Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 5/25/2018:
The Tangier has been full of life with the season beginning to really kick in, and the islands and tributary mouths of the Sound are producing an excellent bite for light tackle anglers casting to stripers up into the low 30 inch range (though many are smalls). Soft plastics and topwater (at daybreak and also in the rain, with low-light conditions) have been effective at rips and holes near points, along grass bed edges, and at the stump fields. Unlike most Western Shore areas the water of the Sound is in good shape, and whites and chartreuses are doing the trick. There are a few redfish and specks mixed in, but only a very few thus far. Sea Hawk also had exciting news of the first reports of croaker being caught this season, on bloodworms. There have also still been a few large rockfish have been migrating down the main stem of the Bay and through Hooper Straights, so some lucky anglers are enjoying a pay-back for the delayed start to the season. Trolling along the channel edges has been the way to fill your fish box in these areas.
We're happy to say that the Tangier is one of the few spots (actually, the only one we heard of in Maryland) that seems to be producing a few crabs with any reliability for recreational trot-liners at this point. Unfortunately catches are still way below what one would hope for and expect at this time of year. But considering the utter absence of crabs to the north and west of the Sound, we're calling it a win.
Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 5/18/2018:
ANGLER ALERT: Remember that circle hook regulations have now gone into effect! All anglers chumming or live-lining in the Maryland portions of the Chesapeake (yes this does include the Tangier north of the VA line) MUST use in-line circle hooks. Read Maryland Chesapeake Bay Circle Hook Regulations, to get the full scoop.
Sea Hawk mentioned that the main channel down the center of Tangier Sound, Hooper Straits, and the east side of the shipping channel in the main-stem Bay have been essential spots to hit for trollers hunting big rockfish. Sea Hawk said these are typical routes for post-spawn striped bass, and this year they’ve produced well. Bigger news: Although reports have been slim, apparently a few puppy drum and croaker have been landed in the Sound in the past few days. The drum were caught by anglers casting four and five inch plastics in the shallows, while catching mostly stripers. The croaker (though still few in number) came on bloodworms, fished on bottom rigs.
There’s been less chatter about speckled trout as of yet, but we heard an (unconfirmed, second-hand) report of one landed by a lucky angler casting for stripers in the shallows of the marsh islands. When these fish show up in better numbers don’t forget that bubble gum pink lures are essential to have on board, as sometimes the trout are very color-sensitive. In the meantime, casting jigs and swimbaits to points, rips, and holes around the marsh islands in the Sound remains a good way to target stripers in the 20 to 30 inch class. This is the time of year when bait fishing in these same areas is often highly effective, however, the slow start to this season may hamper that effort because rays have already been reported in the area. (Once the rays arrive, it can become very difficult to fish bait without being constantly harassed).
Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 5/10/2018:
Sea Hawk mentioned that early this week the weather was unforgiving and didn’t allow many anglers to go out on the open Sound several days recently. But when boats have been able to fish, the main channel down the center of Tangier Sound, Hooper Straits, and the east side of the shipping channel in the main-stem Bay from the HS Buoy south to R72 have been the target areas. These are very typical routes for post-spawn striped bass so within the next few weeks we should see a great increase in numbers in the same areas. As water temperatures rise, once again casting jigs may result in a good number of fish because they become much more active and will feed more aggressively. Anglers working the shallows of the marsh islands have been enjoying decent, but not great, action. Unfortunately, the fish in the shallows are pretty much all undersized.
There's been no sight of black drum, but there have been a few reports of puppy drum and croaker having been caught just to the south in Virginian waters (see the Way South and VA report for more info).
Tangier Sound Fishing Report, 5/4/2018:
The main channel in the Sound has been a bit more crowded than in past months, as anglers are targeting the post-spawn female rockfish traveling out from the Nanticoke. Sea Hawk Sports Center recommended trolling the deeper part of the Sound, using standard tandems and umbrella rigs in white and chartreuse. Board lines running shallow are producing the best. Hooper Straits has also been a hot zone for the spring trophy trollers. They also noted that the Sound's rivers have been full of white perch and blue catfish, which are taking blood worms fished on bottom.
Light tackle anglers hitting the marsh banks and points of Bloodsworth, Smith, and Spring islands are reporting good numbers of fish. All that we've heard of, however, have been throw-backs with most in the under 30-inch range. Six-inch soft plastics in white and chartreuse have generated the most action, using the same tactics as described in the article Eastern Shore Catch and Release Trophy Stripers.
We still haven't received any solid reports of the various species we're waiting on - croaker, reds, flounders, and specks - but these are all possibilities any day now. Historically the biggest Tangier speckled trout of the year are caught in early May, before larger numbers of fish arrive and angling pressure increases, so now's an excellent time to go hunting for a trophy of a different type. If you take an exploration trip, shoot us an email and let us know what you find!