Reel Chesapeake Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD

The Reel Chesapeake Fishing Report is written and compiled by writer and media professional, James Houck. Find the full report here, at reelchesapeake.com.

Very active week in middle Chesapeake Bay waters. Though a couple days of heavy fog made for dicey-but-doable fishing trips, the weather has been mostly stable with cold overnight temperatures in the 30s Fahrenheit and daytime temps reaching upwards of 45. The water has cooled down into the mid-40s. Anglers have taken advantage of these conditions. Winds persist but are manageable with Thursday, Friday, and Saturday looking favorable to get on the water.

Sunday will see a frontal system move into the region with gales. Small craft advisories will likely be in effect early next week. On Tuesday, the waning moon becomes new and the tidal currents will be relatively strong later into the week, with the most movement occurring afternoons into early evening.

The charter fishing fleet has been finding an excellent grade of striped bass in the middle Bay. A 15- to 20-minute ride from marinas and ramps on either side of the Bay (Annapolis or Kent Island) into the main stem has put anglers on schools of bass; sometimes large and working deep under masses of feeding birds. Other times, wolf packs roaming a bit deeper. Depth transitions and ambush points along the shipping channel, from the mouth of the Patapsco River southward to the Potomac River, are alive with fish.

It’s an expansive area, but with fish feeding heavily on the bunker, you should be able to find them on your electronics. Target areas include river mouths and their junction with deep water, especially major points such as Love, Sandy, Hackett, Tolley, Thomas, Bloody, Cove, and Cedar. Also the lower-80 channel buoys and those marking the deeper water at the Choptank River mouth.

With the colder water temperatures, fish will be closer to bottom, so jigging lead heads with plastics, large flutter spoons, or rain minnow style jigs to get down deep is key—anything 1 to 3 ounces should get to the fish. Trolling heavy umbrella or tandem rigs is also popular, but with only a couple days left of keeper-season, expect trolling traffic on the Bay to curtail significantly.

After December 10th, striped bass fishing becomes a catch-and-release affair until next summer. And that’s okay because the light tackle game for stripers moving back into the Bay from the Atlantic migration should be excellent this winter.

Some Bay anglers are also targeting the new black sea bass fishery that seems to have developed this season in the middle Chesapeake. Bottom rigs baited with Fishbites has been a preferred tactic we’re seeing. The fish have been hugging structure (Bay Bridge pilings) or reef sites. The same can be said for white perch, as the species continues to congregate for wintering in deep water.

Chain pickerel are on many anglers’ minds, myself included. Kayak and small craft folks that can’t access the larger Bay for stripers are having a ball in the region’s rivers, small creeks, and impoundments targeting these feisty fish. Light to medium tackle and a variety of lures can catch the aggressive pickerel. Right now, with the water temps in the 40s, jerkbaits worked slowly with pauses upwards of five seconds can be deadly. As the water gets a bit colder, work them even slower (10 second pauses). And if you get a pickerel to chase your lure to the boat but not commit, try changing it up and casting something different right away to the same fish. An inline spinner or small jig/plastic perhaps. The best waters for pickerel include the Severn, Magothy, and Patapsco rivers, and the Eastern Shore millponds.

Yellow perch are increasingly in the mix—same waters, but also in the upper Tuckahoe, Marshyhope, and Patuxent systems. Small micropaddletails or stingers on 1/16 to 1/8-ounce jigs, or beetlespins should get bites. Try the back ends of creeks or around any grassbeds. You may also find crappie in the mix, especially around laydowns with crowns in water deeper than 6 feet.

I think we’ll also see an uptick in blue catfish reports as more and more anglers turn on to them. There’s been excellent fishing this week for the invasive species in the Potomac River, from D.C. south; in the Patuxent River, from Jug Bay south; and the Nanticoke River system on the shore. Try fish finder rigs weighted appropriately for the depths and currents you’re fishing (it could take anywhere from 1-ounce to 10!), and baited with the freshest chunk you can get your hands on. Good luck!

View the full Reel Chesapeake Fishing Report, written and compiled by writer and media professional James Houck, at reelchesapeake.com.

Angler’s Sport Center Fishing Report – Annapolis, MD 

The Angler’s Sport Center fishing report is compiled and written by Anglers Team Member, A.J. Lewis. 

Upper and Middle Bay

The Susquehanna River has become a prime destination for blue catfish enthusiasts. Known for their impressive fights, these invasive fish not only provide an exhilarating angling experience but also offer an abundance of delicious meat for those looking to stock their freezers. The combination of a thrilling catch and a rewarding culinary outcome makes blue catfishing in the Susquehanna River a standout experience for avid anglers! As water temperatures continue to cool down, blue catfish in the area are becoming more active, leading to increased success for anglers. Various lures and baits are proving effective, with the favorite choices being cut soft crab or cut bunker.

The white perch in the tidal rivers of the upper and middle Bay have transitioned to deeper, warmer waters. Anglers targeting these fish at the bottom of deeper channels are finding success using bottom rigs, particularly the Chesapeake Sabiki Rig tipped with live or artificial bait such as FishBites or bloodworms. White perch tend to school up in these areas, offering anglers the opportunity for steady, reliable action. If you hook one, chances are you’ll be in for a productive day on the water!

Late fall and early winter brings about prime pickerel fishing conditions, with the cooling water temperatures activating these predatory fish. Chain pickerel, known for their ambush tactics, lurk around structures and shallow grass, patiently waiting to ambush unsuspecting prey. To capitalize on this behavior, anglers are finding success with paddletail swimbaits that exhibit lots of action. The lively movement of the swimbait proves enticing to pickerel, making it a top choice for a successful late fall and early winter fishing experience.

As the fall progresses, anglers are observing a decline in striped bass activity as these fish migrate south to seek warmer water temperatures. While they are becoming more scarce each day, anglers are still finding success by targeting them in deeper waters, particularly around channels. A variety of tactics, including jigging and trolling, are being employed. Anglers are having success with umbrella or tandem rigs, strategically deployed around the mouths of major tidal rivers. Stripers are being hooked at varying depths, ranging from 30 to 60 feet, providing anglers with numerous opportunities and locations for a rewarding catch.

South Bay

As white perch migrate out of tidal rivers, anglers are discovering schools congregating in deeper waters, particularly in the steep channels outside of the Patuxent and Potomac. The preferred method for targeting these fish in their new habitat is using bottom rigs. Anglers are finding success with this approach, offering an effective way to connect with white perch in deeper waters. As the seasons change, adjusting techniques to follow the movements of the fish ensures a continued and rewarding angling experience.

Anglers are shifting their focus to target catfish, particularly blue cats, as water temperatures cool and other fish migrate. This resilient species serve as an excellent alternative when other fishing opportunities slow down. The invasive nature of blue catfish means there’s no creel limit, offering ample chances to fill your freezer with their abundant and delicious meat. Successful anglers are employing cut bait, such as soft crab or cut bunker, to entice bites. Key areas like the mouth of the Potomac, the Nanticoke River, and Jug Bay are proving to be hotspots for these plentiful catfish. Get ready for some exciting blue catfish action in these prime locations.

Exciting news from the lower Potomac River area! Anglers are experiencing greater-than-usual success in landing striped bass. The key to their success lies in spotting birds chasing migrating baitfish, a clear sign that striped bass are in pursuit as well. Jigging beneath these flocks of birds has proven an effective technique for striped bass anglers. For those preferring trolling, the most effective techniques currently involve using either an umbrella rig or a tandem rig in water depths ranging from 30 to 60 feet. However, a friendly reminder to fellow anglers: when trolling around birds, be cautious not to disrupt the area by trolling through the school of bait. This consideration ensures a positive fishing experience for everyone trying to get in on the action.

