Maryland Fishing Report – June 4

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Forecast Summary: June 4 – June 10:

Warming fishing weather is ahead for this upcoming week with more moderate conditions for Chesapeake Bay waters. There is a chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday. Main Bay surface water temperatures have increased to about 70 degrees. River temperatures are slightly cooler, in the mid 60s.

Due to recent rains, expect above average flows for most Maryland rivers and streams. However, the long-term rain deficit continues to result in Bay salinities that are still currently above average. There is also plenty of oxygen from surface to bottom for all Bay gamefish. 

Expect reduced water clarity for the upper bay from the Flats to the Patapsco rivers as well as the Potomac River down to Colonial Beach from recent heavy rains. To see the latest water clarity conditions, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps. There will be above average tidal currents Saturday through Tuesday as a result of a full moon on June 11.For more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast.

Upper Chesapeake Bay

Anglers can now enjoy casting for striped bass in the Conowingo Dam pool and the lower Susquehanna River. The fishing has been good for those casting paddletails, topwater lures, and a variety of other offerings. The power generation releases have been a bit sporadic but tend to be on an evening schedule. Long casts toward the turbine wash is the norm from the edge of the water or a below knee high wade. A 9-foot fast-action spinning rod loaded with braid helps with the long casts, and anglers are cautioned to be careful when wading because the edge drops off sharply and the current can be swift. Chesapeake Channa (northern snakeheads), blue catfish, and flathead catfish can be part of the mix, with a surprise smallmouth bass or walleye at times. 

White perch can still be found in the lower Susquehanna River this week, but their numbers are quickly dissipating as they move into the various nearby tidal rivers and creeks. Blue catfish can be found in good numbers in the lower Susquehanna and other tidal rivers of the upper Bay; they tend to be farther up the rivers as they prepare to spawn. Effective June 1, anglers can legally use cut American eel for bait when fishing for blue catfish. Using cut eel before June 1 follows the same probation as live eels.

Chesapeake Channa are beginning to show signs of spawning in the grassy areas of the region’s tidal rivers and creeks. June generally marks their time of spawning and as the month progresses, they will be protecting what is termed as “fry balls” of fingerling-sized Chesapeake Channa. When this happens, a topwater lure cast towards the fry ball can cause a protective strike from a parent.

Gear up for Snakes on the Dundee, a Chesapeake Channa fishing tournament scheduled June 7 at Gunpowder Falls State Park. Tournaments like these can provide fun fishing opportunities and educational information for anglers. 

Striped bass are being caught in the upper Bay this week by a variety of methods and locations. Spot can be found off Sandy Point State Park, and they are the perfect size for live lining. Some of the popular locations for live-lining are the mouth of the Patapsco River, Swan Point, Love Point, and Podickory Point.

Jigging is popular at some of these same locations and where fish can be found suspended along steep channel edges. Casting a mix of soft plastic jigs, paddletails, and poppers is also a productive way to fish for striped bass along promising shorelines and structure. Trolling is a great way to cover a lot of water, and tandem-rigged bucktails and swimshads are popular offers behind inline weights.

Middle Bay

Anglers are reporting good striped bass action at the Bay Bridge piers and rock piles on most days. Water temperatures in the middle Bay are holding around 67 degrees. Tides and water clarity can be important factors for fishing success at the bridge. Live-lining spot or drifting soft crab baits to the pier bases on the eastbound span near the 30-foot drop-off or the rock piles is a classic tactic at the Bay Bridge. Casting skirted bucktails and soft plastic jigs at the pier bases on both the westbound and eastbound spans is always a fun way to fish for striped bass during the morning and evening with a running tide. 

There is a lot of striped bass action spread throughout the middle Bay from the shallow waters to the deeper channel edges. The shallow water action is a real treat for light tackle anglers casting poppers, paddletails, and jerkbaits during the morning and evening. The action tends to last longer during the morning and start earlier in the evenings due to cooler water temperatures. Calmer winds makes it fun casting skipping bugs with a 7-weight flyrod and a floating line offers pure entertainment to watch a bug being repeatedly hit before a hookup. 

Striped bass can be found holding along main channel edges and lesser ones near the tidal river mouths. Tandem rigged bucktails and swimshads towed behind inline weights is a popular way to target them. Jigging with soft plastics in these same locations when striped bass can be spotted on depth finders is an excellent way to fish. Live-lining spot is a very good way to target striped bass along various main channel edges. The outside 30-foot edge at Hacketts, the steep edge from the Gum Thickets to Bloody Point, the steep edge at the Hill, Stone Rock, The False Channel, and Breezy Point are just a few of the channel edges worth exploring. These and other traditional fishing locations can be found on the DNR website. 

Exciting fishing opportunities continue in the lower Bay and it is only getting better and more diverse as the season progresses. Large red drum, speckled trout, and bluefish are moving into the region to complement the excellent fishing for striped bass. Unfortunately, cownose rays also moved into the area last month; they cause headaches for anglers trolling or jigging when they snag one or if a bait is left lingering too long on the bottom. 

Striped bass anglers are finding a lot of action in the lower Patuxent and Potomac rivers through a variety of fishing methods. Jigging is very good along channel edges with soft plastics in the Patuxent near Solomons Island and Drum Point and Town Point near the Route 4 Bridge. These areas are also good for live-lining spot and the 35-foot edge of Cove Point is producing some striped bass. Trolling is always an option with tandem rigged bucktails or swimshads behind an inline weight. 

