Upper Bay Fishing Reports

Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 2 Update:

Striped bass continue to hold around the Patapsco River, Pooles Island, and other Upper Bay hotspots, though anglers are finding the best action during the cooler morning hours. White perch, spot, and croaker are providing dependable bottom fishing around shoals, bridge structure, and tidal creeks as summer patterns strengthen. Snakehead fishing is also improving, with fry balls becoming more common in the region's shallow marshes and grass beds.

Water temperatures have passed the 80-degree mark in many areas of the Upper Bay, so anglers should do their best to use best handing practices when catch and release fishing. Striped bass are particularly susceptible to warm water temperatures and warm air temperatures. They can stress very easily while being caught and if handled too long out of the water, will likely die. Right now, the stripers are being caught in a variety of locations, including the lumps around Pooles Island, Tolchester Channel, Love Point and the Patapsco River. Scattered schools of fish are roaming around the Upper Bay lumps, so working through the zone with side scan and down scan is a good way to find them schooled up around the ledges. An angler fishing in the Patapsco reported a good trip while fishing around docks with soft plastics. The fish were a variety of sizes, ranging from 12” up to 27”.

The Upper Bay shoals offer some bottom fishing opportunities for spot, croaker, and white perch. Bloodworms, Fishbites, and grass shrimp will work best when tipped onto bottom rigs, Chesapeake sabiki rigs, or small perch jigs. The better perch reports are coming from Kent Narrows and the mouth of the Patapsco River. Anglers have been boxing a fair number of perch in the nine to 11-inch range. We have also received some perch reports from the smaller tidal creeks in the Magothy River, Chester River, and inside the Patapsco. Grass shrimp on shad darts seem to be working well, but spinners and plain jigs are also catching fish. The better action has been during the morning, and the afternoon heat seems to be slowing the fishing down. Stretches of rip-rap shoreline, docks, and fallen trees can all be productive areas for perch.

Snakehead are spawning, and the month of July is an excellent time to fish for them. Snakehead are concentrated in areas with thick vegetation which can be found in certain areas of the Magothy River, Gunpowder River, and Bush River. Fry balls should be popping up and will offer sight fishing opportunities. If you see a fry ball, there are likely parent snakehead guarding them close by. Topwater frogs are very effective at getting reaction bites from these fish. Hot spots for snakehead fishing in the Upper Bay can be Dundee Creek, Days Cove, and the marshes around the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

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