The Angler’s Sport Center fishing report is compiled and written by Anglers Team Member, A.J. Lewis. 

Sailing out of West Ocean City, Captain Monty Hawkins of Morning Star Fishing Charters is still out there getting boat limits of black sea bass on the offshore wrecks. On Monday the 4th, the skipper’s group of anglers battled high north winds and lots of weeds in the first half of the day, but the fishing picked up when the gusts died down below 10 knots. The whole boat proceeded to get their limit of sea bass, with some big porgies in the mix. Baited high-low rigs and heavy jigs were getting the job done.

Maryland DNR Fishing Report

Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. 

Freshwater

Fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye has been good – cooler water temperatures always get these two fisheries going and they should last through much of the winter. Deep Creek Lake, Prettyboy Reservoir, and the upper Potomac and lower Susquehanna rivers are excellent places to fish for smallmouth bass. Deep Creek Lake, the upper Potomac and the lower Susquehanna hold good populations of walleye. Most anglers like to use root beer-colored tubes and a mix of soft plastic swimbaits, and crankbaits for smallmouth bass; and soft plastic jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and small crankbaits for walleye.

Trout fishing in many of the specialized trout management waters is very good this week for those who enjoy catch-and-release and fly fishing. The preseason stocking of trout will begin soon, so trout anglers should start checking the DNR trout stocking website.

Fishing for crappie is good this week, and they can be found schooled up near deep structure. Sunken brush, bridge piers, marina docks, and fallen treetops all fit the bill. Slowly working a small minnow or marabou jig under a slip bobber near the structure usually works well.

The cold winter months and fishing for chain pickerel go hand-in-hand. Anglers are having fun targeting the fish along shoreline sunken wood or deeper wood such as tree stumps in flooded reservoirs. The upper sections of the Bay’s tidal rivers is a great place to find chain pickerel, often near docks, pilings and fallen trees.

Anglers fishing with small minnows and Beetle-Spins will start to encounter yellow perch in the middle to upper sections of the Bay’s tidal rivers and creek. The fish tend to wander farther up the waterways when water temperatures are as cool as they are. When water temperatures dip below 40 degrees they will travel down river to deep holes and channels where they will hold until warming spring temperatures bring on the urge to head upriver to spawn.

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays

The southward migration of large striped bass has finally entered Maryland waters this week, but a large portion of these fish will unfortunately be moving through waters beyond the 3-mile mark off Maryland’s shores and into the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Most of these fish will also far exceed the maximum legal length of 31 inches to keep one. Some of these fish will surely pass along the beaches and ardent surfcasters will enjoy the action.

At the Ocean City Inlet there is no shortage of striped bass for anglers to enjoy. Most of the striped bass being caught fall short of the 28-inch minimum but provide plenty of fun catch-and-release fishing. Casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails is the most popular way to target them. They can also be found near the Route 90 and Verrazano bridges.

Each day more and more tautog are being caught in the inlet and Route 50 Bridge area and many are exceeding the 16-inch minimum, making anglers very happy. Pieces of green crab or sand fleas are the most popular baits.

The boats taking anglers to the offshore wreck and reef sites are finding limit catches of black sea bass for their anglers onboard. Other charters are now targeting tautog and some impressive catches are being reported.

Bluefin tuna are moving through our area, usually within the 30-Fathom curve and as close as 5 miles or so. Most of the time they will be seen pushing water as they swim relatively close to the surface and tend to have no interest in the offerings of anglers, whether they try casting or trolling. There is a way to entice a bluefin to take a lure while swimming within a migrating school – use a No. 4 stainless steel Drone spoon, rigged on 16 feet of  No. 7 wire for bluefins in the 50-125 pound size. Get ahead of the school at about a 100 yards and start to pace with the school while someone pays out line till; the fish believe the Drone spoon is within the school. Then start jigging sideways and bam – you should hook up with a fish. This has worked time and time again and please note, no other spoon will work, only that No. 4 Drone in stainless.

Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. 

The post Maryland & Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report- December 7, 2023 first appeared on On The Water.

This might not be the fishiest spirit we’ve taste-tested at OTW, but if there’s one quality our Fish Booze Reviews have had in common thus far, it’s that they each find a way to give back to their communities. Tamworth Distilling’s Crab Trapper Whiskey removes invasive green crabs from New Hampshire’s coastal waters to create a crab-infused bourbon. Rhode Island’s Industrious Spirit Company distills their Ostreida Vodka using fresh-from-the-sea oysters harvested from local and regional shellfish farms. Now, Bluebird Distilling in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania has collaborated with the lifestyle brand, Jetty, to release a special edition bourbon designed to capture the flavor and essence of coastal adventure. The catch (no pun intended), is that 10% of Breakwater Bourbon proceeds are applied to the protection, maintenance and long-term care of our oceans and coastal waterways by the Jetty Rock Foundation.

Since 2014, Jetty—which was founded on Long Beach Island, NJ—and their nonprofit foundation, through events and donations, have raised over $2 million for coastal businesses, individuals and communities in need. A comprehensive look into their history of charitable donations can be found here.
 
Bluebird Distilling is most well-known for their small batch whiskies, and as someone who enjoys a good Manhattan on the rocks, I jumped at the chance to try this salt-spirited bourbon. As told by the distillery’s founder, Jared Adkins, Bluebird’s goal is to create craft spirits from scratch using local ingredients. An avid surfer himself, Adkins was eager to partner with the Jetty Rock Foundation to release a lightly smokey, smooth-sipping bourbon that captures East Coast adventure in a bottle.

Before even breaking the seal, I noted how the bottle alone exudes a coastal aura. There’s something about the stout-necked, cork-plugged look that resembles old-fashioned bottles of rum and whiskey that seafaring scalawags swig in the movies. If I spotted the aqua-blue label on a liquor store shelf alongside big brand names, I’d be intrigued by the aesthetics alone.

A couple weeks back, I rounded up the crew at the OTW office for a taste test of Breakwater Bourbon. After dishing out shots of crab whiskey to my coworkers a few week earlier, there was some understandable hesitation from the peanut gallery. However, no crustaceans were harmed in the making of this whiskey.

Upon cracking open the bottle, a pleasant and familiar aroma of charred whiskey barrels wafted into my nose, complemented by light notes of cherry and cinnamon. And while the smokey scent lingered as I tipped back my glass, it wasn’t overbearing in the slightest.

Breakwater Bourbon is aged for 5 to 7 years in charred American Oak barrels before being finished in Brazilian Amburana barrels. Admittedly, I can’t tell the difference between the two; to my unrefined palate, smokey tastes smokey. But the lightly charred flavor profile of the whiskey was swept away by delicate waves of cherry, vanilla and what tasted like a bit of caramel (which I later learned was toffee).

Like any good whiskey, Breakwater Bourbon doesn’t go down too smooth, like water. There’s a slight burn that lingers on the tongue, which I attributed to the tasting notes of candied ginger. If you’ve ever eaten a piece of candied ginger, it looks deceptively sweet, but it’s a bit spicy. I thought it was an appropriate addition to the flavor profile; because what angler, sailor or surfer has ever had a smooth, relaxing day on the ocean that wasn’t abruptly followed by a day of heavy wind and high swells?

For a 750 mL bottle of 90 proof bourbon that rings in at only $55 a pop, Breakwater Bourbon is pleasant, flavorful and rugged all at the same time.

Whether toasting to a successful day on the tuna grounds back at the dock, or sipping around a creekside campfire, Breakwater Bourbon is a well-rounded spirit with a dynamic taste that can be enjoyed by whiskey aficionados, watermen and new drinkers alike.

