Fishing report
The locations
Piney Run: Working the hydrilla beds with double-bladed spinnerbaits and large rubber worms will bring in largemouth bass, says Jim Gronaw at the park office. "Wacky worms" are also effective. Catfish are taking chicken livers and nightcrawlers. Sykesville's Scott Krug beat 100 other entrants and won the Catfish Rodeo Tournament last Friday with a catch of 4 pounds, 8.9 ounces. The next night fishing date is July 11.
Prettyboy Reservoir: Plastic worms, crankbaits and surface plugs fished off points and bars have been capturing bass, says Duke Nohe of the Maryland Aquatic Resource Coalition. John Quinn of Parkton caught and released a 17.5-inch largemouth bass with a Terminator spinnerbait in 12 feet of water.
Loch Raven Reservoir: "They're catching a little bit of everything, but white perch and bass are hot," says Kevin McComas at the Loch Raven Fishing Center. White perch are at the mouths of all the big coves, especially Peerce's Cove. Troll a nightcrawler on a spinner hook. The weed beds are thriving, and drought conditions are making it easier to find and fish the edges. Top-water lures are the best bet.
Liberty Reservoir: Take the kids to the shoreline near the Nicodemus Bridge to catch white perch, crappie and bluegill, says Doug Geis at Old Reisterstown Bait and Tackle. Nightcrawlers will do the trick. Early-morning and evening anglers are still catching bass on medium to large shiners. Rockfish, 18-23 inches, with a few walleyes mixed in, lurk off the bridge pilings and in shallow water. Fish extra-large shiners, chicken livers and white spinnerbaits.
Susquehanna River: Some smallmouth bass have been reeled in above Conowingo, says Capt. Mike Benjamin of Herb's Tackle Shop in North East. Small crankbaits and plastic worms work best. Another option is poppers during early morning or evening. Perch and catfish are abundant in the Northeast, Elk and Susquehanna rivers. Use shad darts, spinners, small twisters and hooks baited with bloodworms for white perch. Rockfish can be found in the flats. Bloodworms and nightcrawlers are the best bet. Trolling surgical tube with bloodworms, drifting small perch, storm shads, sassy shads, bucktails with twisters, and casting surface lures or crankbaits are good ways to catch stripers at the Susquehanna Flats, Port Deposit, Lapidum and Conowingo Dam. Crabs are flourishing in the top of the Elk River. Susquehanna Electric has adjusted the hours of operation for Fisherman's Park. The Conowingo Dam location is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Gunpowder River: Fishing is hot, hot, hot, and the anglers are, too, says Theaux LeGardeur of Backwater Angler in Monkton. The water is low, clear and 59 degrees. Sulphurs are slowing down; ants are picking up. Size 16 ants and parachute ants have been successful, as well as No. 18 elk-hair caddis with an olive body. Best action - between Masemore Road and Falls Road.
Patapsco River: The water is low and clear, says Joe Bruce of The Fisherman's Edge in Catonsville. Fish are sluggish during the day, so fish in the early morning or evening. Smallmouth bass, trout and panfish can be found anywhere along the river. Use small poppers, crystal and wooley buggers. Try tying a nymph ribbed hare's ear underneath the popper.
Triadelphia and Rocky Gorge reservoirs: Water is 80 degrees and clear down 3 feet, says Hector Padilla, the WSSC officer at Brighton Dam. An angler hauled in an 18-pound, 3-ounce blue catfish with a girth of 21 inches on a minnow at Browns Bridge. Another fisherman picked up a 6-pound, 15-ounce largemouth bass at Triadelphia on a jig. The reservoir also gave up an 11-pound, 10-ounce northern pike to an angler using a crankbait. Crappies are taking worms, jigs and crankbaits.
Chesapeake Bay: Croakers are plentiful in the bay, Patuxent and Potomac, says Capt. Jim Brincefield of The Tackle Box in Lexington Park . Bloodworms, squid, shrimp, and peelers will all generate croaker in the evenings on the Middle Grounds and in the mouth of the Patuxent. Croakers have been averaging 14 to 16 inches.Bottom fishermen going after spot in the Potomac and Patuxent have been averaging 6 to 10 a trip. Many trout have been caught around the Middle Grounds. Spanish mackerel have been spotted in the area. They are mixed with blues and rockfish and jump clear of the water by 4 or 5 feet. Blues in the 10- to 20-inch range are abundant everywhere. Rockfish can be chummed up almost anywhere. Cast lures early and late at the Gas Docks, Nuclear Climate Cliffs and almost anywhere around structure and shorelines.
Ocean City: Good-size flounder, stripers and a few trout have been reported at Shantytown Pier, says Sue Foster, owner of Oyster Bay Tackle. Flounder have also been flourishing in the Thorofare. Minnows or a shiner and squid combination work best. Some anglers have caught as many as 10 or 12 flounder with one or two keepers each on the Oceanic Pier. Fishing has been excellent from the U.S. 50 bridge. Several stripers and some large sea trout were caught on live eels. An angler reeled in a 15-pound, 13-ounce striper from the bridge. Also, tautogs are biting well at Sixth Street. Offshore, tuna have been caught at the Sausages, Lumpy Bottom and the Jack Spot. Inshore, the tuna are mostly bluefins. Farther out are a number of yellowfins. Various anglers are still trolling ballyhoos, but many are beginning to chunk butterfish. Full-size bluefish have been spotted, as well.
Potomac River: Lots of bait fish and grass cover has made fishing tough in the tidal river, says guide Ken Penrod of Life Outdoors Unlimited. Fishing will be a bit tougher all weekend as security is stepped up the District area of the river in connection with the July 4 celebration. Best bet is the Blue Plains area. Upriver, the water is clear and low. Juvenile smallies are giving anglers plenty of action in the holes of the upper river, just below Hancock. Also try the deep water right by Catoctin Creek. Pearl grubs and Yamamoto plastics work well. Small Clousers and 2-4 inch plastics entice panfish.