The Reward for Being Persistent

My good fishing buddy, John Keeler, arrived at my house at 9:30 yesterday morning. We both enjoy finding, catching, and eating white perch. We fish for them with light tackle which makes catching them a lot of fun.

During the time we couldn't fish together this year, John made some perch bombs and teasers of various sizes and colors to catch white perch. He used special epoxies, powder coats, eyes, hooks, etc. These lures and teasers are first class and they catch white perch...plenty of white perch.

This Picture was Taken After 

Catching White Perch Yesterday  

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We launched at the Hanover Street Ramps on the Patapsco River and moved to Ft. McHenry Point. No good marks on the fishfinder, so we moved and checked a mound that was in 20 feet of water. Again, no good marks. We then moved to what is normally a highly productive shoal. Again, no good marks. 

The wind was bucking the current making it somewhat rough as we moved across the Bay. There was no pounding as my Twin Vee sat high on the breakers. Our stops were 6, 7, and 9 foot knolls as we picked up just 3 white perch. Last year at this time Bill Johnson and I caught some large white perch on the upper eastern shore, but I couldn't remember just where, so I gave him a call and he gave me the approximate location. We started moving northeast.  Birds were working everywhere. We started catching striped bass up to 17 inches, one after another, for a half hour. We then started looking for white perch again.

They were stacked up in large schools starting at a 26 foot drop off on the north side of a hump that went all the way out to the Tolchester Channel. The ebb current was ripping and we were catching. We did drift after drift catching the white perch from 26 feet to 15 feet deep.  Catching went on from 2:30pm until 5:00pm as we left the fish to cross the Bay and head north up the Patapsco River.

Fishing Tip - Gamefish will be located on the upcurrent side of a structure during an ebb or flood current.

NOTE: I will be giving a seminar, Light Tackle Fishing on the Chesapeake Bay:

Day/Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Time:        07:00pm

For:           MSSA, Kent Island Chapter

Location:  American Legion Hall, 800 Romancoke Rd., Stevensville MD 21666

   

Last Time on the Water 9-29-15

I've been off the water way too long.  It sure will be good to get out on the Chesapeake Bay to look and hopefully find some nice stripers in the 20 or 30 inch class ready to hit a topwater fly, clouser, or half & half.

Last Time Out

On 10/21/15 I will be giving a PowerPoint presentation titled Fly Fishing the Chesapeake Bay for Potomac-Patuxent Chapter Trout Unlimited. There will be giving a free half-day trip for 2 fishers on the Bay with me at this meeting.  Open free to the public. 

For all information please see: http://pptu.org/Meetings/meetings.shtml

Speaking on March 18, 2015 for MDTU

Tom Hughes, an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide, will speak at the MDTU Meeting on March 18, 2015. Tom has been guiding on the Susquehanna Flats and the Chesapeake Bay for more that 15 years.  His experience rates him as a 5 Star guide on the Orvis website.  He enjoys guiding both fly or light tackle anglers from the novice to the experienced.

His PowerPoint presentation will cover fly fishing the Susquehanna Flats (spring) along with the Upper & Middle Chesapeake Bay (summer, fall) for striped bass.  He had a very productive year in 2014 and will go over what flies and techniques were used to make that happen.

The meeting will be held at the Towson Presbyterian Church, 400 W. Chesapeake Avenue, Towson, Maryland. 7:30pm-9:00pm, March 18, 2015. Free and open to the public.

Catching Nice Stripers - ALL DAY LONG

Billy Mellendick and I fished the Lower Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River late last year on a windy day with a bluebird sky. Fishing was fine, but there was no catching that day. We talked about that trip throughout the year and were determined to make things happen this year on that stretch of the Bay.

We left Catonsville, MD at 5:00pm, and with calm winds forecast, we planned to use Billy's boat instead of mine. After picking up some essentials; coffee, orange juice, egg with bacon and cheese sandwiches, at the Farm Store off of Rt. 97,  we headed to Pt. Lookout State Park. After launching the boat we headed toward a productive location known as 'Two Fingers'. When we arrived there were plenty charterboats trolling, a handful of boats light tackle jigging, and plenty of working birds. Once we stopped the catching started.. The stripers were taking a 5" Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ rigged on a 3/4 ounce jighead and a Storm, 6", WildEye, Swim Shad , jigged off the bottom in water from 55 feet to 42 feet. The larger fish were away from all the boats and stayed there until the fleet moved in.

