Fish Lines by Washington Post's Gary Diamond

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Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, July 23, 2004; Page WE56

Fish Lines

What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- There's a very heavy algae bloom on the main river south of Occoquan Creek. In the District, largemouth bass and stripers are scarce, but there have been scattered reports of both in the Washington Channel. Deep-diving crankbaits can be used to probe the drop-off near Fort McNair wall, where a few guides managed to sink their hooks into the jaws of largemouth bass last weekend. Scattered catches of walleye, crappie and channel catfish were made by shorebound and boating anglers alike fishing with live minnows near Fletcher's Landing. Just above Woodrow Wilson Bridge, Fox Ferry Point, the underwater chunks of concrete in the gravel pit and South Point near Smoot Bay all produced a few mid-size bass for anglers casting tube lures and spinnerbaits along the edges of the few remaining grass beds. Boat docks and adjacent grass beds south of Hog Island, grass beds in Broad and Piscataway creeks and the drop-off between Dogue Creek and Gunston Cove also provided a few fish. Overall, largemouth bass and striper action in the tidal Potomac River ranges from poor to fair.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- The waters are relatively clear in many locations, and most anglers reported fair catches of smallmouth bass. At Lander, when the water level at Point of Rocks is below three feet, you can fish both upriver and downriver of the ramp. When the level is higher than four feet, upriver is the best and safest option. Use tubes and stickbaits in rocky areas near deeper pools and underwater ledges. Best areas this past week have been Huffman, Sawbuck and Fence ledges, the deeper waters adjacent to Catoctin Creek and Burkharts Riffles. At Whites Ferry, fish the Maryland side of Harrison Island, Balls Bluff and ledges near Edwards Ferry and Goose Creek.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA.) -- Through much of the spring and early summer, the river has been high, muddy and unfishable. The past week provided a few chances to catch fair numbers of smallmouth bass and walleye near Three Mile Island and Conowingo Lake. Most were taken on tube lures and spinnerbaits, but the largest fish were taken on live minnows fished along the river's rock-strewn shores.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- The lower reaches of both impoundments provided anglers with good catches of crappie, channel catfish and a few largemouth bass. Nearly all were taken on live minnows, but a few of the bass smacked deep-diving crankbaits fished in the submerged brush piles and trees in the middle and upper reaches of Triadelphia Reservoir.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- The white perch seem to have scattered over a large area of open water between Dulaney Valley Road and Loch Raven Drive bridges. While trollers continue to catch fair numbers of perch to 10 inches using spinners trimmed with a piece of night crawler, the fish are not concentrated in their usual summertime haunts. The lake's middle reaches, uplake of the Log Jam, provided plug casters with a few largemouth bass to four pounds while casting the shallows near the mouths of small coves and spring-fed creeks.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Trollers using deep-diving crankbaits and fishing just above Liberty Road Bridge continue to catch an occasional striped bass to 15 pounds, plus a few chunky walleye. Uplake, a mix of white perch, crappie, bluegill and channel catfish were caught near Nicodemus Bridge by shorebound anglers dunking live minnows and chicken livers from the bridge and the adjacent shores. The best largemouth bass action takes place in the smaller coves just above Oakland Mills Point, where live minnows suspended beneath small floats and fished among the submerged trees and stumps lured bass to three pounds.

