The locations
Piney Run: Fish for largemouth bass around the growing hydrilla beds. Top-water lures are effective. Big bluegills are being caught 10 feet deep off the points. Use small minnows or wax worms under a bobber. Catfish, in deep water during the day, swim into the shallows later. Chicken livers, live minnows and cut bait have been effective options for these late afternoon feeders.
Prettyboy Reservoir: With warm-water temperatures, fish have entered normal summer patterns. Spider jigs, plastic worms and live crawfish have been attracting largemouth and smallmouth bass. Pig and jigs, jointed Rebels and surface plugs are also effective. For perch, troll a spinner with a piece of worm around points to locate fish.
Loch Raven Reservoir: White perch are being caught in the largest numbers of any fish. Troll a spinner with a worm - and hold on. Expect to hook a few pike and pickerel trolling shiny lures behind the boat. Bass are being caught on rubber worms, spinner baits and surface poppers around submerged structure. Bluegills can be found on the beds and caught on a piece of nightcrawler.
Liberty Reservoir: White perch can be caught around Nicodemus Bridge in the evening on a worm and bobber. Walleyes and crappies have to deeper water along the points and coves. Trout have been spotted near the surface late and early in the day. Cast Masters, Mepps spinners and Super Dupers may get a strike. Bass are hitting crawfish and night crawlers, as well as spinner baits and jigs.
Susquehanna River: Bass are being caught on spinner baits, tubes and rattle traps. Stripers are being caught at the mouth and up river. Turkey Point fishing has been good. Cat fish have been hitting on the Elk River.
Gunpowder River: With flow from the dam reduced, the water is clearer, as well as lower than it has been. Fish caddis patterns in the morning and midges at night. Terrestrial fishing has been hot. Black ants and beetles sizes 12-18 are catching fish. A size-10 black Woolly Bugger will also get some strikes.
Middle River: With improved numbers predicted, perch already are taking blood worms. At Swan Point and Love Point, rock fish and croakers are biting on eel, squid and bunker. Peeler crabs are also effective.
Patapsco River: High and off-color from heavy rain, the river still should provide weekend fishing. Fish big streamers and Krystal flash buggers in yellow or chartreuse. Surface patterns such as the Sneaky Pete will catch fish.
Triadelphia and Rocky Gorge reservoirs: A 12-pound catfish was caught at Rocky Gorge. A sizable largemouth bass was caught at Tridelphia.
Chesapeake Bay: In the upper bay, striped bass, white perch and catfish are being caught on blood worms and cut bait. On the Susquehanna Flats, largemouth have been caught on spinnerbaits around grass beds. The Summer Gooses, the Hill and Breezy Point are producing croakers. Channel catfish and perch can be caught along the Choptank River Bridge piers. Chumming is an excellent tactic for rockfish in the lower bay, where red drum have been caught and cobia fishing is getting better every day. Spots are in the Patuxent and Potomac. Blood and nuclear worms are catching fish. Croakers are biting consistently in the rivers and creeks. Perch can be caught off Herring Creek and the rock breakwaters off the Asbury complex north of Point Patience. Flounder fishing is hot. Sizable fish are being caught daily from marker No. 74 north to No. 76. Fish, holding at 36 feet, were taking minnows, squid and cut flounder belly.
Ocean City: It came about a month later than last year, but John Totty of Essex landed the season's first white marlin. Totty, aboard Marli, reeled in a 57-inch, approximately 60-pound fish that he released. The fish was caught at Washington Canyon on 40-pound line with ballyhoo as bait. The 45-foot private boat was captained by Mark Hoos Sr., with Mark Hoos Jr. as first mate. Ocean City will give Totty a $5,000 check for his catch. Tuna have been caught in the Washington Canyon from 30 to 500 fathoms deep. Fish in the 30- to 40-pound range are common. The fish may move farther north if the water warms. Mako shark fishing has been productive in the 20 Fathom Fingers, southeast of the Jackspot, up to inshore of the Hambone. Sharks average 100 pounds but some 200-pounders have been caught. Bottom fishing has been producing sea bass, tautog and flounder. Flounder fishing is expected to continue improving. One shoreline area to target flounder is the Oceanic Pier, where 10 keepers were caught on shiners and minnows. Sinepuxent Bay, near the airport, has been dubbed the hot spot for flounder. The Route 90 bridge has been producing croakers, blues and flounders. Trout can be caught off the Ocean City North Jetty on Storm lures. Fishing at night off the U.S. 50 bridge for trout has been the most effective time. Stripers, sea bass and sharks are being caught with some regularity.
Potomac River: The upper section is finally clear, and Mizmo tubes will catch smallmouth bass. In tidal water, fish are beginning to move with warmer water. Bridge foundations and docks in the District of Columbia are productive. Other areas to target are Blue Plains, The Spoils, Smoot Bay and Hog Island. Bass of all species are being caught on Mizmo tubes.
