Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, August 30 Update:
Water conditions on the Susquehanna Flats have significantly improved after a few weeks with poor water quality. Reports indicate that visibility on the flats is around 18 inches and that most of the debris from recent storms is gone. Masses of floating vegetation have also been washed out, but there are still plenty of SAV grasses to fish over. We had an angler let us know that the grass beds south of Perry Point had schools of 12 to 14-inch rockfish actively feeding most of the week. White perch and spot are also being caught in the areas with the cleanest water. The mouth of the North East river was noted as productive for both species and dropping down bloodworms or Fishbites in deeper holes had them biting. As summer comes to an end, striped bass fishing should pick up again in the northern Chesapeake. Another round of cooler air is in the forecast next week which should start getting things in order for a good start to fall fishing.
Up at the Conowingo Dam, water levels have returned to normal flows and the water releases are back to their evening power generation schedule. Anglers fishing in the lower portion of the Susquehanna River from the dam pool to the mouth are catching a mix of fish mainly consisting of northern snakehead, blue catfish, channel catfish, and both bass varieties. Both snakeheads and largemouth bass can be caught along the rocky edges of the river and in the smaller creeks including Deer Creek and Octoraro Creek. The grass beds on the Susquehanna Flats are another popular location to catch them. Catfish anglers are having success at the mouths of the upper Bay rivers and along main channel edges. Port Deposit was noted as a good zone this week for blue catfish. Anglers looking to target flathead catfish should focus their efforts closer to the Conowingo Dam. The flatheads are active feeders and prefer to chase live bait, so live lining or jigging soft plastics will work well.
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, August 22 Update:
Water conditions are improving after heavy rains caused washout conditions in the Susquehanna River bringing lots of debris down into the upper Bay. Flows have receded and boats are getting back on the water to enjoy the cooler weather we have been blessed with. The Conowingo Dam is still releasing water, but flows are much lower making for better fishing conditions. Water will remain stained for a while, but you can still have success in dirty water. Catfish will likely be the most cooperative species in these conditions, and they can be caught everywhere in the upper Bay tidal tributaries. Several good reports came in from readers fishing around the Flats this week, centered on big blue cats (including a photo-documented 40-pounder) and snakeheads. Swimbaits were noted as doing the trick for the snakes. Milder temps should have fish much more active, and snakeheads are a prime target for anglers fishing the grass flats and in the tidal tributaries such as the Elk, Bohemia, and North East River. Topwater baits are still at the top for lure presentations right now and you may still be able to sight fish fry balls, though those are becoming less numerous. Weedless soft plastics are another great option to throw in thick cover.
Tidal areas where low tide has brought the water out of the vegetation present good opportunities to throw chatterbaits or inline spinners along channel edges. Largemouth bass can be caught in many of these same areas and will hit the same lure presentations. Hopefully fishing conditions will continue to improve, because the bite has been tough the past two weeks.
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, August 15 Update:
Fishing conditions were unfavorable for most of this week thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Debbie. Last weekend we saw three to six inches of rain fall across much of the region with locally heavier amounts reported. Pennsylvania and New York also received heavy doses of rain which means that the Susquehanna was flooded for a few days. The river has since crested, but it is still high and muddy with a lot of debris flowing downriver. The Conowingo Dam has been in spill conditions for much of the week and at one point the entire catwalk at Conowingo Fisherman’s Park was underwater. It will take a few more days before things settle back down, but there is more rain in the weekend forecast, so anglers should continue to check flow gauges before hitting any stretch of the river. Catfishing should still be on the table as blue catfish, channel catfish, and flatheads have been biting in the lower Susquehanna and on the Flats, and the one bright spot we can confirm in this zone is that readers targeting catfish in the northern reaches of the Bay were successful his week. We had a report of success from the Aberdeen area and another from Worton Point, which produced nice white perch on Sabikis tipped with Fishbites in addition to channel cats.
The poor water conditions made for very slim reports in this region of the Bay this week… Hopefully we will have better insight next week!
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, August 9 Update:
The heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Debbie dumped a few inches of rain across our region in most areas. This has the major rivers including the Susquehanna running much higher than they have been. The floodwaters will prevent many anglers from fishing along the river at least for a few days or until the waters recede. We can expect water conditions to be muddy for a bit as the Conowingo Dam will likely be releasing water as river levels rise. Before the rains hit, anglers were enjoying steady action for catfish, striped bass, and smallmouth bass at the dam. Flathead catfish were also making a more regular appearance, but anglers have had to cast their lines far out into the discharge waters in most cases to get those bites. The same goes for striped bass below the dam where dropper rigs with heavy weights are required to cats out to where the stripers usually sit.
Down the Susquehanna and onto the Susquehanna Flats, fishing for blue catfish has been excellent. The mouth of the Susquehanna, the Elk River, Chester River and near Pooles Island tend to be hotspots for blue catfish. The best bites up north have been occurring along the channel edges at the mouth of the river and the main ledges running across the flats. Fish finder rigs with razor clams, bunker chunks, or eel work great for blue catfish. As a reminder, these fish are invasive, and Maryland DNR encourages anglers to remove them from our waters. You also have the chance to help out with some cool citizen science through CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count. This initiative allows anglers to report their catches of blue catfish, flathead catfish, and northern snakehead, so that fisheries managers can follow their distribution. The data will be important for guiding future management decisions. Make sure to sign up and help with a great cause.
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, August 2 Update:
While striped bass were off limits blue catfish provided plenty of action to anglers on the lower Susquehanna and the Flats. Fish are being caught anywhere from the Conowingo Dam to Port Deposit, and out on the Flats. An angler night fishing from shore at Port Deposit caught six blue catfish up to 20 pounds and one common carp earlier this week. Flathead catfish are another invasive species along with blue catfish and snakehead that can be caught in the lower Susquehanna. Most of the flatheads are caught below the dam, but some can be found closer to the mouth of the river. Both catfish species will hit cut bait, but the flatheads are ambush predators and prefer live bait or lures mimicking live bait. The bite is still best when the sun is lower in the sky as most fish are loafing during the hottest part of the day. Plan trips for the early mornings, late evenings, or at night for the best action.
The summer striped bass closure ended on Thursday this week and we haven’t yet received any recent reports, but that will likely change after the weekend when anglers get out to start fishing for them again. The Conowingo Dam is one of the more popular fishing locations for striped bass in this region of the Bay. The fish usually sit in the moving water below the dam and fishing is usually best when a few of the gates are open. A three-way rig with a heavy sinker and bucktail or jighead works best for long casts out into the current where stripers and other fish will be sitting. Don’t let your rig hit bottom too much, because there are a lot of rocks that will snag you up.
Reminder to Anglers: Striped bass season is now open again in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Anglers are allowed to keep one fish per person per day between 19 and 24 inches. The season will remain open until December 10th.