Click Here to shop for Breakwater Bourbon online

Related Content

Fish Booze Friday Review: Ostreida Vodka

Fish Booze Friday Review: Crab Trapper Whiskey

Fish Beer Friday Reviews

The post Fish Booze Friday Review: Breakwater Bourbon first appeared on On The Water.

“It’s definitely way better than sea worm whiskey.” – Andy Nabreski

“You can really taste the crab.” – Jimmy Fee

However, the OTW team hadn’t had our fill of shellfish spirits. So, right around 5 o’clock, we cracked open a bottle of the Industrious Spirit Company’s Ostreida vodka, which is distilled with… you guessed it, fresh oysters.

Oysters are essential to maintaining a healthy, balanced saltwater environment. Each individual oyster is capable of filtering over 150 liters (40 gallons) of water per day. According to NOAA, oysters feed on algae and bacteria by filtering them out of the water, like an underwater street-cleaning crew. This filtration process dilutes nutrients in the water, so too many oysters in one area can be just as detrimental as having no oysters at all. To find another use for these important mollusks, ISCO Spirits decided to utilize their filtration abilities to create an exceptionally smooth, slightly salty vodka.

The Industrious Spirit Company is based in Providence, Rhode Island, where they produce all of their spirits from scratch. Their hand-crafted Ostreida vodka, which was released in 2018, plays a surprisingly important role in the areas of sustainability and supporting regional/local shellfish farming operations. A portion of sales from each bottle goes to GreenWave— a non-profit organization that supports a network of regenerative ocean farmers—and each bottle of Ostreida vodka is tagged with the specific oyster farm and harvest location used to make that batch. Each 750mL bottle is only $40, although the bottle’s elegant design combined with the crisp, refreshing flavor profile will leave you thinking it costs double that.

Stirred on ice and strained, my glass frosted up and I tossed back the first sip like a freshly shucked oyster. My taste buds were met with a gentle, almost buttery vanilla flavor which, unlike many vodkas, finished smooth with a slight hint of saltiness reminiscent of the waters from whence the oysters came. Because the 100% organic corn-based vodka is distilled with oysters in the actual still, it is incredibly mellow and lacks the unpleasant burn that concludes the taste of most big name brand vodkas. And believe it or not, there is no fishiness to it. Instead, the delightfully briny opening flavor is rounded out with notes of earthy minerality that would make Ostreida a great base for a Bloody Mary, a vodka tonic with lemon, or a dirty martini. However, it might not be my number 1 choice for a Moscow Mule or a Gimlet.

Overall, this is an approachable vodka with a savory, creamy finish that can be enjoyed equally by the blue collar bass fisherman who just got off the water, or the clean-cut conservationist at a cocktail party. It’s like a low salinity, consumable sea water capable of giving you a buzz.

“It’s a nice vodka with a little bit of sweetness to it.” – Andy Nabreski

“… a little briny, but in a good way.” – Zack Zeytoonjian

“Taste’s like sweet victory.” – Robbie Tartaglia

And just in case you aren’t sold on the flavor, it’s worth mentioning that the used oyster shells are composted, and the spent grains are sent to a local farm to feed pigs and cows. Bottom line is, if you’re looking for a uniquely tasty, locally and sustainably sourced spirit that utilizes and protects our coastal resources, this vodka is for you.

The next time you toss back a few fresh oysters, bring the meal full circle and wash ’em down with a shot of Ostreida.

(If you have a fish-themed spirit you think we should try, please send an email to mhaeffner@onthewater.com)

The post Fish Booze Friday Review: Ostreida Vodka first appeared on On The Water.

Green crabs can burrow into sandy bottom where they feed on shellfish like clams, oysters and mussels, and each crab is capable of consuming 40 to 50 shellfish per day. With few natural predators in New Hampshire aside from tautog, their increasing presence takes a toll on the livelihoods of New Hampshire’s shell fishermen, and on the greater marine environment. In search of a unique solution to their overpopulating, Tamworth Distilling partnered with the University of New Hampshire to address the growing problem in their coastal waters.

The small batch, bourbon-based whiskey is aged for nearly 4 years before it is infused with a crab stock, which was cooked down using over 90 pounds of green crabs trapped in Seabrook, NH. The result: a sustainably sourced whiskey steeped in a green crab, corn and spice blend.

I lean towards bourbon and tequila as my choice spirits for cocktails, so when I heard of a bourbon infused with green crabs, I was intrigued. Green crabs are one of the most popular bait choices among tautog anglers on the East coast, and for good reason. They’re smelly, oily, and with their fiery-orange-tinged bellies, they’re easily noticed by blackfish dwelling around reefs, wrecks and boulders. I enjoy tautog fishing as much as any bottom fishermen, but I must admit, I never considered cracking open a greeny to taste for myself.

Upon breaking the seal, the sharp, unmistakeable aroma of green crabs wafted into my nose. The scent immediately transported me to a jetty with a pair of rusty shears and a box of hot-tempered green crabs. I had the sneaking suspicion this was going to be a tough drink best suited to fishermen with strong stomachs.

Chilled over ice, I tossed back the first sip and my tastebuds were met by a spicy concoction with notes of clove, cinnamon, maple and vanilla—a pleasant surprise. It was a very smooth introduction for this pretty-looking booze that smelled of the sea. As I thought to myself, “where’s the green crab in this?”, it hit me like a ton of bricks. This bourbon finishes with a bite, holding true to the scrappy demeanor of green crabs. The crab flavor was there alright. A second sip allowed me to polish off the remainder of my pour, and again, the smooth opening taste consisted of comforting flavors like vanilla and cinnamon, masking the spicy crabbiness until the finish. It was like taking a shot of whiskey during a day of tautog fishing, and chasing it with a quick lick of the fingers.

I didn’t love it, but I certainly didn’t hate it either. Crab Trapper Whiskey would act as a nice base in a Hot Toddy this holiday season, especially with an extra dash of honey.

All things considered, Crab Trapper would be a great gift for the tog fisherman or conservation-minded angler in your life. I’d imagine it pairs well with a platter of stuffed quahogs, crab cakes or a warm bowl of Andy Nabreski’s tautog chowder. Or, if you fancy a glass of brown liquor, and one you can feel good about consuming after a long outing on the water this fall, you’ll probably enjoy this flavorful, sharp-finishing blended whiskey. I recommend tasting it with a drop of water or ice before tossing it into some sort of crustacean cocktail.

Now you can justify a little post-fishing booze by saving New Hampshire’s shellfish populations, one glass of Crab Trapper at a time.

The post Fish Booze Friday Review: Crab Trapper Whiskey first appeared on On The Water.

Greater Niagara Region

Frank Campbell

There has been some water movement out in the lake and things have changed a bit thanks to recent winds, but fishing is still good for salmon and trout. Capt. Pete Alex of Vision Quest Sportfishing reports that good numbers of brown trout are being caught in under 70 feet of water with an occasional salmon (now that the water is cold on the inside). There are numerous bait mounds inside of 70 feet of water, which attracts the browns and occasional salmon. Dreamweaver DW size and Michigan Stinger Stingrays off riggers, sliders, divers and 7 and 10-color lead cores or 200-foot and 250-foot weighted steel or coppers (all off boards) are working best according to Alex. There are pods of kings with an occasional Coho and steelhead mixed in offshore out to 450 feet of water right now. They are moving daily, and the best approach is to cover as much water as possible until you find a school of fish and then work them. Spoons are best in the top 60 feet. Flasher-flies and meat is best when fishing below 60-foot is working best right now. Mixed classes of salmon are being caught with occasional matures mixed in. Out of Olcott, Scott Rohe of Cheektowaga reports steady but slow action on kings. He fished 100 to 300 feet of water. Spoons on the 70-foot rigger were hot. Also, a diver out 220 feet with a flasher/fly took some nice salmon. In the Lake Ontario Counties Salmon, Trout and Walleye Summer Derby, Cameron Hasner of Greece, NY is still leading for the Grand Prize with a 28-pound, 11-ounce Orleans County fish. Connor Suba of Ohio took over the Steelhead lead with an 11-pound fish he caught out of Olcott with Capt. Kurt Driscoll of Stalker Charters. The derby continues through July 30. Check out the leaderboard at loc.org.