DEEP CREEK LAKE -- Another weekend of tough fishing, but weekday anglers enjoyed good catches of monster bluegill to 12 inches, yellow perch to 14 inches, walleye to three pounds and modest numbers of both largemouth and smallmouth bass. Trout fishing, which is usually good this time of year, was still slow just above Deep Creek Dam.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Striped bass catches remain good to excellent for early morning and late evening anglers casting Sassy Shad along the edges of creek channels near Jett Island, the Splits and other uplake locations. When the sun gets high, most anglers switch to trolling deep-diving crankbaits and continue to catch linesiders to eight pounds from the lake's main body near d**e III and the mouth of Sturgeon Creek. Largemouth bass action was decent for most of last week, despite several days of muddy water. Most of the bass were found lurking along drop-offs where plastic worms, Bass Assassins and tube lures rigged to quarter-ounce leadheads were effective. The impoundment's crappie population seems to have migrated to deepwater haunts below bridges, mainly in depths of 12 to 20 feet, where small, live minnows and tiny shad darts lured slabsides to 14 inches.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- The river's smallmouth bass population seems to have just vanished. Overall, the river's water quality has been fairly good this year, but fishing for all species is dead slow.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- The upper bay's waters continue to look like Bosco with sticks floating on the muddy surface. While anglers managed to catch a few striped bass in the lower Susquehanna River trolling small red surgical hose eels, most returned to the Lapidum Launch Ramp with little or nothing for their efforts. Channel catfish remain plentiful through the lower Susquehanna, North East, Elk, Bohemia and Sassafras rivers, where bottom-fished chicken livers, cut herring, night crawlers and chunks of peeler crab lured catties to eight pounds. Scattered catches of tidewater largemouth bass were made in the North East River near the mouth of Furnace Bay, Red Point, Rocky Point and from the patches of aquatic grasses found in the middle of the Susquehanna Flats. Nearly all were taken on noisy surface plugs, lures that attract fish with their splashing action when retrieved. A few keeper-size rockfish were also found at the same locations and taken on the same lures.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- Anglers working jigging spoons along the bay's channel edges near the twin spans' main pilings and man-made islands caught fair numbers of throwback stripers and a few keepers earlier in the week, but the action fell off by the weekend. The best striper catches were made near the Diamonds, where chummers caught large numbers of striped bass ranging from 15 to 20 inches while chumming with ground menhaden and using razor clams for bait. Croaker were found in the mouth of Eastern Bay and along the bay's channel edges up to Parson's Island, where squid strips and bait shrimp lured fish to 15 inches. White perch to 12 inches were found in Kent Narrows and the lower Chester River, where bottom-fished bloodworms and chunks of peeler crab proved effective just after sundown. Croaker were also found at Brickhouse Bar, Hacketts Bar and the mouth of Severn River near Severn River Light. The best croaker catches were made after sundown and continued until about 10 p.m.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- The river's mouth provided scattered catches of croaker to 19 inches, most taken on bottom-fished squid strips fished along the channel edge between Todd and Cook points. A few stripers to 20 inches were taken from the river's shallows near Chancellor Point, where bucktails trimmed with a chunk of peeler crab proved effective in depths of just two to five feet. Anglers fishing from the river's Route 50 bridge fishing piers at night caught a mix of channel catfish, small white perch and throwback striped bass while dunking bloodworms and bait shrimp from the spans.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Headboat anglers caught a good mix of spot and white perch during the day while drifting bloodworms. At night, the mix included a few croaker and an occasional striped bass. Local charter boats spent much of the past week chumming at the Gooses, where light tackle buffs loaded up on striped bass ranging from 15-inch throwbacks to 26-inch keepers. There were a few bluefish to three pounds taken from the chum slicks as well.