[FlyFAmerica]

Fished today 17 March. Launched at Turkey point. Fished the dunes, nothing. Off of Rocky, nothing. 45 degree water, visibility 1 ft. Onto flats found 46 but no fish. By Perryville, still chilly and no marks. Up the river to Lapidum/ Deposit
Saw 3 boats trolling not catching. Went south on west side of Garrett island and fished in front of H de G no luck
Took the channel to Battery island and fished near there, nothing
Fished near Sandy point in the rain and called it a day by 4pm
Warmest water found was 46.3, clarity not bad but no fish for us today. No marks either except for some bait.

 

[Marshbum]

Thanks for the report. Being on the water better than working!

 

[shoot-straight]

Still aways from consistent fishing up there. Water coming down the river is still very cold. There are fish, but not worth the effort yet- for me anyway.

 

[longtail]

Thanks for the report. Being on the water better than working!

unless you work on the water

 

[pkeating]

Glad you got out FFA, and thanks for the report. Really would be great if we can get a little warmer in the next two weeks.

Pat

 

[SteveF]

From all the cow reports in the middle Bay I suspect they have left the spawning grounds.

 

[pkeating]

Or have not arrived yet

 

[shoot-straight]

Not gotten there yet.

 

[longtail]

They used up all their energy fighting that tow to the boat for a pic. They aborted and headed back out to sea.

 

[lrpbayarea]

 

[POLECAT]

Appreciate the report. I tried just about the same places for 6 hours a week ago. Not another soul in sight. Only 1 trailer on the Tydings lot. Wind has kept me from attempting another trip this current weekend and this coming Tuesday attendance at my buddy's funeral will keep me off the water. Hopefully warmer water and less wind in the very near future will happen. Good luck when you go again.

 

[Capt.Nick]

The water is too cold for them to spawn.Either the eggs wouldn't hatch or the fry would die Catch em up, There will still be plenty of Big Blue Cats to fish for you Trophy Hunters when the big spawned out Stripers are gone.There should be more and Bigger Blue Cats than ever before this year.

 

[andypat]

The blue cats are ruining the Marshy Hope. I fish there almost every day for about 7 years. I see it happening.

 

[hedjug]

From all the cow reports in the middle Bay I suspect they have left the spawning grounds.

Way too early for that. A few months early.

When the fish came up on the flats in big numbers:
-March was mostly dunking bait time. Water was too cold for decent lure fishing, but bigger fish could be found in spots while using herring as bait.
-First weekend in April would see big waves of mid sized fish - mostly hungry males - they would leak man juice all over the boat, so you know they were males.
-Waves of fish would come and go in April, with the right timing you could have some epic days. The big cow female was rare, it's mostly male fish C&R'ed.

-Spawning doesn't happen on the flats proper, and usually occurs in May. We used to go down off Sandy Point at Aberdeen, just south of the "flats" boundary, and watch the spawn during the first/second week of May. The surface of the bay would be littered with huge, flat out huge females, just sitting there - not moving, not scared of the boat... the week before the spawn - the best fishing you will ever see. A complete frenzy.

 

[Progger]

Way too early for that. A few months early.

When the fish came up on the flats in big numbers:
-March was mostly dunking bait time. Water was too cold for decent lure fishing, but bigger fish could be found in spots while using herring as bait.
-First weekend in April would see big waves of mid sized fish - mostly hungry males - they would leak man juice all over the boat, so you know they were males.
-Waves of fish would come and go in April, with the right timing you could have some epic days. The big cow female was rare, it's mostly male fish C&R'ed.

-Spawning doesn't happen on the flats proper, and usually occurs in May. We used to go down off Sandy Point at Aberdeen, just south of the "flats" boundary, and watch the spawn during the first/second week of May. The surface of the bay would be littered with huge, flat out huge females, just sitting there - not moving, not scared of the boat... the week before the spawn - the best fishing you will ever see. A complete frenzy.

Yup, peak moves up the state from early April thru May, depending on temps/ location. Typically, larger females spawn first.

Have seen them rolling/ spawning on surface, almost a sheen if flat calm.

 

[SteveF]

Ah....so all those big fish being caught mid-Bay are headed north, not south! Good if true!

 

[SteveL]

Walleye Pete posted a photo on FB of spawned out female caught today in MD waters. Facebook

 

[longtail]

or a female that aborted

 

[pkeating]

Let's see if you can hit this layup Longtail 🤣

Pat

 

[pkeating]

OMG - good job Longtail, you beat me by three seconds