Nice Stripers Moving Up the Bay

I picked up my boat on Friday, 3/8/13, to put it on the water and run it, making sure everything was working properly before I head up to guide on the Susquehanna Flats next month.

On the following day, the winds were light and the seas were calm.  My trailer was stilled hooked up to my truck so Doug Schopman, Bill Tucker, and I headed out to do some winter time striped bass fishing.  We all used light spinning tackle with the reels filled with 20# test PowerPro fiber line.

Our first stop was in 20 to 26 feet of water.  There were plenty of terns and seagulls close by, making the structure easy to identify.  The pumps were running, keeping plenty of baitfish around to bring in the stripers.  Bill was the first one to hook a striper in the mid 20" class on a 2 ounce chartreuse and white freestyle jig.  The jig had to be cast out and returned while jigging the bottom.  One more striper was caught there, about the same size, before me moved on.

Doug Schopman
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We headed south and fished the next structure with Bombers Wind-Cheaters, in silver and blue, along with Yo-Zuri Floating and Suspended Crystal Minnows, model DBR and HT, and Yum Money Minnows in pearl on 1/2 ounce jighead.  The floating and suspended stickbaits were productive fished in waters from 12' to 4' deep.

We headed back north to fish before going to the ramp. This was the best move of the day.  Doug landed 5 nice stripers to 28",  and Bill Tucker landed a large striper on a Wind-Cheater.  There is a story of how Bill hooks and lands big stripers and I would like to share it with you.

STORY: 'The Tucker Seat'

Bill Tucker
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The 37" striper Bill caught today was the 2nd big striper he has ever caught.  It wasn't as large as his 1st one that was 49 1/4", a record catch on my boat.  He enjoys sitting down on the cushioned seat in front of my center consol.  From there he casts, works the lure, hooks then fights big stripers until landed them without getting out of the seat. Most anglers feel more comfortable when they stand up and fish, but according to Bill, "Sitting down just suites me fine when I fish".  That front seat is now called as 'The Tucker Seat', where you can sit down and catch fish.

The Catch

OPEN DATES for the Susquehanna Flats (2 Days Left)

Each year I dock my boat at Havre de Grace Yacht Basin, located in Tydings Memorial Park at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay.  This is a unique location where fly or light tackle anglers have an opportunity to catch that 'once in a lifetime striper' in skinny water throughout April into early May each year.  If you enjoy catching stripers on topwater, the last 2 weeks of April to May the 3rd is the time to be popping the top.  I hope your schedule will allow you to enjoy a day fishing 'on the flats'.

Striped Bass Headed North Toward the Susquehanna Flats

I pulled up to Billy Mellendick's house this past Wednesday around noon.  He had just finished re-installing the transducer on his boat that came loose in the Patapsco River when we fished two weeks ago.  On the way to the ramp Billy said, "I just need to catch one good striper today".  As things turned out, his wish came true.

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On his first cast the rod bent and the drag started zinging.  We both knew it was a big fish as it stayed deep while the boat drifted away from the structure. Once the striper came to the top and was ready to be landed I slid my hand down the line, pulled up on the jighead, put my whole left hand in it's mouth, and my right hand just behind the stomach then handed the fish to Billy.  After taking a quick picture we measured the striper before gently placing it back in the water to revive it.  The striper swam away under its own power heading back toward deep water.

I caught a few stripers, but they were nothing like the one Billy caught.  It weighed approximately 17 pounds, was 32" long, and turned out to be the largest striper he's caught on light tackle to date.

Thanks Billy, for a great day, and congratulations on your catch.

The water has warmed up to 43 degrees, an increase of 4 degrees from last week.  The most productive lure was a Z-Man, StreakZ, 5", Redbone, scented soft potbelly-minnow design lure, fished on a 1-ounce jighead.

In March I have a few trips planned to fish the Susquehanna Flats, on light tackle and fly-fishing equipment.  I hope you can join me this April or early May to fish the flats.

Susquehanna Flats Striped Bass Fishing Season Almost Here

Starting on March 1st until May the 3rd, each year the largest striped bass visit the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay just outside Havre de Grace, MD, in a stretch of water known as the Susquehanna Flats.  

This is an ideal location to fly or light tackle fish in waters as shallow as 1 foot.  Catching stripers on top water starts when the water temperature reaches 55 degrees, around the middle of April.  This is the time of year where you will have an opportunity to catch that once in a lifetime striped bass. 

If you are new to fishing the flats, make sure to run down the west side shipping channel, and once you go around the south side of R"2", it will be safe to cross over to the east side channel. 

If you're used to drifting over the flats (done best during a high tide), look for deep ditches that run parallel and in the same direction as the Susquehanna River.  Shad and herring move in these ditched during their spawning season and the striped bass use these ditches as ambush locations.  A very productive fly to use here is a large Half & Half with a red head, and a chartreuse and white body.  Fish it on sinking fly line witha 4' leader.  If you light tackle fishing, try a 6" Gulp Alive Swimming Mullett on a 1/2 or 3/4 ounce jighead. 

This is a catch and release fishery.

Record Striped Bass Caught

The video says it all....and then some!

I hope your schedule will allow you time to cut years off your learning curve when it comes to saltwater fishing.  The information you will learn can be used on any tidal water for striped bass and countless other saltwater species.

                 Feb 2nd & 9th, 2013 - Saltwater Sport Fishing Lecture - 1pm to 4pm

Agenda