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- Small mixed pods of breaking rockfish and bluefish were found near the Gas Docks, Cedar Point, Cedar Point Hollow and the Targets. Most of the stripers were too small to keep. Jigging spoons such as the Stingsilver, Strata Spoon and Crippled Herring were effective when worked tight against the bottom. A few big croaker were taken using the same lures. The river's mouth continues to provide good to excellent catches of spot and croaker for anglers drifting squid strips and bait shrimp, especially at the Chinese Muds and the adjacent flats just a short distance north of the river's mouth. Across the bay along the channel edge between buoys 74 and 76, anglers drifted live minnows sandwiched between squid strips in depths of 25 to 35 feet and caught flounder to 23 inches, plus some huge croaker to 20 inches.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- Spot and croaker can be found just west of Hooper Island Light, near Richland Point Buoy and inside of Hooper Straits. Bloodworms, squid strips and bait shrimp were equally effective. Some of the spot measured up to 13 inches, which is exceptionally large for this species. Scattered catches of stripers were made from the river's shallows, mainly from among the pilings of Lower Hooper Island Bridge while casting bucktails trimmed with a chartreuse twister or chunk of peeler crab. Most of the rockfish measured 18 to 20 inches, and there were a few taken just after sunrise that measured up to 28 inches.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Most headboat anglers reported good catches of spot to 12 inches, croaker to 16 inches, weakfish to 15 inches and an occasional keeper-size flounder while drifting along the sound's channel edge just south of Fox Island. The shallows of Tangier, Smith and Janes islands provided light tackle and fly anglers with modest catches of striped bass to 20 inches, but so far this year, speckled trout have been scarce.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Chummers continue to catch limits of striped bass to 25 inches while fishing at the Northwest Middle Grounds, then heading a bit to the south to the Mud Leads, Southwest Middle Grounds and Shell Leads, where they drift squid strips and bait shrimp for a mix of spot and croaker to round out their days. Inside Cornfield Harbor, flounder to 20 inches slammed squid strips and live minnows fished just inside the Potomac River's mouth near Point Lookout Bar. A few big croaker and fair numbers of snapper bluefish were caught from the state park's public fishing pier and causeway by nighttime anglers using bloodworms and squid strips for bait.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Most catches centered around the river's lower reaches, where a mix of spot, croaker, flounder and small weakfish were caught by anglers drifting squid strips and bloodworms along drop-offs near the river's mouth. Trollers managed to sink their hooks into a few Spanish mackerel, but these fish have yet to materialize in large schools.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Flounder to six pounds and spadefish to eight pounds were found lurking near the Cell on days when the weather cooperated. The flounder smacked squid-minnow combinations drifted near Buoy 42, while spadefish gobbled down morsels of clam suspended beneath small floats. Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel anglers caught a mix of weakfish and flounder near the structure's manmade islands, and cobia were found lurking at the Inner Middle Grounds and Lattimer Shoals. Small pods of mackerel were found breaking just outside the bay's mouth near the approach buoys, while at Chesapeake Tower and the Tower Reef, an occasional amberjack pounced live-lined spot. Large schools of spadefish can also been found at both locations.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- Offshore tuna and billfish action has been great, but headboat anglers continue to struggle to catch modest numbers of sea bass at the inshore wrecks. Most of the charter fleet headed to the Parking Lot, Rock Pile, Baltimore Canyon and Massy's Canyon, where they found good numbers of yellowfin tuna to 60 pounds, several white marlin to 100 pounds, a few blue marlin to 400 pounds and fair numbers of gaffer dolphin to 29 pounds. Closer to shore, bluefin tuna to 150 pounds were found at the Jack Spot, Hotdog, Cigar, Hambone and Chicken-Bone. Shorebound anglers found small stripers and relatively large weakfish lurking beneath Route 50 bridge and in the turbid waters of Ocean City Inlet's South Jetty. Live spot proved effective for both species. CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- Flounder catches ranged fair to good, but most of the flatfish are just too small to keep. Kingfish to 13 inches smacked bottom-fished bloodworms in Queen Sound and just outside the mouths of both inlets, and there were scattered catches of small croaker reported as well. Offshore, the Parking Lot, 26-Mile Hill and Ammo Wreck were the weekend hot spots. Chunkers caught bluefin tuna to 150 pounds and huge numbers of slammer bluefish to 16 pounds.

