Article by Capt. BJ Pietryak
Well we started out with some real nice weather but it certainly did not end up that way. By Thursday we had strong winds and heavy seas. The bay areas were as low as I've seen them in a long time. I was down by the inlet area on Dorchester St. and observed many boats sitting on the sandy bottom. Then came Friday ... high winds and rain, and that’s how it played out for the rest of our weekend. Unfortunately most boats sat at the dock all weekend.
Sea Bass
Sea bass remains strong with many boats boating limits for their customers. I spoke with Victor on the Ocean Princess who told me that his reservations have been booming. I think people are ready to get out of the house again after being cooped up for the past year. The hot spots for sea bass this week are the African Queen Reef as well as the Bass Grounds Reef. Not as many boats ventured the long distance to the Great Eastern Reef or Jack Spot but those that did found bigger keepers than that of near shore. Monty from the Morning Star headboat also reported some great catches of sea bass this week.
Flounder
Flounder just keeps getting better in the bay. The channel along Assateague Island is still the best spot to target big flounder. Live minnows and squid combinations are working best. Target the deeper holes on the west side where the water is a little deeper. As the weather is warming the horses are being seen closer to the water. It is always an added bonus when fishing these areas as the horses quite often put on a nice show. The areas along the bulkhead as well as the thorofare north of the bridge are also producing some nice flounder. Out in the ocean the reports of flounder are not as good with only a few fish being reported on the wrecks and many of them are small. The Ocean City fishing piers are reporting a few flounder as well as a mixed bag of sea trout and bluefish. For those without access to a boat, these piers can be a great way to spend an evening. They are family friendly and many of the regular anglers are more than willing to help out a novice fisherman. Fees are reasonable and rod rental is available.
Rockfish, Blues & Cobia
Rockfish around the Rt. 50 bridge are still pretty strong. Shaun Flaherty was fishing with Craig Cropper and pulled in a nice 32 inch keeper rockfish this week. Craig also caught a 34” one. The fish are holding tight to the pilings and will chase a paddle tail bait that is allowed to sink in the current. Some big bluefish are also being caught along the bridge. Further down the bay near the Verrazano bridge I have received reports of a few trout being caught as well as a few smaller stripers. Paddle tails and jigs pulled along the bottom are producing the best results. The southern areas of Assateague Island are reporting a few more black drum this week. An occasional rockfish is also being reported from the beaches. Sand fleas are the best bait this week with peeler crab as a close second. For those of you fishing in Virginia, Tim Tribbits reports that Oyster, VA has been on fire with tons of big red and black drum. This week also saw the first cobia being caught near the Chesapeake Bay opening. Site fishing has worked well and the fish are eager to chase bait. Flounder in the back bays are also heating up and the first reports of sea trout are coming in from both Chincoteague and Oyster, VA. As the water warms up, the puppy drum will inhabit the back waters. These fish along with sea trout are great fun to catch and provide a ton of action all summer long. Anglers in our area can judge the upcoming week's catch by looking at what's happening in the Virgina area. We are about a week behind, so I anticipate we will see cobia arriving next week in Ocean City. The shoals around the inlet as well as Fenwick Shoal areas are a great place to chum and target cobia. Cut bait top water lures and eels are great baits to use for the Man in the Brown Suit!
Surf Report
Surf fishing remains a little slow in the Ocean City area. Assateague Island had a resurgence this week of some nice fish being caught. Many of the rockfish hooked on the beaches are still over slot but some nice bluefish have been thrown into the mix keeping the action going.
Crabs & Clams
Clamming has turned on in the bays. With the warmer water the clams are not as deep. Assateague Island reported that the clams are plentiful and many smaller ones (the best eating) are readily available. Rakes are available at most tackle shops, and if rinsed with fresh water, will last several seasons.
Until next week...
Tight Lines and Fins Up §
