LOCATION: Eastern Bay, Chesapeake Bay
SPECIES: Striped Bass, Atlantic Croaker, Cow Nosed Ray, (Raja Bonasus)
UPDATE: June 13, 2011
FISHING CONDITIONS: It’s not yet summer but the temperatures sure wouldn’t tip you off. It’s HOT! That makes the breezes and being on the water that much better. There is plenty of bait everywhere but not much in the way of breaking fish. Changing flys is necessary to catch fish since the fish that are there are very keyed in on one thing. Match the hatch is the old credo and absolutely true now, more than ever. Better quality fish are still available along channel edges and at points with good drop-offs. Some quality fish can be picked up in shallow water in the darker hours at dawn or dusk.
WATER TEMPERATURE: Mid Bay 75+ Degrees, Lower Bay (CBBT) 70 Degrees, Near Coastal 68.
MOST COMMON BAIT: Bunker, Herring, perch, spot, silver sides and more.
“MUST HAVE” FLIES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE: Large (four inch) half and half’s, blue and white is still working best although all white and chartreuse and white are good choices as well. Smaller Clouser style minnows (1 ½ inch) in various dark and white colors are working at times better than half and half’s. Having a little flash tied in seems critical. When you find breaking fish, poppers or gurglers are working well on top water fish. These work at dusk and dawn in shallow water too.
RECOMMENDED LEADER: 20 to 30 pound test, 7 ½ foot or 9 foot non-tapered.
BEST FLY ROD AND REEL OUTFIT: 9 weight with large arbor reel
IDEAL FLY LINE TYPES: Full sink line in the fastest sink rate for waters around 6 to 12 feet and full float in skinny or if you happen to see fish on the surface or when fishing at dawn and dusk.
BEST TECHNIQUES: If I didn’t have sonar on my boat I wouldn’t be catching anything. I am making slow motion movements along channel edges and stopping quickly when I mark fish. I have stopped looking so much at the huge balls of bait since they are not producing as well as the smaller pods I locate nearer the bottom. As long as I can get a slow drift by either using a drogue (sea anchor) or even anchoring we can get the lines down to the fish and work the area effectively.
COMMENTS: Larger fish (24 inches and up) are present but difficult to catch. Keep a lookout when other fish area being pulled in and if another angler is on board they should be casting at your fly caught fish to pick up followers. This can be a nice bait and switch method to find better fish.
7-DAY OUTLOOK: It’s warming up to be a great summer. Pick your interest (schoolies or larger residents) and plan a trip accordingly. Weekend traffic on the water is high and weekdays are better for fishing if you can get out. Late day trips for four hours ending near dark can be a very nice alternative on both weekends and weekdays.