OUTER BANKS -- Snapper bluefish and croaker provided good afternoon and evening action at Kitty Hawk Pier, while at the causeway, a mix of speckled trout and flounder smacked tandem-rigged jigs trimmed with squid strips. Oregon Inlet and Nags Head anglers reported good catches of flounder through most of the week, with some up to five pounds. Squid strips fished during the first few hours of ebb tide proved effective. Oregon and Hatteras inlets' offshore charter boats continue to enjoy excellent catches of yellowfin tuna to 70 pounds and fair numbers of billfish. When you can find some floating debris or a weed line, there are lots of gaffer dolphin to 30 pounds to be had, while a bit farther east, some monster wahoo slammed rigged ballyhoo.

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Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to the Washington Post
Friday, July 30, 2004; Page WE56

Fish Lines

Nasty, rainy, windy weather produced mediocre fishing throughout much of the mid-Atlantic region. With the exception of some freshwater lakes, most areas reported modest catches of various gamefish species, and in some instances, exotics. Among the exotics caught during recent weeks were the controversial northern snakeheads, a species that is now in the tidal Potomac River just a short distance from the nation's capital.

What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- "Fishing has been tough in some areas and pretty good in others," said guide Ken Penrod of Life Outdoors Unlimited (who recently caught a northern snakehead). He added that even the fisheries biologists in Washington complain about the lack of bass, blaming a lack of grass. Penrod says a few sizable largemouth bass were caught in the deeper waters of Washington Channel on crankbaits and 5 1/2-inch tube lures. In the Woodrow Wilson Bridge area, Smoot Bay provided anglers with a few largemouths as well, most coming from the edges of aquatic grass beds. The shallows of Hog Island, nearby boat docks and barges inside the mouth of Broad Creek consistently produced modest catches of tidewater largemouth bass. Mattawoman Creek continues to be a bright spot for tidewater largemouths, but the action is unpredictable.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- The river's upper reaches remain somewhat high and muddy, and smallmouth bass fishing is mediocre at best. Wet weather continuously washes in heavy loads of nutrients, which in turn transform the river to a fast-flowing algae bloom.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA.) -- High, muddy and unfishable.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- Both impoundments provided good catches of largemouth and smallmouth bass during the past week, but there were no exceptionally large fish checked in at the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission's Brighton Dam Ranger Station. Channel catfish and crappie remain plentiful in both impoundments as well.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- White perch are scattered throughout the impoundment's middle reaches. Small, isolated schools of 10- to 12-inch perch were found at the mouth of Dead Man's, Golf Course and Pearce's coves, locations where trollers using inline spinners trimmed with a morsel of night crawler caught double headers. Plug casters found fair numbers of largemouth bass lurking along the edges of grass beds situated above Dulaney Valley Bridge, some tipping the scales at more than five pounds.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Most of the week's action centered around crappie and white perch, both of which seem to be concentrated in the shallows uplake of Nicodemus Bridge. Bottom-fished night crawlers and chicken livers produced the best catches. A few anglers continue to catch good numbers of walleye while suspending live minnows beneath small floats near the bridge, while downlake, topwater plugs lured largemouth bass from submerged stump fields and brush piles. Live crayfish fished near Oakland Mills Point provided good catches of smallmouth bass early and late in the day.

