Plenty of Striped Bass Now in the Chesapeake Bay

Right now there are countless number of striped bass in the Upper & Middle Chesapeake Bay to be caught. The average striper ranges between 12” and 16" and a pleasure to catch on fly or light tackle spinning tackle. 

On Saturday 9/29/12, Joe, Carl, and Jim landed over 310 of these stripers, along with some bluefish and white perch. Nothing was hitting on top so jigging spoons, with a fly tied 18" up the line, allowed many double catches throughout the entire day. This trip was put together by Joe so all could enjoy their 50th birthdays 'doing some fishing'. I'm sure they will remember that mild-stone in years to come.

Joe, Carl, & Jim Enjoying a Day on the Chesapeake Bay

That doesn't mean that there aren't any large stripers available, but to land one you must use the right lure with the right technique. Rob and I were guests of Doug Schopman. We were looking for large stripers during our trip on 10/01/12. 

We left out of Sandy Point State Park and headed for the western rockpile during an incoming tide. There was plenty action, but all the fish were on the small side so we headed east to fish the eastern rockpile (my favorite during an incoming tide). Again, many small stripers were landed so we kept heading east. 

These are some of the proven big fish lures we used during this trip.
10" Bass Kandy Delight soft plastic bait in Silk Chartreuse rigged on a wide gap 1 oz. saltwater jighead
Storm Rattlin' Saltwater Chug Bug, 4 3/8" long, 15/16 oz., Blue/Chrome
Offshore Angler, Freestyle Jig, 2 oz., Red Chartreuse
Haw River SHORT BODY Stingsilver, 2 oz. in Chrome (please remove treble hook and install a single hook)

On one cast I felt a pull on my 10" Bass Kandy Delight and three large stripers were following it all the way up to the boat. What an outstanding sight to see! It wasn't long after that when a large striper was landed.

Doug with a Nice on Caught on a Stingsilver

Fishing Tip: If you are mechanically inclined, consider purchasing a shop manual for your boat power motor. It will pay for itself the first time you use it. This will save you time, money, and also keep your boat out of the shop allowing you more time to fish.

Upcoming Seminars:
THIS MONDAY - Light Tackle Casting & Trolling the Upper Chesapeake Bay (1st Time Presented) - PSG -7:30pm
Wed, Oct 17, 2012 - Light Tackle Fishing at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) -MSSA- Annapolis - 7:30pm