This week's Catch of the Week is Sam Johns with his catch when he was fishing with PopPop at the mouth of the Severn River.
Submit your own catch of the week here and keep an eye out for your catch to be featured in one of our next Resource, Reports, and Fun Fish Fact articles!
Did you know?
Catfish have over 27,000 taste buds. Don’t think that’s a lot? Humans only have 9,000.
Weather (Click Here)
Along with checking the tides before you hit the water, take a last second look at the most updated weather report.
Today's Moon Phase according to NASA (Click Here)
Waning Crescent- “As it completes its journey and approaches a new Moon again, the Moon is a waning crescent.”
Public Angler Access (Click Here)
Use the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Angler Access map to find new fishing spots in Maryland. Here's an example:
Terrapin Nature Park: Queen Anne’s County (Stevensville) on the Chesapeake Bay; Open Year-Round, sunrise to sunset, fishing for Striped Bass, Bluefish, Spot, Flounder, Croaker, and White Perch
Maryland Fishing Report- August 14th compiled by Lyndsie Pratt from Anglers Fishing and Hunting (Click Here)
Rockfish: Striped Bass fishing is closed from August 16th-31st. If you are going out tomorrow to fish for them on the last day before the closure, we are getting great reports from the mouth of the Magothy River, the mouth of the Patapsco, the 7 foot knoll and the 9 foot knoll. There is a also a good bite further south at the mouth of the Eastern Bay and the top side of Poplar Island. Fish are in the low 20″ range, which is a nice size for this time of year! Live lining spot has been the method of choice for the most part, but you can also jig for them. Use your fish finder to seek them out.
Mackerel: Mackerel are the talk of the town right now! Just in time for the Rockfish closure, they are here!! They have been caught by the Bay Bridge, at Tolly Point and Hackett Point, and even in the Severn River! Your best bet of finding larger schools will likely be to head south to Thomas Point and Bloody Point. The further south you go, the more the numbers increase! Point Lookout and the Target Ship have been especially productive. Trolling #1 or #2 planers with Clarkspoons or Hard Head Custom Baits Spoons is the most popular method, but you can also catch them by casting metal jigs at breaking fish or diving birds. Cast as far as you can past the breakers, let it sink, and then reel it in as fast as you possibly can! There is no such thing as too fast with Mackerel!!
Bluefish: Bluefish are everywhere from the Bay Bridge south at this point. You will most likely catch them while trolling for mackerel. You can also fish for them with metal jigs or small paddletails. Use Z-man Diezel minnows because the Elaztech stands up to their sharp teeth!
Cobia: A few smaller sized cobia have been caught near the Target Ship, but most reports show that the larger fish are further south in Virginia waters. Trolling red surgical hoses at a slower speed is a great way to target them. Or, on calm day, sight cast for them using live eels or bucktails. Cobia tend to follow rays, so looking for schools of rays will help you to find them!
Red Drum: Small puppy drum are being caught in the shallows everywhere from Point Lookout up to the South River. Fish for them with soft plastics. Around Point Lookout, fish for larger bull reds with peeler crab!
Perch: White Perch are still everywhere! If fishing in the rivers, they will likely be on every dock that you cast towards! Use spinners like a small mepps!
This Weekend's Tide Predictions (Click Here)
Keep an eye on this weekend’s tide schedule. These are the predicted tides for the Western Shore of the Chesapeake from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Wednesday 8/19:
Low tide starting at 12:47 p.m.
High tide starting at 5:57 a.m. and again at 6:19 p.m.
Sunrise: 6:24 a.m.
Sunset: 7:55 p.m.
Thursday 8/20:
Low tide starting at 12:10 a.m. and again at 1:24 p.m.
High tide starting at 6:43 a.m. and again at 7:09 p.m.
Sunrise: 6:25 a.m.
Sunset: 7:53p.m.
Friday 8/21:
Low tide starting at 1:09 a.m. and again at 2:01 p.m.
High tide starting at 7:28 a.m. and again at 8:01 p.m.
Sunrise: 6:25 a.m.
Sunset: 7:52 p.m.
Saturday 8/22:
Low tide starting at 2:11 a.m. and again at 2:39 p.m.
High tide starting at 8:14 a.m. and again at 8:56 p.m.
Sunrise: 6:26 a.m.
Sunset: 7:51 p.m.
Sunday 8/23:
Low tide starting at 3:17 a.m. and again at 3:19 p.m.
High tide at 9:01 a.m. and again at 9:53 p.m.
Sunrise: 6:27 a.m.
Sunset: 7:49 p.m.