What a Sight to See

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You can see some gannets in the above picture. If you're looking for the larger stripers look for this bird working the water. This picture was taken after a large majority of boats had left the water.  That allowed us to float over schools of ocean run stripers. Before we knew it lunchtime had passed so we ate on the run when the boat was moving between the schools. The current became swifter after 2pm and we changed to Shimano, JTVF112, Butterfly Jig Flat-Side 112g/4 ounces (caught the largest fish this trip).

This One Caught the Larger Fish

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Most Productive Light Tackle Techniques this Trip: The boat is drifting with the motor off.

Jigging the Bottom During Different Current Speeds
Slower Current – Soft plastics baits are very productive here with jigheads just heavy enough (normally ¾ or 1 ounce) to keep the lure in contact with the bottom. Cast the lure up current and let it hit the bottom. Keep the rod tip in line with or parallel to the horizon while moving the lure, in short horizontal jigs, back toward the boat with a tight line and the lure on the bottom.  Do this until the lure is back to the boat.

Swift Moving Current – Metal jigging spoons and butterfly jigs are very productive here with enough weight to allow it  to hit the bottom again and again, etc. From the up current side of the boat , open the bail allowing the spoon to hit the bottom. Let some additional line out, normally as much as the water. When the line is tight, move the rod tip from 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock swiftly. From 12 o’clock back to 9 o’clock keep a tight line moving the rod tip fast enough so it doesn’t diminish the movement of the spoon when it is falling back to the bottom. If the lure stops before it hits the bottom, set the hook.

Billy Landed This 30" Long x 22" Girth Hard Fighting Striper

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It was really difficult to leave this beautiful stretch of our Bay, but unfortunately the catching day was ending and we had a 2 1/2 hour drive in front of us. On the ride home we talked about how exciting the day had been and when can we get down to the Lower Bay again. I talked with Capt. Brady Bounds and with the water temperature now at 44 degrees he advised me that the fish should stay there until Christmas....I sure hope so.

Sunset Coming Into Pt. Lookout

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Thank you Billy for inviting me to fish with you this trip.

Happy Holidays to All

The Last Cast Payed Off

David Heath and I enjoyed a 6 hour light tackle fishing trip on the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. We launched at Buzz's Marina and headed southeast to the east side of the shipping channel where the Potomac River dumps into the Chesapeake Bay. We started picking up small bunches of stripers, which we call wolfpacks, on the sonar unit in 45 to 55 feet of water where most were locked to the bottom.

No birds were working all morning. The stripers ranged from 17 inches to 26 inches in this location.

Most Productive Lure: Butterfly Jig, 3 ounces, in gold & silver - Tochterman's Fishing Tackle

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Most Productive Technique: Vertically Jigging the Bottom - Open the bail until the lure comes in contact with the bottom. During the drift, jig the lure off are as close to the bottom as possible. 

David wanted to check out the Potomac River after lunch so northwest we headed and started running structures until the sonar unit lit up...

Water Depth 42 Feet

Sonar Bottomed Out on the Top of the Stripers 27 Feet

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Some of the stripers caught on the Potomac were in the upper 20 and low 30 inch class. They had sea lice on them and put up an excellent fight. I almost got spooled one time.

What a Way to End the Trip (read the title)

33" with Plenty of Sea Lice Hanging On

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If you would like to book a trip to fish this area of the Chesapeake Bay please call or TEXT me on 433-690-3164. I will be booking trips from now until the fish leave normally some time in early January.

If you are looking to do a Walk-On Trip, please call Capt. Brady Bounds at 301-904-0471.

Largest & Hardest Fighting Stripers in Maryland - Now Available

I've been looking forward to this since last spring...a chance to land some large and hard fishing striped bass in Maryland Chesapeake Bay. It finally happened.......

Dave Heath contacted me on Monday asking me if I would like to join him light tackle fishing out of Buzz's Marina in Ridge, MD. We would meet at a Royal Farms Store (we use it as a Park & Ride) on Rt. 97 approximately 2 hours north of the ramp. Once we arrived I had an opportunity to meet and talk with the owner, Mike. I've heard he's a character and that he is. He will give you a up-to-date fishing report, help you launch your boat, and act as a doctor giving first aid to those when needed.

We headed out to the fishing grounds just off the shipping channel where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay.  We had 2 hook ups within 3 minutes after we stopped over a large school of healthy, fat, hard fighting, and drag pulling stripers.

