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?
Seventy to ninety percent of the world’s population of striped bass, or rockfish, are spawned in the Chesapeake Bay.
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 Gibbous- “During the second half of the lunar month, the moon grows thinner each night. We call this waning. Its shape is still gibbous at this point, but grows a little thinner each night.”
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:
Stemmers Run Boat Launching Ramp: Cecil County (Earleville) on the Elk River; 4 a.m. - 10 p.m. fishing year-round for Bluegill, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, White Catfish, White Perch, Yellow Perch and Northern Snakehead
Secretary: Dorchester County on the Warwick River; 24 hour, year-round fishing for Bluegill, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Striped Bass, White Catfish, White Perch, and Yellow Perch
Maryland Fishing Report- October 2nd compiled by Lyndsie Pratt from Anglers Fishing and Hunting (Click Here)
Rockfish: There’s a good reason why they call it “Rocktober!” Nice sized rockfish can be caught all over the bay right now. A lot of people are trolling tandems and umbrellas in 20-30 feet of water. The fish are scattered throughout the middle of the water column, so it’s a good idea to use a variety of in-line sinkers to mix up your lure depth. Trolling from the bay bridge past Hackett’s to the mouth of the Severn has been productive, as well as the mouth of the Patapsco. You can troll inside of the rivers as well! Try the Patapsco from the Key Bridge out to the Seven Foot Knoll, or the Severn from Round Bay to the Naval Academy. Jigging has also been productive around all of the traditional points, Belvedere Shoals and the Seven Foot Knoll. For shallower water, use a 5 inch paddletail on a lighter jig head, or try topwater. The topwater bite around shoreline structure and points has been hot in the Severn, the Patapsco and Eastern Bay!
Pickerel: Pickerel season is here! Upper parts of the Magothy and Severn are great places to target them. Eastern Shore Mill ponds such as Unicorn, Smithville and Johnson Pond are good spots as well. Use paddletails, x-raps, or live minnows to catch them!
White Perch: You will still find some perch in shallow water around structure, but they do tend to move a bit deeper this time of year. Look for them over hard bottom and oysters beds in the rivers and in the main bay. Love Point is a great spot to target them.
Snakehead: Snakehead fishing at Blackwater is slowing down a little bit as water temperatures cool, but we are still getting good reports from up in the Middle River and Bush River areas. The Patuxent, Severn and Magothy rivers are hit or miss, but as we start to see less anglers out targeting them, they may actually become easier to catch. Try using minnows or slowly fish a weedless paddletail.
Speckled Trout/Weakfish: Speckled trout are still being caught near the Little Choptank, in the Tangier Sound, and around the mouth of the Patuxent and the Potomac. We are also starting to see Weakfish show up in those same areas! Use small paddletails on light jig heads in shallow water, particularly around points.
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 10/07:
Low tide starting at 4:09 a.m. and 2:42 p.m.
High tide starting at 9:06 a.m. and 9:51 p.m.
Sunrise: 7:08 a.m.
Sunset: 6:39 p.m.
Thursday 10/08:
Low tide starting at 5:07 a.m. and again at 3:25 p.m.
High tide starting at 9:55 a.m. and again at 10:38 p.m.
Sunrise: 7:09 a.m.
Sunset: 6:37 p.m.
Friday 10/09:
Low tide starting at 6:07 a.m. and again at 4:17 p.m.
High tide starting at 10:51 a.m. and again at 11:31 p.m.
Sunrise: 7:10 a.m.
Sunset: 6:36 p.m.
Saturday 10/10:
Low tide starting at 7:03 a.m. and again at 5:21 p.m.
High tide starting at 11:52 a.m.
Sunrise: 7:11 a.m.
Sunset: 6:34 p.m.
Sunday 10/11:
Low tide starting at 7:54 a.m. and again at 6:33 p.m.
High tide at 12:29 a.m. and again at 12:55 p.m.
Sunrise: 7:12 a.m.
Sunset: 6:34 p.m.