DEEP CREEK LAKE -- A large number of big bluegills were caught by weekend anglers who took advantage of nasty weather that kept water skiers and jet skis to a minimum. Most were taken on bottom-fished night crawlers fished in the deeper coves. Scattered catches of both largemouth and smallmouth bass were made near the submerged boulders at Deep Creek Lake State Park, while downlake near the dam, live minnows lured fair numbers of rainbow trout to 16 inches.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- The past week's rain and cooler weather caused the lake's largemouth bass to migrate to shallow areas, where stumps and boat docks make up much of the underwater habitat. Best areas have been north of the Route 208 bridge in waters that are somewhat muddier than those of the impoundment's lower reaches. Martha King of Springfield used buzz baits and topwater plugs to catch a 5-pound 4-ounce largemouth bass. Striped bass action continues to hold up well at Pigeon Creek, the 208 bridge and the Splits, locations where the average fish tips the scales at five or more pounds. Trollers scored best using deep-diving crankbaits and Sassy Shad.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- While smallmouth bass action is still mediocre near Bentonville Bridge, there were a few days when boating anglers returned to the dock and reported significant improvements in catches. Bronzebacks to two pounds smacked live crayfish, spinnerbaits and tube lures cast near the edges of aquatic grass beds just a short distance downriver of the bridge. Most of the bass were caught shortly after sunrise and again just before sundown.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- The Susquehanna River continues to resemble Bosco as torrential rains upriver caused lowland flooding in many areas. Most of the past week's action centered around channel catfish, largely taken on bottom-fished chicken livers and cut herring. Just around the corner near the North East River's mouth, grass beds filtered out much of the suspended silt particles flowing down Chesapeake Bay. This provided relatively clear water to the mouth of Furnace Bay and the nearby Susquehanna Flats, locations where topwater plugs lured a mix of tidewater largemouth and striped bass from14 to 18 inches. Channel catfish remain plentiful throughout the upper bay, with fish to eight pounds caught in the lower reaches of the North East, Elk, Sassafras, Bush, Bohemia and Gunpowder rivers. Bottom-fished night crawlers, chicken livers, cut herring, clam snout and razor clams all proved effective during periods of moving tide.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- Croaker are scattered along the bay's eastern channel edge near Brickhouse Bar, but most of the catches have been taking place after sundown. During the day, boating anglers found fair numbers of large croaker lurking inside Eastern Bay. White perch to 13 inches were caught from the mouth of Crab Alley Bay, Wye River, Miles River and the southern end of Kent Narrows. Both the croaker and white perch inhaled bait shrimp during the first few hours of ebb tide.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- Relatively large schools of small striped bass and snapper bluefish churned the lower river's surface to foam last Friday and Saturday, but Sunday's winds and rainy weather kept most everyone off the water. Both the stripers and blues smacked tiny jigging spoons and streamer flies cast into the melee. Beneath the surface activity were schools of foraging croaker picking up the tiny scraps of devoured baitfish that drifted to the bottom. Some of the croaker tipped the scales at nearly three pounds and measured up to 20 inches.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Area charter boats are catching limits of striped bass to 22 inches while chumming at the Gooses and just west of the Gas Docks. A few captains also reported good catches of snapper bluefish ranging from one to three pounds.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- The mouth of the Patuxent provided anglers with good catches of spot at Second Beach, where the headboat out of Bunky's in Solomons has been fishing daily. Other Patuxent River locations that held both white perch and spot were Drum Point, the sailboat marker, First Beach, the channel edge beneath Route 4 bridge, Kingston Hollow and Hawk's Nest. Spot and perch are scattered along the river's bars and ledges all the way to Benedict.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- A few local charter captains continue to catch limits of stripers to 22 inches and bluefish to four pounds while chumming along the bay's eastern channel edge, and a few light tackle guides have been chasing schools of breaking fish that consist of striped bass and bluefish weighing three to five pounds.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- The Crisfield charter and headboat fleets have been fishing just a few miles from the docks and most reported excellent catches of large spot, big croaker, a smattering of snapper bluefish, an occasional weakfish and fair numbers of keeper-size flounder. Nearly all were taken on bottom-fished bloodworms and chunks of peeler crab, but the flounder seemed to prefer live killfish (bull minnows) sandwiched between squid strips and drifted along the bottom.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Chummers fishing just east of Point Lookout State Park caught limits of striped bass to 24 inches, plus large numbers of big croaker to 20 inches. Night fishing for croaker ranged from good to excellent at the Southwest Middle Grounds, where croaker to 22 inches slammed squid strips and bait shrimp fished in depths of 15 to 25 feet. Bluefish to 12 inches churned the mouth of the Potomac River to foam, while across the bay along the eastern channel edge, bluefish to five pounds hit trolled surgical hose eels.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Anglers caught a mix of small to medium-size spot, small weakfish, a few croaker and an occasional mackerel near the river's mouth and upriver to White Stone Bridge. Across the bay near Buoy 42, the action centered around big flounder, many of which topped the six-pound mark. Most were taken on minnow-squid combinations fished in depths of 25 to 35 feet just east of the buoy.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Large schools of spadefish ranging from two to 10 pounds can been seen at the Cell, but because of a massive influx of globe jellyfish, the spades refuse to take other forms of bait. Yes, spadefish are among the many species that eat jellyfish. Down the bay near Kiptopeke, anglers fishing from the decks of small boats near the concrete Liberty Ships caught a mix of flounder, croaker, spot and sea mullet while drifting squid strips near the wrecks. Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel anglers caught a mix of snapper bluefish, Spanish mackerel and tiny stripers while casting bucktails and spoons near the submerged boulders.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- Most of the charter boats returned to the docks early with the one-bluefin-tuna-per-boat limit, plus a number of 35- to 45-pound yellowfin tuna, mixed sizes of dolphin and a few wahoo. Several white marlin and blue marlin were caught and released by those who ventured out to the 30-fathom curve situated just southeast of the Hotdog. Headboat anglers caught modest numbers of chunky sea bass, while shorebound anglers fishing from the beaches of Assateague and Ocean City caught good numbers of sharks and kingfish. Weakfish and striped bass are stacked up at the east end of Ocean City Inlet's south jetty, where bucktails and live spot were the preferred baits.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- Offshore, anglers trolled the Parking Lot and Lumpy Bottom areas for bluefin tuna, catching some weighing more than 100 pounds. A mix of yellowfin and bluefin tuna were found at the 21 Mile Hill and 26 Mile Hill, where rigged ballyhoo and cedar plugs proved effective.