The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association held its in-club tournaments Friday and Saturday and hats off to the winners. In the Saturday LOTSA King Salmon big fish contest, Bob Herkalo of Bangor, Penn. with the Sweet Jane team that included his brother Mike, caught the biggest fish overall — a 25.82-pound salmon they reeled in between Wilson and Olcott in 225 feet of water with an NK Green Dolphin spoon. It was caught on a diver back 165 feet on a No. 2 setting. The big king currently sits at eighth place on the leaderboard for the LOC. In the club’s 3-2-3 contest, which amounted to three fish over two days with three winners, it was Robert Schneider of Massachusetts and the Royal Flush team with his son Devon Glynn of Massachusetts, with an impressive three fish total of 69.19 pounds. Schneider found a huge temperature break in 210 feet of water, 60 to 80 feet down. Flashers and cut bait did the trick to produce two 23-pound kings Saturday. Runner-up was the Streaker team with Matt and Marc Dunn, as well as Doug Parker Sr. and Jr. They totaled 62.09 pounds of salmon by fishing off Wilson in 400 feet of water, using 300 and 400-foot copper lines rigged with meat and flies behind flashers to produce the big boys. Leading the way in the Curt Meddaugh Memorial 3-Fish contest on Friday, Gary House of Hamburg led the Red Dawn team with a total weight of 56.28 pounds. Streaker finished runner-up there, too, with 54.74 pounds of salmon. Big fish on Friday was Marty Polovick of Lockport with his 4 Poles team, weighing in a 23.7-pound king salmon. Check out all the details at lotsa1.org.

Good news in the Niagara River – the moss is nearly gone. Mixed reports on river action both above and below Niagara Falls. Bass action in both the upper and lower river sections can be good, but it appears you must be using the right bait in the right spots. For example, Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston reports that one angler took three drifts at Stella Niagara in the lower river and caught 27 bass on drop shot rigs. Crayfish will also work well for bass. In the upper river, Thure Larson of East Amherst reports decent bass fishing around Motor and Strawberry islands. Catching the largest fish of the day was Whitney Williams of Lockport, showing up her father Jim and Larson. Her two biggest fish were 4-5 pounds.

Wayne County Fishing Update

Chris Kenyon

Lake Ontario

The Sodus Pro-Am was held Saturday and Sunday, with all the action at the weigh-ins under the tent at Sodus Point. See the complete leaderboard for Pros and Ams

The salmon have been in water 150 to 200 feet, down 90 fow. The meat rigs are catching more fish; however, flasher flies and spoons will work.

Charters are fishing straight out from Sodus and Port Bays. July and August have been the most productive for kings in Wayne County.

Don’t forget the LOC Summer Derby started Saturday, July 1st and continues through July 30th.

Bays

The largemouth bass are being caught near the islands in Sodus Bay. Fish between LeRoy Island and the east shoreline.
The weeds are heavy at the south end of Sodus so use your Texas rig when casting into or around weeds.

For the tasty bluegills… fish Port Bay. The “gills” have been caught everywhere. Use small jigs tipped with spikes. Launch your boat at the south ramp off West Port Bay and start fishing on both sides of the bay.

The largemouth bass fishing is also excellent in the 500-acre Port Bay.

Erie Canal

The bass are hitting at Widewaters. Fish the south side next to the weedlines. Widewaters has an excellent Wayne County Park and launch site. Launching at Widewaters will give you the longest distance between locks in the county.

Bait for fishing is available on the south end of Sodus at Davenports and Bay Bridge Sport Shop.
On Port Bay Jarvis Bait Farm is open on Brown Road. The signs are on East Port Bay Road at the junction of Brown Road.
Toadz Bait is near the end of West Port Bay Road.

Notable Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes

The following list offers a summary of the most notable fishing regulation changes resulting from the adopted rulemakings described above.

• New statewide regulation for rainbow trout, brown trout, and splake in lakes and ponds. The season will now be open year-round, with a five-fish daily limit, any size, with a “no more than two longer than 12 inches” harvest rule.
• Statewide Atlantic salmon regulations will now allow for a year-round open season.
• Ice fishing is permitted on all waters in New York unless specifically prohibited with the exception of Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties where previous rules remain.
• New specific dates replaced floating dates for statewide season openers to include:
  • May 1 – Walleye, Northern Pike, Pickerel, and Tiger Muskellunge.
  • June 1 – Muskellunge. (Note that in 2022, DEC will allow for the fishing of muskellunge beginning the last Saturday in May to accommodate previously planned fishing trips);and
  • June 15 – Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
• A five-fish daily walleye limit in Oneida Lake.
• A new regulation to limit the growth of the walleye population in Skaneateles Lake. No daily possession limit; 12-inch minimum size limit, open year-round.
• The statewide sunfish daily harvest limit has been reduced from 50 to 25 fish: and
• The statewide minimum size limit for crappie has been increased from nine inches to ten inches.

Orleans County

Orleans County Sportfishing Coordinator Ron Bierstine:

Like the most recent up and down summer weather, the water conditions are up and down too. Rain and thunderstorms coming and going along with some winds. The winds though are not long lasting or too stiff so according to Captain B. Songin it’s been just enough to sometime move cool water in and warm water out or you might find the cooler water out and the warmer water in. And most action is in 100 – 200 fow. For the most part though the weather hasn’t kept trollers off the water for any long periods and good fishing continues. Mid week is looking like clear skies and then chance of rain or storms returning end of week.

Captain L. Borrelli fishing out of Bald Eagle Creek found plenty of teenage Kings this past weekend and his best water was 100 – 150 fow and fishing 70 – 90 ft down. (See picture below.) He found some of that cool in shore water for the end of the weekend and then the action was best 50 – 60 ft down. At trolling depth the currents have been tricky, probably because of the water moving and mixing so experiment with your trolling direction for best action. For Captain L. Borrelli it was a spoon bite and he says the “fishing continues to be good with summer in full swing.”

The rec husband and wife team of Phil and Jenny S. (pictured above) recently dialed in on some big Kings. They enjoy Lake Erie walleye action and found the Kings pulled a little harder and burned just a little more drag then walleyes! They were liking it and their excitement showed. One hundred ten – 130 fow water was best with meat on riggers and spoons on dipseys and flasher/flies on a 400 copper all working. They ran their spread anywhere from 50 – 90 ft down. I’m guessing they’ll be back for more big King action!

No results yet from the latest 2nd round of KOTO so when those come in we’ll get those out.

• The LOC Derby is in full swing and runs from July 1st to the 30th. Follow them on Facebook. View the current leaderboard here.

Oswego County

Don’t Miss Spey Nation!

Visit the website to learn more….

August 11-13, 2023

Oswego County Tourism caught up with the organizers to ask some questions about the event:

Q. Spey Nation is just around the corner, is there anything unique that anglers won’t want to miss?
Angler’s won’t want to miss out on hearing from industry experts in a casual Q/A setting. It’s also an opportunity to take a hands-on class with an expert instructor that will be sure to improve any angler’s skills.