Both sides of the lower Potomac River offer up good opportunities for striped bass. Trolling along the steep edge between Piney Point and St. Georges Island is a good bet, as is the channel edge off Sandy Point Neck on the Virginia side. When fish can be spotted on depth finders suspended off the bottom, live-lining spot or jigging with soft plastics can work well. Shallower waters in the St. Marys River or around Point Lookout, Cedar Point, and other promising areas fished with paddletails, spooks and poppers during the morning and evening hours can yield a mix of striped bass, speckled trout, bluefish, and puppy drum. 

On the eastern side of the Bay, the channel edge below Buoy 72 is always worth a look for trolling or jigging. The shallower waters of Tangier and Pocomoke sounds provide good fishing for a mix of striped bass, bluefish, puppy drum, and speckled trout. Spooks are a favorite topwater lure for fishing over grass beds, and paddletails also are working well. Successful speckled trout anglers mention drifting peeler crab baits on an evening tide has been working out well near creek mouths. The cuts through Hoopers Island are also a productive location for working soft plastic jigs in the current or drifting peeler crab baits, but watch out for cownose rays if you’re fishing with bait.

Large red drum are being caught on the eastern side of the Bay in Tangier Sound and Pocomoke Sound. They can be caught by jigging with soft plastic jigs when disturbed water, slicks or telltale heavy marks on a depth finder can be seen. Some anglers have also had good luck by trolling with chrome spoons behind inline weights. 

White perch have moved into the region’s tidal creeks and rivers, providing fun fishing near shorelines, bridge piers, and submerged structure. Spot and small croaker and the occasional kingfish are being caught at the mouth of the Patuxent, the lower Potomac River, Tangier Sound, and Pocomoke Sound. 

Blue Crabs:

Catches of blue crabs are slowly improving for recreational crabbers. Crabs from the first shed are filling out, so those that crabbers encounter will most likely be light. Reports of small crabs in shallower waters is a good sign for the summer months. Most crabbers are working waters less than 12 feet and edges tend to offer some of the best success. The lower Bay catches are best, but middle Bay crabbers are doing well and the upper Bay reports are fair. Some crabbers who are using collapsible traps report good catches when using cut white perch for bait.

Freshwater Fishing

Anglers at Deep Creek Lake are starting to see more boat traffic on the weekends, but the mornings and evenings during the week still offer calm waters and the good fishing that goes with it. Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass can be found lingering around floating docks, smallmouth like rocky points, and largemouth bass will zero in on fallen treetops, grass, or brush wherever they can find it. Casting wacky rigged worms is a great way to entice them to strike. Walleye are an evening adventure along steep rocky shores and deep grass lines. A minnow on a jighead or drifting a minnow deep is a good way to fish for them. There are plenty of bluegill sunfish, crappie, and chain pickerel to be found. 

Many anglers give up trout fishing once the stocking ends in the put-and-take areas, but there are still trout to be fished for in the delayed harvest waters. Some of those waters are open now and others will open June 16 – Check the DNR trout fishing webpage or information and locations. 

Other trout anglers who love the challenge of fly-fishing and replicating what trout are eating seasonally find their little piece of serenity in the mountain streams and rivers of western Maryland and the central region.

The reservoirs of the central region offer excellent fishing opportunities for anglers this week. Female largemouth bass have left the spawning areas and are looking for food to build up body stores. Water temperatures are perfect for most fish, causing them to be very active. Landlocked striped bass are still active in Liberty and Triadelphia reservoirs and can be caught on diving jerkbaits. Chain pickerel are finished spawning and are also actively feeding. Crappie can be found near structure and white perch are being caught in Loch Raven. Piney Run Reservoir is always a great place to fish for a variety of fish. Anglers are urged to venture to new fishing locations for a little extra fishing excitement. Check out the DNR fishing hotspots webpage for a variety of fishing locations throughout Maryland. 

Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are finished spawning in most locations and are busy feeding to build up body stores. The transition areas between the shallow spawning areas and pathways to areas where largemouth bass will be found during the summer months are good places to target. Casting spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, and jerkbaits are excellent lure choices for the transition areas. If cover in the form of grass or sunken wood can be located, wacky rigged worms can be a good choice.

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays

Surf anglers are enjoying some pleasant weather this week and a variety of fish in the surf. Most of the large migrant striped bass have passed us by but there are always a few bringing up the rear of the migration. A few large red drum are being caught and released, the striped bass and red drum are being caught on cut mullet or menhaden. 

At the inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, anglers are enjoying good fishing for a mix of striped bass and bluefish. Most of the striped bass fail to meet the 28-inch minimum and there are reports of a few striped bass released because they exceeded the 34-inch maximum. The bluefish range in sizes but most weigh 2-4 pounds. 

Water clarity conditions in the back bay areas have improved and flounder fishing is at the top of the list again. The channels leading from the inlet are popular for fishing. Some of the largest flounder are being caught on Gulp baits dressed with a minnow or squid strip. There continues to be fun catch and release action for striped bass at the Route 90 and Verrazzano bridge piers. Paddletails have been a popular lure.

Flounder fishing has been good near the mouth of the inlet and some of the inshore wreck sites. Farther offshore at the wreck and reef sites anglers are catching black sea bass and often limiting out. 

If one ventures even farther offshore to extremely deep-water good catches of blueline and golden tilefish await anglers ready to do the deep drop. NOAA has adjusted the retention limits on bluefin tuna in response to public comment. The changes were shared in a recent DNR bulletin.