Chesapeake Light Tackle

When I first learned I would be moving to the Bay Bridge region of Maryland I read as many books as I could hoping to learn as much as possible about area fishing spots. A recurring theme in everything I read was, there is good fishing around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I remember my son Cory saying to me one day as we sat around the dinner table in Knoxville, Tennessee contemplating my move, “Dad, I can’t wait to get up there and fish that bridge.” I was thinking the same thing. Three years and three hundred plus fishing trips later, I still feel the same way. I can’t wait to get out there and fish that bridge!  Fortunately, there are several productive bridges near my house on Kent Island.  Even though the Bay Bridge is my favorite, I like to fish them all.  Here’s my list of the seven most productive bridges within easy driving or cruising distance of the Kent Island/Annapolis area. Read More!

I admit it, I dread the opening day of rockfish kill season like a vampire dreads a tossed salad.  In my book, it’s the beginning of the end of good fishing on the Chesapeake Bay.  With one stroke of the clock our tranquil miles of open-Bay solitude are overrun by frantic hoards of  frenzied fishermen.   The meat fleet is out in force on boats bristling with rods the size of rake handles and dozens of lines spread out hundreds of feet using planer board rigs.  Lost somewhere in the melee is the concept of one-man-one-rod sportsmanship. To make matters worse, the Department of Natural Resources sets the opening of the kill season while there are still pre-spawn fish in the Bay.  Big cows are routinely killed before they have a chance to spread the millions of eggs they are carrying. Maryland, we are sucking the life-blood out of the sport we love by killing our spawning fish. Read More!

When I wished for more unsettled weather last week, I might have asked for too much.  Back-to-back Nor’easters slammed the Chesapeake region over the weekend drenching us with several inches of rain and even light snow in the upper reaches of the Bay.  Winds have been sustained at 25 knots with stronger gusts since Friday.  In short, it’s been a miserable weekend.  Nevertheless, a few intrepid fishermen are getting out in the rivers and turning up some nice fish.  I’ve heard several reports of big ones in the Patapsco River over the weekend including some 30 inch plus fish in sheltered waters inside the Key Bridge.  Closer to home, I fished Eastern Bay Friday evening with my regular fishing partner Rich and his friend Dan who is visiting from Florida.  We launched in pouring rain out of Kent Narrows into a strong incoming tide and found working birds within a few miles.  Although we knew there would be fish beneath those birds, we ran on farther south to look around the mouths of the rivers hoping to find some schools of big migratory fish. Read More!

In my last fishing report I whined that I ran all over the mid-Bay last weekend, but could only find baitfish that was either too big or too small.  Today, I feel like I’m telling a “Goldilocks” story by reporting that I’ve found some bait that is JUST RIGHT.  Better yet, it’s very close to home.  I’ve only had a few hours on the water in the evenings this week, but the fishing has been very good.  Migratory fish are in the area and it’s just a matter of time before we get trophy-class striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay. Read More!

Looks like we’re settled in to a pretty typical summer pattern of breaking fish over hard bottoms.  The action around the mouth of Eastern Bay has slowed somewhat, but there’s plenty of fish on the west side from Thomas Point Light all the way down Cove Point.  I haven’t seen any huge schools of fish yet, just roving bands of stripers and bluefish.  They’re up and down quickly, so you have to have a good eye and react quickly when you see birds close to the water.  Since bluefish will quickly devour soft plastics, I’m throwing mostly metal jigs but occasionally switching to some of the newer generation plastics that are resistant to being bitten off.   Read More!

The period around the Independence Day holiday is typically pretty tough fishing.  There’s a lot more boats on the Bay than usual, and the fish lay low until things simmer down.  I got out twice this past week.  My first evening was spent with a friend from the TidalFish board, Mark.  I knew Mark to be a good fisherman from what others have told me, and I’ve been looking for an opportunity to get out with him to show him what I know of jigging around the Bay Bridge.  He has previously tried jigging, but had more success by live-lining or trolling. We finally got the chance to go this week.   Read More!