Q. Can anyone come to Spey Nation?
The Friday night social hour at Tailwater Lodge and Saturday presentations at the Pineville Boat Launch are all open to the public with no pre-registration needed. The classes require a fee and pre-registration (www.swingthefly.com/spey-nation/)

Q. What’s the best way for attendees to interact with you leading up to the event?
The event link on the Swing the Fly website provides all the details on the event including the presentations and class registration. As for social media Spey Nation is on Instagram (@speynation) and Facebook (@SpeyNation).

Charter Tips – From the Captains

Click Here to Watch the Video

1. Get to know the area. If you’re in town the night before go check out where you have to meet in the morning. It’s better to know before hand than get mixed up in the early morning hours. There will be a lot going on.

2. Take motion sickness in advance. If you’re going to take motion sickness medication: start the day before your trip. If you wait until morning of, you could get sick before it’s in your system

3. Get supplies ahead of time. Make sure you have supplies the night before you trip: food, drinks, etc. You don’t want to be late waiting on subs to be made. Also remember stores don’t sell beer until 9am in NYS.

4. Go over you expectations with your Captain the day before the trip. E.g. fish you would like to target. Nothing worse for the captain than customers showing up wanting to fish browns and the captain had already set up for salmon. But remember conditions change so take the Captain’s advice too. That’s why you hired them.

5. Be prepared for the weather. Dress in layers, have rain gear, and don’t forget the sunscreen. Conditions can change quickly don’t let the weather ruin your day.

6. Be on time.

7. Buy your License ahead of time.

8. Stay Hydrated.

9. Book early and give notice if you have to cancel. Prime fishing days book far in advance. So plan as far in advance as you can. We all know life happens and having to canceling your trip could happen; just do right by your captain and let them now asap. This will give them a chance to rebook the day.

10. Enjoy the day. You’re not at work, you’re fishing.

Free Oswego Fishing Guide

Click Here to Order a Free Guide

The 68-page guide includes a detailed overview of fishing opportunities on eastern Lake Ontario, Oneida Lake, the Oswego and Salmon rivers and a variety of other tributaries, as well as the more than 40,000 acres of public lands available for hunting.

The post Upstate and Western New York Fishing Report- July 20, 2023 first appeared on On The Water.

I must start off by admitting I can’t actually declare this an official fish beer. There is nothing fishing related on the can. But anyone that has ever visited Menemsha Harbor on Martha’s Vineyard will attest that it is perhaps the fishiest port in the Northeast. It’s where Captain Quint docked his boat in the movie Jaws (the greatest fishing movie ever made), and to this day it looks pretty much the same as it did in the movie. 

Offshore Ale Co. is the only working brewery on the Vineyard. Their brew pub in Oak Bluffs is a popular destination for local anglers to cool down after a day of fishing. Until this year, their beers were only available on the Island, but they recently began distributing to liquor stores off-island. 

Their Menemsha Pale Ale is a refreshing brew. It pours a light amber with a hint of haze. With a juicy hop flavor, light tangerine smell, and light carbonation, it makes for a perfect day-time fishing beer. I would drink this beer again. 

The post Fish Beer Friday Review: Offshore Ale Co. Menemsha Pale Ale first appeared on On The Water.

At first glance, I was skeptical that this could be considered a true Fish Beer by the name alone. But upon closer inspection, the artwork on the can includes a small depiction of a center console equipped with 3 fishing rods. And upon even closer inspection, there is a tiny logo with two fish hooks. Yeah!

The post Fish Beer Friday Review: Coronado Brewing Company’s Salty Crew first appeared on On The Water.

Greater Niagara Region

Frank Campbell

It was a fun week of fishing all the way around with the county bullhead contest, some early salmon and trout catches, smallmouth bass action turning on above and below Niagara Falls – including a massive 7.9-pound smallie – and the first reports of smelt off the Lewiston Sand Docks. Hopefully, the weather doesn’t shut things down for a few days.
 
It was brothers Taz Morrison from Wilson and Trevor Morrison of Buffalo who walked away with the top honors for first and second place in the 10th Annual Niagara County Bullhead Tournament last weekend. Taz won first with two fish weighing 3.90 pounds and Trevor scored second with 3.55 pounds to win $500 and $300 respectively. There were 131 anglers, including 32 junior anglers 12 years old and under competing in the contest last weekend. Top Junior angler was Ashton Botting with a 2-fish weight of 3.42 pounds. The winning Morrison duo were fishing in Wilson Harbor during the day and using shrimp

Capt. Joe Sourji with Angler Edge Sportfishing sends word that Chuck Lott III from Morgantown, West Virginia, caught a personal best smallmouth bass while trolling with him over the weekend, a 7.9-pound fish. They also caught a mixed bag that included other bass, Coho salmon and lake trout, working the waters with crankbaits in 8 to 15 feet of water in the lake.

On the Niagara Bar, the trio of Mike Hooper, Mike Mongan, and Walt Zebker, all from Grand Island, took their maiden voyage on Sunday and caught a 17-pound king salmon and a Coho salmon using NK Goldie Hawn spoons in 35 feet of water. The first salmon of the year are always memorable. Other anglers further to the east, such as off Wilson and Olcott, were doing well on a mix of salmon and trout. It’s not too early to sign up for the Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby set to be held May 5-14. Sign up at loc.org. This is the place to be!

In the lower river, Mike Fox of Youngstown sends word that the first reports of smelt have come in at the Lewiston Landing area. Catches have been sporadic. Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls reports that he had 5 feet -plus of visibility but the rain Sunday night combined with cold winds colored up the water a bit. We are now sitting at 3 feet of visibility and not knowing if any more color change was coming due to more wind in the forecast. Ziehm caught his fish, including lake trout, steelhead, and walleye, on his No. 4 chartreuse and orange mixed spinners and silvers or white and silver bucktail jigs. Tommy Holycross of Wheatfield reported that the NYPA Fish Platform was on fire this past week for a mix of species. Multiple steelhead were hooked and landed, mostly on beads. However, Holycross said a few were caught on minnows. Mike Rzucidlo of Niagara Falls caught 4 lake trout and a sucker using pearl-colored tubes and No. 4 spinners on Monday. Minnows fished off three-way rigs will take fish from boats. Down at the mouth, Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston reported good action the tail end of last week at the mouth casting for bass and Coho salmon using jerkbaits with media maven Todd Ceisner with In-Fisherman Magazine. They caught a half-dozen Coho salmon.

In the upper river above Niagara Falls, Wade Winch of North Tonawanda and his wife, Lisa, enjoyed some great action their last time out using Ned rigs and swim baits. They boated over a dozen bass in a late afternoon trip.

Wayne County Fishing Update

Chris Kenyon

Lake Ontario

Browns, lakers, and a few salmon are being caught trolling east of Sodus Bay to Port Bay and back.
Fishing was good over the weekend until the wind turned and came from northeast on Sunday.

Browns were in 10 to 15 fow and were hitting Bay Rat stickbaits and perch colored Smithwick trolling lures.
Lakers were in 45 fow and hitting spin and glow with peanuts.

Bays

Port Bay has clearer water than last week. Some crappies were caught on the south end of the bay, straight out from the boat launch. Crappies will bite on anything that is bright. They are a suspending fish so move around close to shore in 10 fow. New legal size is now 10 inches for keepers.

The channel at the north end of the bay is now open and in excellent shape for boat traffic…deep and wide. You can launch a boat at the DEC ramp and go out in Lake Ontario.

Sodus Bay has perch action on the northwest corner of the bay. Perch have been in 20 fow. Use chartreuse and white two- or three-inch rubber bait or go with live minnows.

The bullhead bite is on. Bay Bridge on the south end of Sodus is a popular spot or rent a boat and fish close to shore. Worms are still the favorite bait for catching bullheads.

