Maryland Fishing Report - Updated Nov 6, 2015

“The Western Shore rivers have been on fire, alternately the shallows and the channel edges,” at times with birds working.” Lenny Rudow at Marine Editorial Services and www.boats.com said his sons have enjoyed fast action while casting topwaters from the shore, and wailed on fish up to 27 inches.” Rudow also reported a decent bite at Poplar Island, “with lots of throwbacks but a good number of
keepers in the 20- to 25-inch inch range.”

While anglers with Captain Richie Gaines at Angler’s Connection Guide Service have been catching rockfish in Eastern Bay, the downside is that they are “nowhere near the numbers of fish we had at this time last year.” Richie begins his day by catching a few stripers in shallow water in the early morning hours, then for the remainder of the day he keeps an eye out for bird activity to fish. “There may be 25 birds circling and diving but usually only a few fish under them. The water has been super clear and the fish spook if you get too close,” Captain Richie said. “I’ve been catching my limits but it has not been easy.” Many of the fish that have been hooked have been small 6 to 15 inchers, but enough keeper-size fish show up to keep it interesting. A recent trip did turn up “nice, fat 28- to 30-inch stripers on structure in 17 to 21 feet of water,” Richie reported.

pictured this week is Tidal Fish tsherman with a nice catfish caught in the Elk River. Check his full fishing report for details and more pictures.

Farther down the bay in the Crisfield/Pocomoke Sound/Tangier Sound area, Captain Walt at Light Tackle Charters provided a very upbeat reported. “Striped bass action in the shallows has remained RED HOT. Stripers to 28 inches have been slamming our offerings and clients are catching as many as 80 in a day.” For best action, Captain Walt recommended “casting artificials such as Storm Lures and leadhead jigs tipped with soft plastics to structure such as points, jetties, sod banks and wrecks.”