5 Different Species Caught on Fly & Light Tackle

We originally planned to fish topwater flies and lures in the Upper Chesapeake Bay on blitzing stripers. After checking the current speed prior to the trip,  it was changed to fish the Middle Chesapeake Bay. Knowing the current speed at the locations you plan to fish, and making adjustments, can make a trip productive...and this one was that and more.

Our first location was the mouth of Eastern Bay. Normally there will be some fair to nice striped bass busting early in the morning there, but not today. So we headed south to deeper water on the southwest end of Poplar Island, again no breakers.

We moved over to the western shore between West and South Rivers. Still no breaking fish and only bait fish showing on the fishfinder. We were heading north for 3 miles and I stopped the boat and picked up the binoculars for a look see. Oh yeah! There they were blitzing 5 miles away. The fly and light tackle catching started once we were on them and went on strong for about an hour before we left the water.

Dori & Chris Villator Sr. with 

Chris Villator Jr. and wife Vicky

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The ladies were jigging a one ounce Specialized Bait Li'l Bunker Spoons, one gold, and one in chartreuse. Both rigs had a chartreuse and white 3"clouser teaser fly tied 18" up the line for the spoon. On one drift Dori's rod bent under the boat as the drag was singing. I'm thinking it has to be a big bluefish by the speed the line was coming off the reel. Nope...it was a 25" spanish mackerel that took the fly. There were a countless number of fish caught this trip including; spanish mackerel, keeper size striper, bluefish, white perch, and a couple of weakfish. Thanks Dori, Chris Sr., Vicky, and Chris Jr., for an unforgettable day of fishing.

Topwater Action Available with Plenty Fish in the Chesapeake Bay

Sorry that I haven't had much time lately to write fishing reports. The reason being, because of the nice fish available in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, if I'm not guiding, I'm fishing. There has been plenty of topwater action at certain times, and there are some nice striped bass, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish available.

Plenty of Gamefish Available

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Topwater action has been great ,with stripers up to 25", and a few bluefish in the 19" range. The fish have been between the Bay Bridges and the southwest end of Poplar Island. I hope you can get out this weekend to catch a few.

Jim Maurer Landed this Nice Mack

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I will be at the BPS this Saturday, 09/27/14, from 9am until 3pm. Please click on the icon below for seminar titles and times. 

Catching Flounder on the Atlantic Ocean

My good friend and fishing buddy, Doug Schopman, invited me to his summer home just outside of Bethany Beach, DE, to fish the Indian River Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean. I arrived on Wednesday at 3pm and by 4pm we were catching stripers and bluefish inside the Inlet. The blues ran from 3 to 6 pounds and put up an excellent fight on light spinning tackle. Both species were hitting 2 oz. metal jigging spoons, Bass Assassin 4” Curly Shad in Opening Night and ZMan 6” Sented Jerk ShadZ in pearl white.

The following day we went out on the Atlantic Ocean heading northeast toward Site 11. We were rigged for flounder with plenty of bullhead minnows and cut bluefish belly. If you need to know about bait, what type of species to fish for, where the bite is hot, etc. go to Hook’Em & Cook’Em in Bethany Beach, DE. The management and sales personnel are helpful, knowledgeable, and will head you in the right direction. We caught most of our fish at Site 10 a little closer to the Inlet.

I Caught the Largest Flounder

(Bethany Beach Bridge in Background)

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The Rig

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This past Monday I enjoyed doing a mixed guided trip. Live Lining with light tackle in the morning and fly or light tackle fishing after lunch or when all keepers are caught. Mitch and Terry caught stripers to 24” before lunch and 36 stripers ‘on the fly’ after lunch.

Fishing Tip: Don't put your boat in storage or your rods away after Labor Day. Normally the fishing gets better in the months of Sep, Oct, Nov, and Dec.

Ending 2013 on a Great Note - Catching Striped Bass

Billy Mellendick , Doug Schopman, and I decided to launch at Sandy Point State Park this past Saturday, 12/28/13.  It would be our last time on the water this year and we surely didn't want to end it by being skunked.

We started catching just prior to when the current was flooding the swiftest (0.99 kts) at the location we were fishing on the Chesapeake Bay.  We were in Billy's boat and during the 1st drift he put us on the fish.  The water temperature was 39.5 degrees so we went with, from our experience, the most productive lure in cold water...Z-Man Scented Jerk Shadz 5 & 7 inch.

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I have tested the above Z-Man lures against other soft plastic baits, both with or without scent. The one with scent ran a close 2nd, where the non scented plastic wasn't in the running.    The Z-Man, 5" Redbone, pictured above, landed over 15 stripers and is still ready for more.  There is no need to change them for a fresh one unless they are coming off the hook.

Doug Landed the Largest Striper for the Trip

I Also Landed a Nice One

If you would like to learn how to maximize your time on the water by locating and catching more striped bass, please attend my 2 Part Lecture Series on Feb 1 and Feb 8.  Please click on the picture below to see a short YouTube video explaining the agenda.

Click to View a Short Video on the Agenda

Be safe and enjoy 2014.

Tight Lines & Smooth Seas,

Capt. Tom Hughes