Pike season ended March 15th and resumes May 1st.

When you launch your boat… remember from November 1st until May 1st New York’s law requires you to wear your PFD. That means it cannot be laying around your boat. It must be worn.

Bait for fishing is available on the south end of Sodus at Davenports and Bay Bridge Sport Shop.
On Port Bay Jarvis Bait shop is open on Brown Road. The signs are on East Port Bay Road at the junction of Brown Road. In Ontario, Grantley’s Bait at 1864 Route 104 Ontario, NY.

Erie Canal

The crappies are hitting under the Port Gibson Bridge at Widewaters. Fish from shore or launch a boat at the Widewaters launch site.

This is another hot spot for tasty panfish…bluegills and sunnies.

The New York State Canal Corporation recently announced that, conditions permitting, all portions of the New York State Canal system are scheduled to open Friday, May 19, 2023, at 7:00 a.m. for the 199th consecutive season of navigation.

Notable Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes

The following list offers a summary of the most notable fishing regulation changes resulting from the adopted rulemakings described above.

• New statewide regulation for rainbow trout, brown trout, and splake in lakes and ponds. The season will now be open year-round, with a five-fish daily limit, any size, with a “no more than two longer than 12 inches” harvest rule.
• Statewide Atlantic salmon regulations will now allow for a year-round open season.
• Ice fishing is permitted on all waters in New York unless specifically prohibited with the exception of Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties where previous rules remain.
• New specific dates replaced floating dates for statewide season openers to include:
  • May 1 – Walleye, Northern Pike, Pickerel, and Tiger Muskellunge.
  • June 1 – Muskellunge. (Note that in 2022, DEC will allow for the fishing of muskellunge beginning the last Saturday in May to accommodate previously planned fishing trips);and
  • June 15 – Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
• A five-fish daily walleye limit in Oneida Lake.
• A new regulation to limit the growth of the walleye population in Skaneateles Lake. No daily possession limit; 12-inch minimum size limit, open year-round.
• The statewide sunfish daily harvest limit has been reduced from 50 to 25 fish: and
• The statewide minimum size limit for crappie has been increased from nine inches to ten inches.

Orleans County

Orleans County Sportfishing Coordinator Ron Bierstine:

Trib wise – back to a bit of a cool down in the weather for this beginning and mid week period after some unseasonably warm temps. There was some precipitation on the cool down with a chance of showers today. Look for a slight warm up for end part of the week/begin part of the weekend and then another cool down end part of the weekend/begin part of next week. Flows for now down some from slightly high to about medium and slightly stained with 2 – 3 ft of visibility in the Oak. Water temps are just hanging in cool enough now thanks to the cooler weather to hopefully still find a few steelhead lingering or dropping back in the Oak.

Fishing pressure pretty light so reports are thin to confirm any steelhead hook ups. There are definitely smallmouth bass catch and release chances though and guys have been into some good Lake run fish. The other area smaller tribs have moderate and dropping flows and slightly stained or going toward clear water color with mostly bass and warm water hook up chances. A west wind forecast today and tomorrow after the previous flat and calm and clear should make for some stained water brown trout pier and shoreline casting chances especially on the backside days as things clear for semi stained conditions.

For the open Lake action, we are following a stretch of flat and calm where the near shore waters went on the clear side. Even in that skinny water, Capt. Jon Forder from Mister Sportfishing found some hungry brown trout along with a mixed bag catch including a real nice Coho. Check out the pic below for a great fish that jumped 5 feet out of the water! There’s been good numbers of mostly smaller browns hooked up but some bigger drop back trib fish are mixed in. For the mid week period looks like we may get some stiffer winds that could set up some nice near shore color for end of week or weekend.

And Capt. Rob Westcott from Legacy Sportfishing says “any rain, wind and cooler temps should improve the shoreline brown trout action later this week. Lake trout action should improve as the season moves along generally in that 50 – 80fow range. Bait is showing up in the 80 – 160fow range and they’ll be moving closer shortly. Look for better numbers of Kings in the spring catch as the bait moves in.”

All in all, things look ahead of schedule but maybe some cooler weather will help stall the spring time action from moving along too quick. Enjoy your rec or charter action and practice catch and release where practical for good future hook up chances! Spring and cold water shallow fish probably offer the best chances of the season to let a few successfully go.

Capt. Lou from Get the Net Fishing Charters said the past weekend was a tale of two fishing stories. “On Saturday we found great color and decent temps in 7 – 10fow. Out of Bald Eagle we headed east and just before Troutburg we picked up a small brown. As the sun came up a slight E wind started up and pushed a little colder water in. We made our pass to Devil’s Nose and then headed back west toward port hoping for some warmer water. We found the warmer water from port to the Pines and the bite was good so we worked that water for a good number of bites. Most were smaller browns with a few better ones mixed in. What worked for us was Warrior XL black pearl, Coville Crusher and Green Spoiler. On Sunday it was tougher action when we worked the same water. The water was clearing and the bite disappeared. We picked a couple fish but headed out deeper hoping for better action. We worked out to 60fow and got just a small Coho, so we ended the day early. There were a few other boats that landed Kings. It was a beautiful morning on the Lake for us regardless!”

Oswego County

Salmon River

Click Here of the 10 day Forecast
Click Here to see the the CFS at Pineville

The water on the Salmon River has finally stabilized after ups and downs over the last few weeks. This has led to some good fishing. After the extremely warm weather we saw last week things have cooled down tremendously; which will help keep water temps down and prolong the river season.

Steelhead are still in the act of spawning. So be careful where you wade. Fish are still spread throughout the entire river from the upper FlyZone to the DSR. So overall crowds have been light.

The best bait to use right now are beads and pink worms! Best color varies but a good starting point are beads that have a yellow hue. Fire worms and power bait have been good in the bubble gum color.

Fly anglers have been finding success running egg patterns in a variety of colors, such as copper pink, peach, and chartreuse. An egg sucking leech or woolly bugger in black or olive has been productive too, along with the “San Juan worm.”

Lake Ontario – Oswego

Click Here of the 10 day Forecast

The water around Oswego Harbor has been clearing up as the high water flows from the Oswego River subside. Finding active fish in colored water is the key to a successful trip this time of year. Boats have been having success both east and west of the harbor.

Best baits have been standard size stingers in a mix of colors. Glo Alewife, Black Widow, Uv buster, and Killer Mongoose. Other options are stick baits in black silver, blue silver and Jailbreak.

Lake Ontario Report – Mexico, NY

Click Here of the 10 day Forecast

In Mexico Bay, the water has less color and the fish are more spread out than Oswego. Concentrate around the creek mouths and you should find better color. But with the west winds this week the fish should be pushed back into the shallows and also condensed.

In the Clearwater, black and silver‘s black widows, gold perch, ghost and golden bass have all been taking plenty of bites.

Oneida Lake WalleyeFest Derby

What?
Now in its 44th year the derby will be updated, expanded, and made into a 3-day Music, Food, and vendor festival to kick-off SPRING in CNY! WalleyeFest consists of:

• 2-day Walleye derby with KIDS only division, Largest CASH prizes of ANY derby in NYS!
• Live Music Friday & Saturday nights
• Food trucks & beer tent
• Outdoor Sports
• Home & Outdoor show on festival grounds
• In-water boat show with Demo rides.

Who?

The Awakening Angler YouTube Channel and O.M.F. Events/ Limp Lizard BBQ have partnered together to carry on the CNY tradition of the opening weekend Walleye Derby on Oneida Lake.

When?