What a Beautiful Sight

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Just look for some large birds, like gannets or sea gulls working the water, come in up current from them, and start a drift. It won't be long before your screen lights up and you have the opportunity of catching one or more of these stripers. Light tackle equipment with a large, heavy jigging spoon or a 7 inch soft plastic baits, rigged on a 1 or 1 1/2 ounce jighead, are very productive. Don't waste any time getting the lure to the bottom and start jigging it immediately. Watch the sonar screen if all the fish are on the bottom keep the lure close, or on the bottom. If they are suspended, start jigging the lure on the bottom and then jig it through all the water columns.

These Lures Work

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We landed fish from 23 inches to 32 inches with only one little 17 inch striper, which  I had the pleasure of catching. It was well worth the drive 'down south'. Thanks David for the memorable catching trip.

David with one of the Smaller Stripers

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These fish should stay around through December. If you do plan to go down, dress warm and be safe on the water. It is cold enough to give you hyperthermia if you fall in. If you've put your boat away, call a local guide to enjoy a day on the Chesapeake Bay.

On Monday, Jan 12, 2015 I will be speaking for the Pasadena Sportfishing Group. The meeting will be held at Earleigh Heights Volunteer Firehall, 161 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD. It starts at 7:30pm but come early and eat dinner.

Be safe and have a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.

Catching Nice Striped Bass 'on the fly'

Yesterday was cloudy and the seas were smooth. It was one of those day when you would enjoy fly fishing for striped bass. Mitch Neitzey and Ralph Mitchell planned to go out with me for weeks to do just that.

With the current moving slow from the Bridge north we headed south on the western shore looking for working birds. It took less than an hour to find them, but once we did catching was on until we ate lunch at 11:30am. Both Mitch and Ralph were using 9w, 4pc, 9 foot, flex tip fly rods with 350 grain sinking fly line. Half and half flies, 4 inches long were productive in blue and white along with chartreuse and olive. All of the stripers caught were between 19 and 23 inches, with the exception of one that was approximately 14 inches long.

Once the current slowed down we started fishing structures where only one striper was caught on topwater.

The forecast is calling for some strong winds this weekend. Check the surface wind forecast chart form time to time and lets hope it changes by tomorrow.

Fall Run Stripers Showing Up

Cloudy days and topwater fishing go hand and hand as Tom Jones, Mark Myers, and Alan Lytle joined me on one of those days. We left Sandy Point State Park in the early afternoon.  We were looking for working birds. At first it was a little difficult to get the seagulls to fly at low altitudes, but it finally happened after cruising around in 20 foot of water over a hard bottom.

Alan Landed this Fat Striper on a Smack-It 

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The birds stopped working so we went to fishing structures using topwater lures and soft plastic baits rigged on 3/4 oz. black nickel wide gap jigheads.

Fatal Injury During the Trip

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There are plenty of nice striped bass now in the Maryland Sector of the Chesapeake Bay, so get out there and do some catching.

Quick Report-Catching Straight for 5 Hours

Yesterday I enjoyed one of those 'one to remember' fishing trips with my good friend and fishing buddy, John Keeler. We both enjoy catching and eating white perch and couldn't wait to try some of the ultra light tackle techniques that Rick Long of Fish Off Gloves was kind enough to share with us last week.

John and I fished a river close by for a productive 5 hours.  We landed 60 white perch, where 55 were between 9 and 12 inches, 9 bluefish, 1 striper, and a 6# catfish, all on ultra light spinning equipment.

My Equipment

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If you have never caught white perch this way, please give it a try. I'm sure you will enjoy catching a variety of species during your trip.

John's Equipment

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We fished in waters from 1' to 18' deep. All the fish put up a good fight.  The following picture will give you a hint on what river we were fishing. Structures such as; rock piles, points, sandbars, pilings all held fish.

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Most Productive Technique: Cast the lure out.  Once it hits the bottom lift the rod tip, slowly, from 9 o'clock to 11 o'clock. Take up all the slack line as you drop the rod back to 9 o'clock each time until a fish takes the bait or until the lure is back at the boat. There will be no problem knowing when the fish takes your lure.

Thanks again Rick for sharing your knowledge on how to catch white perch.

Fishing Tip: Next time you are out shopping for fishing equipment consider purchasing some Berkley Gulp! Alive!.  The will catch a lot of fish and they are less expensive than a dozen blood worms.