OUTER BANKS -- Flounder, small weakfish, sea mullet, spot and snapper bluefish made up most of the surf action, while pier anglers caught fair numbers of pompano and Spanish mackerel. Just a short distance outside Oregon and Hatteras inlets, small king mackerel and Spanish mackerel smacked trolled spoons and bucktails. Offshore, yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds, some monster wahoo and good numbers of mid-size king mackerel slammed Green Machines, rigged ballyhoo and rigged mullet baits.

[treed942000]

Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to the Washington Post
Friday, August 6, 2004; Page WE52
Fish Lines
What's the Catch?
Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- Scattered catches of tidewater largemouth bass were made during the early morning hours using buzzbaits along the edges of main-river grass beds, then in deeper water with tube lures when the sun got high. The last two hours of ebb tide were the most productive times, possibly because of the cleansing effect of the grass beds as falling water passed through the vegetation. Both the old and new Woodrow Wilson Bridge foundations and main-river ledges near the bridges have been moderately productive for largemouth bass during midday. Washington Channel anglers managed to catch a few largemouths using deep-diving crankbaits, but the action was limited to early and late in the day. A few bass were caught from Long Bridge's foundations, the dropoff at the Kennedy Center and from among the pilings of Key Bridge. Algae blooms continue to be a problem farther south. Grass beds below Hog Island, and those found just inside the mouths of Broad and Pomonkey creeks also provided short flurries of largemouth bass activity.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- The river is high, muddy, unfishable and unsafe for most boating.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA) -- High, muddy and unfishable.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- Both impoundments are muddy from the past week's rains, but a few chunky largemouths and lots of channel catfish were caught by anglers dunking live minnows and night crawlers. Ken Debow of Lutherville, Md., fished Triadelphia earlier in the week and caught a 6-pound, 3 1/2-ounce largemouth bass, which is an exceptional fish any time of the year.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- The reservoir is again experiencing falling water and open shoreline. This despite rains that have plagued the region for months. At the current rate of loss, the lake should provide good shoreline access within the next two weeks, unless a tropical storm dumps more rain on the area. Boating anglers found good numbers of white perch from 10 to 12 inches lurking at the mouths of most major mid-lake coves, where trolled, inline spinners trimmed with a morsel of night crawler proved highly effective. Bottom-fished night crawlers produced a mix of channel catfish, bluegill and white perch for anglers fishing the sheltered waters of Schoolhouse, Pierce's and Dead Man's coves. Plug casters continue to catch good numbers of largemouth bass to four pounds while casting topwater lures along the edges of grass beds and near log jams located above Dulaney Valley Bridge.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Liberty's upper reaches are muddy from the past week's rains, but anglers dunking chicken livers and night crawlers just above Nicodemus Bridge managed to catch a good mix of white perch and bluegill. Bridge anglers caught a few crappie using live shiners, while downlake trollers using deep-diving crankbaits and fishing the channel edge between Oakland Mills Point and Route 26 bridge caught a mix of walleye and mid-size striped bass. Largemouth bass action was a bit slow, but this could be due to weather conditions.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Striped bass fishing remains good at several locations. They've been biting all day long, and anglers can anticipate great topwater action in the mornings using XPS Slim Dog and Cordell Redfins. Largemouth bass seem to be lurking in their deepwater summer haunts; early and late in the day you'll find some exceptionally large specimens foraging in the impoundment's shallows. Dennis Semone and Ferron Campbell of Spotsylvania returned to the launch ramp with an 11-pound stringer of chunky largemouths this past week.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- High, muddy and difficult to fish, especially for anglers hoping to wade the river's riffles and cast for smallmouth bass. However, conditions are great for zipping downriver on an inflatable raft or just having fun tubing.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- The Chesapeake's upper reaches north of Pooles Island have once again been deluged with rains and huge slugs of high, muddy, debris-laden water. Consequently, the modest striped bass catches in the lower Susquehanna, North East, Elk and Bush rivers quickly came to a screeching halt. The only fish currently biting in those areas are channel catfish, which rely mainly on their sense of smell to find something to eat. Night crawlers, cut herring, squid strips and chicken livers accounted for many of the best catfish catches, with some specimens topping the 10-pound mark.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- White perch ranging from six-inch runts to 10-inch keepers seem to have taken up residence among the pilings and submerged boulders of the old span, while the finger pilings of the new span on the Eastern Shore side of the channel held a few keeper stripers. Bucktails trimmed with chunks of peeler crab proved best for rockfish, while white perch seemed to prefer bottom-fished bloodworms and strips of clam snout. Just inside the mouth of Eastern Bay and along the bay's channel edge to well above Parson's Island, bottom-fished bloodworms lured white perch to 12 inches, with a few 15-inch croaker mixed in. Chummers caught large numbers of throwback stripers at Brickhouse Bar and the Diamonds, and those anglers who were persistent managed to limit out on keeper-size fish.