May 5 – Sunday May 7. The festival starts Friday night at 5pm with a kickoff party. The festival runs on Saturday from 10am – 10pm and Sunday 10am – 6pm at Lighthouse Park Rt 37, Central Square NY.

Where?

The Derby is on Oneida Lake NY. Measuring stations are located around the lake. Derby Headquarters and Festival grounds are located at Lighthouse Park, Co. Rt 37, Central Square NY. 13036

Free Oswego Fishing Guide

Click Here to Order a Free Guide

The 68-page guide includes a detailed overview of fishing opportunities on eastern Lake Ontario, Oneida Lake, the Oswego and Salmon rivers and a variety of other tributaries, as well as the more than 40,000 acres of public lands available for hunting.

The post Upstate and Western New York Fishing Report- April 20, 2023 first appeared on On The Water.

From now on, I’ll only kayak fish for albies with three setups. Each of the rods is 7-feet with a size 3000 reel, and each is tied up with a separate offering; one with a soft plastic (Albie Snax or JoeBaggs sand eel), one with a resin or epoxy jig, and one with a casting egg and fly. Along with the Exo jig, the “splash and feather” (casting egg) technique prevailed this week.

Suffice to say, if you “match the hatch” as we fishermen always say, you will likely be rewarded.

Albies continue to slash bait across South Cape. For the most part, they’re really large fish and they still seem to be mixed in with Spanish mackerel, and even bluefish. I hooked several snapper blues while casting into albie feeds. It surprised me that little snappers are sometimes quicker to grab the fly or the jig than the little tunny were.

The above photos were taken only a few days apart, and it demonstrates exactly why I now approach them in a kayak with three different presentations.

The mornings are getting chilly, birds are flocking around inlets at sunrise and sunset, and baitfish like peanut bunker, bay anchovies and silversides are in thick. This is full-fledged Fall Run fishing, and today is quite literally the first day of autumn. With large storms approaching the northeast, a pressure change and a cold front should kick things into another gear.

Here at the On The Water office, most of us are still chasing albies or stripers; recently, OTW’s Patrick Washburn has dialed into a bite in Buzzards Bay using JoeBaggs resin jigs. Patrick said that it took some figuring out, but the albies were cruising in the waves and scooping up bait with far less voracity than usual by using the current to their advantage. Instead of gunning it to and from different albie “hotspots”, Patrick experienced this spectacle in open water with no other boats around. This is a perfect example of why taking it slower and observing our surroundings can yield success.

But speedsters, snappers and stripers are not the only visitors that our team has enjoyed this week. OTW’s Andy Nabreski and Jimmy Fee have dialed into a Northern Kingfish bite on Cape Cod using squid for bait.

Admittedly, I was unaware that these little members of the drum/croaker family made it this far north. Cape Cod’s waters are still warm, and these tasty little fish are apparently plentiful if you know where to look.

In my experience, kingfish will swim in large groups around jetties in the open surf. When I lived on Long Island, I used to target them while on the beach with friends using bloodworms and Fishbites and a basic baitfinder rig next to the jetties. Employ a pyramid sinker in sandy surf to keep the baits in one place, and keep a close eye on the rod tip; it’s tough to feel them bite at times. They’re great shark bait, but they’re also very tasty when lightly battered and fried— then again, most fish are tasty when battered and fried.

For those anglers interested in “bigger and better” things, the Cape Cod Canal has been fishing well for seemingly everyone but yours truly. I’ve taken several frustrating trips to the Canal in the past two weeks with nothing to show for it; so here’s the scoop from a more knowledgable source…

Canal veteran East End Eddie Doherty reports:

“Stephen at Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay said that big bluefish are still chewing up soft plastics jigs in the east end. The west end has large striped bass waiting in the hole under the railroad bridge to ambush disoriented baitfish flowing by in the fierce current, but the area next to the mainland side of the bridge (AKA the Combat Zone) is the only spot to access these trophies on a west tide with tangled lines and short tempers part of the price for success. Several fish in the 40 inch class have taken soft plastic jigs there including a linesider measuring 49 inches! One hundred yards away, Justin Perdiz of Mashpee continued using his white Al Gags soft plastic jig even though hundreds of fish were breaking in a wild blitz on an early east tide. The sight of the surface being ripped up causes most anglers to clip on a pencil, but Justin’s knowledge that bigger fish are usually on the bottom paid off with a nice 38 inch linesider! Steven Murray of Plymouth had his Cosmic Wacky Mack Savage Gear Sandeel dancing off the bottom, landing a 36 inch striper on a dropping west tide. Vietnam war era Marine Corps veteran Steve Colleran of Buzzards Bay, caught his share of slots and nice size bluefish, and Westwood’s Derek Curley reeled in a 33-inch blue that hit his yellow pencil. Kyle Garces from South Africa is working as a line cook at Moby Dick’s in Wellfleet for the summer. He wet a line at Bell Road catching 38 & 30 inch linesiders as well as a 13 pound bluefish,  all on his Cosmic Wacky mack Savage Gear Sandeel. Tim Petracca of Bourne, Bill “on the grill” Prodouz of Pocasset, Mike LaRaia of Mashpee and Paul “the painter” Gravina of Sandwich were casting together when all 4 rods bent in unison with fat bluefish on each line!”

I’ll take another couple swings at the Canal this coming week, despite my poor timing and bad luck.

Offshore, bluefin tuna fishing continues to be productive for those anglers willing to go the extra mile (or 20). Following an informative episode of the On The Water Podcast with Captain Dom Petrarca, Devin Acton’s The Weekly Salvage filled me in on the happenings of an offshore October that’s just around the corner:

“Storms, the commercial closure and weddings have conspired to delay my next tuna funeral until October, a month unparalleled in the annals of Cape Cod angling. It’s a segment of the season that is not only historically productive, but uniquely rewarding in the sense that successes are usually ‘earned’. Whether it’s the temperamental weather patterns that demand constant attention or early sunsets that allude to the season’s finiteness, October has a distinct “4th quarter” feeling. It’s this sense of urgency that seems to raise the stakes on every trip that starts in the crisp dawn…”. You can read his full report here.

I can identify with wedding season taking away from precious time on the water. Make the most of those brief windows of free-time by planning for an upcoming outing and readying your boat and gear for a run to the canyons. When that window of opportunity arises, advanced preparation will allow you to strike while the iron is hot.

Here’s a rundown of “What’s Biting” from some of our local captains and shops:

Captain Elena Rice of Reel Deal Fishing Charters in Truro reports:

“It was a week for jigging RonZ baits – as most days our boats had at least one, if not multiple hook-ups with RonZ including two mid-50-inch fish. Bobby also brought in this 98” fish on bait. Great stretch ending today due to the heavy winds, but the Fall is just beginning (literally). We look forward to getting back out early next week to resume the hunt!”

Captain Kurt Freund of Fishsticks Charters in Martha’s Vineyard reports:

“After a frustrating trip chasing fussy, uncooperative albies earlier last week, Martk Renzetti shared another trip with Bob and Judy Peterson and we managed to connect with a few of these fish near Nobska on Friday. On Saturday, our Derby team, Fishsticks with Charter Sauce, returned to Squibnocket, where we’d had a very productive trip the weekend before. This time around, not so much. We did catch three bonito, but none were big enough to qualify for Derby weigh-in. It seemed to be an unusually slow day at a spot that has been consistently good. Finally, my good friends, Capt. Richard Cascarino and David Amaral and I set out yesterday on a quest for Derby glory.

