May 16th through December 10th— two Rockfish per customer with a 19″ minimum. Weather forecast Ocean City, Maryland ... this afternoon when he was pleasantly surprised by a knockdown that ended up being the first official flounder of the 2020 season here in Ocean City. Licences, Fees and Forms Notice: The Licences, Fees and Forms Notice sets the different forms and classes of fishing licence. Bill Corman shows us what can happen at times when you troll tandem rigged bucktails; this action took place off the mouth of the Choptank in late November. FLY FISHING SPECIALTY COMPANIES. Charter and party boats are now allowed to take anglers out to fish the last of the tautog season and the much anticipated opening of the sea bass season on May 15. An emergency speed zone regulation has been proposed to reduce wakes in this area. There will be above average. Fishing for blue catfish is very good this time of the year and they can be found in the tidal waters of the Potomac, Patuxent, and Nanticoke rivers. The mouth of the Patuxent, the area from Point No Point to Point Lookout and Smith Point has been a great place to jig or troll for striped bass suspended off the bottom in some of the deeper channel edges ranging from 30 feet to 40 feet deep. Trolling has been popular but it takes heavy tackle to deal with the even heavier inline weights needed to get umbrella rigs and tandem rigged parachutes down to where the fish are holding. In small ponds and creeks, largemouth bass can be found in waters that are not so deep, but they still will call for small baits that are retrieved slowly and close to the bottom. Those fishing the lower Potomac can keep two 20-inch striped bass until December 31. There will continue to be some striped bass action in and around the inlet and the coastal bay bridges. With the end of striped bass season, the action is slowing down as the fish in the lower Susquehanna River are feeling the chill of water temperatures below 50 degrees. Fishing for white perch is not getting any easier but it is possible to find schools of white perch hugging the bottom near deep oyster reefs in the bay or the mouths of the major tidal rivers. Daytime bay water temperatures have dropped to the 40s. The western side of the shipping channel is also providing some trolling opportunities. Fishing for blue catfish is very good in the lower Susquehanna and upper Chester River, and should continue into January. Every fisherman holds onto memories of fishing in their youth and their favorite “hot spots”. Warmest bay surface waters are located from Gooses Reef south to the Virginia state line. As we enter mid-December, expect unstable weather patterns with daytime air temperature in the 50s through Sunday and then cooling through next Tuesday, with temperatures in the 40s by day and 30s at night. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces the opening of the Chesapeake Bay summer-fall striped bass season May 16 in most of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. Click Before You Cast is written by Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment Director Tom Parham. Despite colder temperatures there is still plenty of good fishing ahead in the winter months. Anglers will still be able to fish in the bay but will have to practice catch and release. . Get regular updates on Maryland’s waters sent to your inbox with our Eyes on the Bay newsletter. Clams and jigs work well for sea bass and pieces of green crabs or white leggers work for the tautog. Many will now shift their focus to freshwater and ocean fishing — with freshwater providing the easiest opportunities and definitely the more comfortable. Tides typically vary quite a bit during the winter months and when they are low they can reveal these prized bivalves. “Many of us probably would be better fishermen if we did not spend so much time watching and waiting for the world to be perfect.” — Norman Maclean. This report is now available on your Amazon Echo device — just ask Alexa to “open Maryland Fishing Report.”, Call toll-free in *Maryland* at 1-877-620-8DNR (8367) Precision Fly Fishing and Tackle: Mt. Striped bass are being located at 30 feet to 35 feet and are taking soft plastic or metal jigs. Expect average clarity in most of Maryland’s portion of the bay and rivers. David Shaw shows us some of the rewards that can be found when fishing this time of the year as he caught and released this largemouth bass in the Sassafras River recently Photo by David Shaw. Please note that the. Live minnows are hard to beat when fishing for yellow perch, walleye and crappie. Please note that the slot for a state record swordfish remains vacant and the minimum required weight has been reduced to 300 pounds. The channel edge near Thomas Point and the edge from Chesapeake Beach south past Parkers Creek has been getting the attention of those trolling umbrella rigs and bucktails. for necessary regulations and shellfish maps where it is safe to harvest oysters. Bay fish including striped bass and white perch have moved towards the deeper but warmer waters as they prepare for winter in the river mouths or nearby waters, in areas with good structure and protection from strong current such as underwater points, channel edges, and bridge pilings with nearby oyster bottom and reefs. Pieces of bloodworm on a bottom rig is the best way to catch them. Fishing in Ocean City MD; Daily Angle ; Ocean City’s First Swordfish of the 2020 Season; By Scott Lenox. The fish ate a white Gulp 4″ swimming mullet on a one hook flounder rig and was way past keeper size at 19″.