Blue catfish give a good showing of themselves and provide excellent table fare.įishing for striped bass picks up down the Bay a bit near Pooles Island, where anglers are having some success with live-lining eels and spot. A good oily bait such as menhaden tends to up the odds for a fish that uses its nose to find dinner. There are plenty of them and it does not take a lot of finesse to fish with cut bait in waters deeper than 20 feet. The big fishing story on the lower Susquehanna River and the upper Bay’s tidal rivers is fishing for blue catfish. Anglers are having some success casting at dawn for striped bass in the dam pool and just below it in the lower Susquehanna River, using topwater lures, jerkbaits, and paddletails. The Conowingo Dam is on an evening power generation schedule this week, so the dam pool is calm during the morning. These conditions did not help much with fishing anywhere in Maryland, but cooler weather this week should do much to begin a downward trend in water temperatures. Recent hot weather caused water temperatures to climb, and most fish have been doing their best to avoid the heat. To see the latest water clarity conditions, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps.Īs always, the best fishing areas could be further refined by intersecting them with underwater points, hard bottom, drop-offs, and large schools of baitfish.įor more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the Bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast. Expect average clarity in Maryland’s waters except on the main Bay near the mouth of the Patapsco River. There will be above average tidal currents all week as a result of the September 15 new moon. However, some streams will be running higher than normal due to recent, heavy rains in some locations. Check our map of areas of low oxygen to help determine the maximum fishing depth in your favorite area.Įxpect average flows in Maryland rivers and streams all week. The Patapsco River area has suitable oxygen conditions down to 25 feet. In the area from Tolchester to the Bay Bridge, avoid fishing below about 15 feet.

In Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay, oxygen conditions continue to be slightly better from Bloody Point south to the Virginia state line, with most places recording suitable fishing depths down to at least 35 feet. Overall conditions should result in Bay surface water temperatures holding stable in the low 80s.

The upcoming week should provide moderate temperatures with windy conditions on Thursday and Friday and a chance of rain on Sunday.

Forecast Summary: September 13 – September 19:

Chesapeake bay tidal chart