It was probably my best trip of the season, but with an 18-pound bluefish and a 16-pound albie already on the Derby leader board, glory was going to be a difficult goal to accomplish. I was happy to settle for a “Wow, nice fish!” when I weighed in my bluefish at Derby Headquarters. We caught a LOT of bluefish and they were all big. I kept saying “I can’t believe we’re releasing all these 9 and 10-pound fish because they are the small ones!” There were a few albies mixed in with the bluefish and they were big as well. All our fish were caught on trolled deep-divers. We did see a few signs of fish on the surface, but most of our time was spent trolling.”

Captain Ross of Cape Cod Charter Guys in Bourne reports:

“We’ve seen some good fishing this past week. We’ve primarily been catching albies, smaller blues and some schoolie bass; albies are the name of the game right now though, and I’ll be back out there in the morning chasing them again. We’re really looking forward to tautog season too, which is right around the corner.” Call Captain Ross to book (508)566-4723 or go to capecodcharterguys.com

Connor at Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay reports:

“The Canal is picking up. Bluefish have thinned out, and are now mostly in the East End. The West End has been consistent recently with a good amount of stripers coming up ranging between 30 and 40 pounds. A west tide and/or first light seem to be the keys to finding a good striper bite on the jig. Most jigs in blue or green mackerel are working well. There are also lots of albies in Buzzard’s Bay, although they’re not pushing very far north. They seem to be concentrated to the south, with a few popping up here and there by the Canal.”

Amy at Sports Port Bait and Tackle in Hyannis reports:

“This week was another EPIC Albie week! We have reports of Albies from Chatham to The Elizabeth Islands, so find some shoreline somewhere in there and you’ll at least have a chance of hooking into those speedy hardtails!

Fishing buddy, Tony and I got out on our kayaks and we took some video of our stellar morning. You can also see my amatuer hour of losing my rod overboard. I guess I should invest in a rod holder. You can watch the lights out fishing video here and also below. I was most successful using with The Albie Snax in the white pearl color. Tony did equally as well with Epoxy Resin jigs, also in that white bone color. We certainly timed our first albie trip right because that morning was one for the books. At one point we looked around and there were 4 other anglers hooked up. This is certainly an anomaly to most days fishing for albies. I talked to a few customers who were also catching albies. One person said green was his color of choice and another said pink…so a variety is good to have for when they are more finicky than they were on this particular morning!

On top of that, customers are catching snappers and scup from the inlet jetties. Slot bass are in the salt ponds across south Cape, and can be caught using topwaters, soft plastics and chunked bait like mackerel. Elizabeth Islands are seeing albies, blues, striped bass and sea bass caught on SP minnows. Make sure you release those sea bass, and enjoy the great fishing!”

• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain around Cape Cod and the Islands!

Cape Cod Fishing Forecast

Striped bass fishing should continue to improve in the Canal as well as on the Outer Cape beaches as temperatures cool. There’s certainly plenty of bait around for them to get their fill as the migration picks up steam. However, keep in mind that it’s not always easy to fool stripers when they’re keyed in on small bait like bay anchovies, sand eels or peanuts. This time of year, think small and you may catch big. Four- to five-inch paddletails on lightweight jighwads work well around dense schools of bait and active feeds. Drop them below the bait schools to find the stripers, as any lingering bluefish are likely to be close to the surface and will shred those offerings. Stripers will also begin to crush diamond jigs, small casting jigs and other metals, as well as epoxy and resin jigs.

With all the snapper blues around, kastmasters, flies and small jigs will catch; meanwhile, larger blues seem to remain around the canal chasing bigger bait like mackerel and squid.

Enjoy albie fishing to the fullest by keeping a few rods rigged and ready with different offerings in order to decipher what they’re feeding on. There aren’t many bonito around south Cape, but there have been scattered reports of them in Cape Cod Bay and Cape Cod Canal.

This weekend is StriperFest! If you can muster up the strength to put down the rods for one Saturday during the Fall, this is the day to do it. Come down to Falmouth Marine Park and join us in celebrating another year of great striper fishing. Have a beer, win a prize, take a demo ride with Yamaha into Vineyard Sound, and meet some like-minded anglers at StriperFest. Check out the Striper Cup website here for more information.

If we don’t see you down there, be safe and enjoy the weekend on the water.

Catch you next Thursday.

The post Cape Cod Fishing Report- September 22, 2022 first appeared on On The Water.

Scotty’s Marina and Fishing Station has always been one of my favorite spots on Long Island. Conveniently situated along Reynold’s Channel in the quaint beach town of Point Lookout, it’s a quick one-stop-shop at the water’s edge. I’ve started and ended my days there many times; they began with 6 a.m. bait grabs before fluking inside Jones Inlet, and ended at Buoy Bar to refuel with a well-deserved, apres-fishing beer. There was always a reason to swing by Scotty’s, and recently, anglers have been stopping in with their hands full. Coolers of cobia are coming in at an alarming rate, and each fish has been bigger than the last.

It seems like each summer, more, and larger cobia are finding their way north with the massive bunker pods that linger off of Long Island. These subtropical pelagic predators typically feed on crabs, squid and smaller fish, but as relatives of the remora, they are frequently found scavenging alongside sharks. Each year, several cobia are landed by anglers fishing from boats and the surf on Long Island’s south shore, and they often come as an accidental bycatch; but rarely are specimens of this size caught at this rate, and in such close proximity to each other.

Last Thursday, July 14th, Captain Tony and his crew aboard the F/V Berth Control started an unofficial race for the biggest cobia this summer. After fishing around bunker schools out front of Jones Inlet, the F/V Berth Control pulled into Scotty’s weigh station with a 45-pound cobia.

They are apparently in thick, because it took only a day for that 45-pound cobia to be topped. On Friday, July 15th the “Anchor n’ Spanker” crew hoisted a hefty 54-pound cobia at Scotty’s Marina, which officially began the unofficial race for a giant cobia.

Then, on Saturday the 16th, Pat Crowley and his mate Andrew Distler of the F/V Cherry Grove went out for redemption. To my surprise, Pat told me he and Andrew had already been intentionally searching for cobia. The duo had hooked and lost two cobia already two weeks prior, so Crowley knew where to find them. Although they hoped for a 30-pound fish, Pat and Andrew brought in a 62-pounder on a live bunker, which topped the fish Scotty’s Marina weighed on Friday and created a rush for near-shore bunker pods among those who have the means to reach them.

Finally, to close out the weekend festivities, Captain Charlie McNulty and his crew tipped scales and dropped jaws at Scotty’s Marina with an 87-pound cobia on Sunday the 17th.

As of now, almost all reports of cobia are coming from Long Island’s west end, but there’s plenty of life around bunker schools to the east as well. Last week, On The Water’s L.I. Field Editor, Tim Regan (@southforksalt) captured footage of what he believes to be a large cobia following a school of cownose rays near the Hamptons.

UPDATE: 7/25/2022

Three more cobia were weighed at Scotty’s Marina this weekend— weighing 30, 55 and 45-pounds, respectively— and many more were caught across Long Island. Although none of them topped the 87-pounder from last week, the fish certainly don’t seem to be going anywhere.

Are there triple-digit cobia roaming the bunker pods off of Long Island this summer? We haven’t found out yet— but I spoke to my friend Bill Falco, co-owner of Chasing Tails Bait & Tackle in Oakdale, and he believes a 100 pounder is not out of the question. Bill sent me this picture (shown below), taken back in 2017, of Captain Steve Dunn holding a 95-pound cobia that he caught on a live bunker, and weighed at Chasing Tails.

With Long Island’s summer bunker populations, it seems that the presence of large cobia has become increasingly common each year. At this rate, it would not be surprising for someone to pull a near 6-foot, 100-pound cobia from Long Island’s resident bunker fields. Who’s it going to be?

The post Long Island’s Unofficial Race for a 100-Pound Cobia first appeared on On The Water.