Nanticoke and Wicomico the prime areas. Bloodworm and grass shrimp, usually fished on a shad dart or small jig, are the best bets. But the yellow perch are all done and gone, so the white perch run can't be expected to last much longer.