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- Schools of snapper bluefish and undersize stripers churned the bay's surface to foam just south of Poplar Island and down the bay near the river's mouth. Small jigging spoons, bucktails and streamer flies were slammed like they were hit by a freight train when cast among the schools of breaking fish. Just inside the river's mouth near Cook and Todd points, a few keeper stripers were lured from the shallows by anglers casting shallow-running crankbaits and bucktails trimmed with a four-inch chartreuse twister tail. Anglers fishing from the decks of Route 50's public fishing piers caught a mix of small white perch, big channel catfish and throwback stripers, most taken on bottom-fished bloodworms fished after sundown.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Local charter captains continue to troll and chum just above the Gas Docks and across the bay at the Gooses, where a mix of striped bass to 20 inches and bluefish to 15 inches were caught.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- Spot, croaker and perch continue to smack bottom-fished bloodworms in the river on both the bay and river sides of Drum Point. Spot are active throughout the lower Patuxent, with the largest concentration of fish found closer to the river's mouth. However, the largest fish, some measuring nearly 12 inches, were found near Broomes Island. White perch were plentiful on all the oyster bars and hard bottom locations in the upper Patuxent. Croaker become active at dusk and feed heavily during the first hour of the falling tide. "If the tide crests at 3 a.m., that's the time to go fishing," said Ken Lamb of the Tackle Box in Lexington Park, Md. Striped bass ranging from eight to 13 inches are everywhere you cast a lure or bait above Broomes Island, but keepers are a scarce commodity.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- Anglers drifting live minnows sandwiched between squid strips caught flounder to four pounds at the flats between Hooper Island Light and Punch Island Bar, mainly in depths of 25 to 35 feet. A short distance west of Hooper Island Light, in depths of 35 to 40 feet along the bay's eastern channel edge, bottom-fished bait shrimp and squid strips lured croaker to 17 inches, a few keeper-size weakfish and even a couple of red drum to 40 pounds. Just south of the light, breaking schools of striped bass and bluefish provided light tackle and fly anglers with incredible topwater action. Across the bay at the Targets, similar topwater action took place in the shallows just south of the marker.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Headboat anglers loaded their coolers with catches of spot to 12 inches and modest catches of croaker to 18 inches, both caught at night on bottom-fished bloodworms in lower and middle Tangier Sound. During the day, chummers fished just a short distance northwest of Smith Island, where they limited out on rockfish to 20 inches.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Chummers fished the bay's western channel edge near Point Lookout, where they found a good mix of striped bass ranging from throwbacks to 24 inches lurking in depths of 35 to 50 feet. Across the bay at Southwest Middle Grounds, trollers using surgical hose eels and Tsunami Lures caught bluefish to five pounds, keeper stripers to 24 inches and a few Spanish mackerel were seen free jumping south of Buoy 68. At night, the same location yielded croaker to 18 inches, most taken on bottom-fished bait shrimp and squid strips fished in depths of 15 to 18 feet, where piles of ballast stones attract a variety of forage species. The flats north of the U.S. Navy target ship American Mariner held red drum ranging from 25 to 40 pounds, slamming jigging spoons intended for striped bass and weakfish.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Smith Point Bar, Windmill Point and Stingray Point were the weekend hot spots for Spanish mackerel, some measuring 24 inches. All were taken while trolling small silver and gold spoons at high speeds through schools of breaking fish. The macks were frequently accompanied by swarms of snapper bluefish and small stripers. Beneath the surface melee were small pods of foraging croaker and weakfish, both averaging about 15 to 16 inches. Jigging spoons such as the Stingsilver and Crippled Herring were deadly when worked tight against the bottom. Inside the Rappahannock River, anglers continue to catch a mix of spot, snapper bluefish, throwback weakfish and an occasional flounder while drift-fishing with bloodworms.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Wind, thundershowers and towering waves kept most anglers off the bay's open waters through much of last week, but on days when the weather cooperated, good catches of flounder to seven pounds were made at the Cell, Plantation Flats and the shallows just east of the concrete ships at Kiptopeke. Live shiners and squid strips were the key to success when fished during periods of moving tide.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- At press time, a massive fish kill off the coasts of Maryland and Delaware left croaker carcasses littering the Delmarva beaches. A sudden upwelling of cold bottom water, perhaps connected with Hurricane Alex, is considered a possible cause.

