Way North Fishing Reports

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 11 Update:

The striped bass bite in the Way North region has slowed just a bit with rising water temperatures. Fish are still being caught at the Conowingo Dam and on the Susquehanna Flats, but the bite isn’t as hot. We had one report from a boat who caught two slot rockfish and a few blue catfish while using cut eel for bait on the flats. Those fishing at the Conowingo Dam are still catching some rockfish by casting far out into the turbine wash. The bite has been best in the early morning and late evening when temperatures are cooler. Overcast and rainy days can extend the bite window into the middle part of the day as well. Anglers are also reporting a fair number of dead fish floating around the area. This is likely from a combination of stress from catch and release fishing and poor water quality. The striped bass closure will go into effect from July 16th to July 31st in all Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The closure is meant to protect our resident striped bass during the heat of summer, when high water temperatures cause increased catch and release mortality. We have already seen the effects of warm water combined with heavy rain events this year, so the closure will give these fish a much-needed break from angling pressure.

While the closure is in effect, blue catfish will be a great species to target. These fish have mostly wrapped up their spawning activity, and the big fish are back to feeding on a more regular basis. The lower Susquehanna River is a hotspot for blue catfish, especially around Port Deposit and Havre De Grace. The other tidal rivers also have healthy populations of blue catfish that can be targeted. Deeper holes and drop offs are typically where you will find them right now as they seek out cooler water temperatures at deeper depths. We did not receive any reports of white perch from this region this week, but fishing the shallows of the tidal rivers is a good way to target them. The North East, Elk, and Bohemia all usually have perch to catch in the summer. Popular lures include spinners, small Rat-L-Traps, and panfish jigs. Minnows and grass shrimp are also popular live bait to use either on bottom rigs or on small panfish jigs under a bobber.

Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, July 4 Update:

Blue catfish are an invasive species that can be caught in the Chesapeake Bay year-round. We are seeing these fish get bigger each year, and some true giants are lurking in the Way North region.  A reader fishing for catfish near Port Deposit captured a true giant this week, with cut bait doing the trick. We saw another report from an angler who pulled a behemoth 60-pound blue cat from the Susquehanna this week as well. Catfish will usually go to deeper depths during the summer heat to search out cooler water temperatures. The deeper channels in the lower Susquehanna River are good places to target them this time of year. Depths of 15’ to 40’ near holes or ledges will be a good general zone to fish, but you can also still catch them shallower too. White perch fishing has been on the slower side across the Bay this year, and we aren’t hearing great reports from this region either. Some anglers are catching them in the Elk and Bohemia Rivers along sections of shoreline with structure in the form of docks, rip-rap, and trees.

The weather cooled off slightly this week, and the striped bass fishing on the flats seemed to pick up some after the extreme heat slowed things down temporarily. One boat reported catching around a dozen stripers up to 24”. Three to 10 feet of water over grass and other bottom structure seem to be where the majority of the fish are holding. The morning bite has been good but slows down once the sun gets up. Overcast or rainy days have extended the bite well into the middle part of the day. We are quickly approaching the summer striped bass closure for Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The closure will go into effect from July 16th to July 31st with the season reopening on August 1st. Anglers should view the Maryland DNR striped bass regulations map to see when and where striped bass season is open in the Bay.