Article by Capt. BJ Pietryak
The past 4th of July week brought many anglers onto our waters with many catching some nice fish.
Seabass
Sea bass continues to slow as the water heats up. I spoke to Victor Bunting of the Ocean Princess who states that his 12 hour trips are doing fairly well when the weather cooperates. Targeting deeper wrecks like at the Great Eastern Reef seem to be the best spot for the keepers. As a side note, bluefin and yellowfin tuna have started to show up just outside the Jackspot as well as the Great Eastern Reef.
Tog & Croaker
Tog on these deeper wrecks are also being caught but mostly shorts. Croaker are in the surf and more should be moving into the areas around the OC Pipe as well as the 5th St Reef areas. Croaker will readily bite on both bloodworms or fishbites equivalent. Squid is also a great bait for these fish. As croaker arrive many will go into the bay areas making it a great time to take the kids out fishing. These fish usually travel in large schools, are very easy to catch, and taste delicious. Want to make your child's day? Take them out croaker fishing. If you get on the right location they will be reeling in these fish till they are too tired to reel any more. Many anglers get caught up in the ease of catches and forget that their hotels only have small refrigerators so keep just what you can store and eat. Many years in the past have seen hundreds of these fish left at the docks when families realize they have no place to store these fish. So take what you can eat and protect the viability of these fish.
Sharks
Several large hammerhead sharks have been reported both along the coast line as well as in the inlet areas. The fishing piers of Ocean City continue to catch sharks as well as some nice bluefish at night. Key baits are any oily fish cut into big chunks. Use a large circle hook as many of these fish are protected and have to be returned to the water unharmed.
Cobia & Spadefish
Cobia are here! Many anglers are targeting these fish on the near shore reefs using a chum bag and live eels. I have received a few reports of cobia in the surf however, these fish usually remain a little further offshore. Areas like Little Gull remain the main area to target these fish. Be aware these areas get crowded this time of year so get there early and get set up. The chum slicks will also bring in sharks and bluefish. Several spadefish have been caught at the opening of Ocean City Inlet with small pieces of shrimp crab and clam being the best baits. Hiring a professional guide for these fish is recommended as the currents can quickly get an inexperienced boat captain in trouble. The spadefish is a softer white meat fish. They are often cooked whole to preserve meat from drying out. Baked or pan fried is the most common method.
Flounder
Flounder fishing in the bay has been very stable with many keepers being brought back to the docks each day. Many of the charter and bay head boats are reporting limits caught by many of their clients. Squid and shiners seem to be the top baits in Ocean City, with large Gulp baits being a close second. Main inlet areas as well as behind Assateague island are showing the best catches. The near shore wrecks are also holding some nice flounder with areas such as the Jackspot and African Queen being the most productive. The bass grounds are catching some nice fish as well, but seem harder to target the flounder in these locations. For these deeper areas large Gulp baits or live spot are working the best.
Crabs & Clams
Crabbing in the upper Assawoman Bay remains strong with lots of jumbo male crabs being caught. Ratio is still about 9-12 keepers per pot. Using a string with a piece of chicken off one of the local piers on Ocean City can be a fun activity for kids to do. Clamming is getting a little tougher as many areas are being picked over. Several nice clams can still be found if you're willing to put in the work. Assateague Island still remains one of the best locations. Several tackle and hardware stores in Ocean City have clam rakes on sale this week as a holiday special.
So get out, enjoy the summer, and catch a fish or two!
Tight lines and fins up
Captain B.J.Pietryak
