Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 6 Update:
The Angler in Chief reports that with the tribs locked up hard, he tried a day of ice fishing on the Magothy. Unfortunately, it resulted in just a handful of bites and exactly zero solid hookups. He says the ice is plenty thick in some areas but definitely not in others and extreme caution is in order; in the cove near Beechwood it was seven inches thick, but open water was within sight downriver. If you need a refresher on the ice fishing in our zone, be sure to check out Mid-Atlantic Ice Fishing Spectacular and Cheap and Easy Ice Fishing. While the majority of anglers have their boats on lifts or trailers waiting for the ice to thaw out, light tackle guide Pete Dahlberg of Four Seasons Guide Service decided to head out on the Bay in search of migratory striped bass this week. Pete was running through water that looked more like the arctic than the Chesapeake Bay, which requires extreme caution, especially in fiberglass boats. After dodging the icebergs, Pete made it to the warm water discharge at CCNPP and was able to hook up on one trophy striped bass. It was the only bite he and his crew got, and they quickly had to leave as ice flows from up the Bay started moving in on them with the outgoing tide. Despite his limited success, it is likely best to wait until the ice clears off the Bay before searching for the stripers again. Considering the weather, you might want to opt for land-based activities this weekend, in which case a great option is hitting the Chesapeake Bay Boat Show in Timonium at the Maryland Fairgrounds. They usually have a pretty good selection at the “Tackle Pier,” the Hawg Trough will be there, and FishTalk will be on hand, so be sure to swing by our booth and say hi!