We hope to have the final results of the recent White Marlin Open, a high-dollar event which took place several days before the fish kill, next week.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- Trollers caught huge numbers of slammer bluefish and a few big bluefin tuna while dragging rigged mullet and cedar plugs at the Parking Lot and Lumpy Bottom. Inshore, both inlets are loaded with croaker ranging from eight to 15 inches, and there were a few keeper flounder lurking on the flats.

OUTER BANKS -- At press time, Hurricane Alex continued out to sea after brushing the area. The National Hurricane Center warned high surf and rip currents could affect areas for the next day or so, so reports were somewhat sketchy. Last week's offshore action was good for both billfish and yellowfin tuna, most found just 20 to 25 miles east of Hatteras and Oregon inlets.

[treed942000]

Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, August 13, 2004; Page WE56
Fish Lines
What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- A muddy, debris-filled upper river, combined with the massive algae on the main stem below Occoquan Creek, produced conditions unsuitable for any waterborne activity. In the river's D.C. segment, a few tidewater largemouths were caught using Firetiger crankbaits fished near some of the piers and bridge pilings. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge area was slow, but a few anglers managed to catch an occasional largemouth bass. There seemed to be a big school of small stripers in the Spoils, some measuring up to 18 inches, but most were throwbacks of 10 to 12 inches. A four-pound largemouth bass was caught and released from Little Hunting Creek, while Pomonkey, Mattawoman and Chickamuxen creeks provided modest catches of tidewater largemouths.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- Anglers reported the worst algae bloom in more than two decades, along with some of the worst fishing. While fair numbers of tiny bronzebacks are still being caught and released at Whites Ferry, Edwards Ferry and Lander, catching a fish measuring 12 inches or larger has been a real challenge this season.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA.) -- The river seems to be experiencing a combination of woes. Rains throughout the watershed have produced lowland flooding that has constantly washed not only high levels of silt into the river, but huge quantities of nutrients. As a result, fishing has been poor for much of the year, and algae blooms have been showing up in several locations in the river's lower reaches.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- The waters of both impoundments are in relatively good shape, which translates to good fishing conditions. Earnest Barnett of Silver Spring was fishing in Triadelphia with night crawlers when he hooked and landed a 5-pound 13-ounce walleye. Several anglers reported decent catch-and-release fishing for largemouth bass, and there are good numbers of small to mid-size white perch being caught in both reservoirs.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- Incredible would be the best word to describe Loch Raven's white perch catch. Many anglers begin trolling just a few hundred feet from the launch ramp, troll out to the mouth of School House Cove, turn around and troll back to the ramp. Most said the action was nonstop, and nearly everyone trolled an inline spinner trimmed with a morsel of night crawler. A few anglers returned with good catches of largemouth bass to four pounds, most of which were taken while casting plastic worms and shallow running crankbaits along the outer perimeters of grass beds. The vast majority of the bass were released. Crappie fishing remains slow beneath Dulaney Valley Bridge, but there have been fair numbers of white perch caught at this location by anglers suspending a morsel of night crawler about seven to 10 feet beneath a small float.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Anglers caught a mix of white perch, crappie, bluegill and smallmouth bass from the decks of Nicodemus Bridge while dunking night crawlers. Striped bass fishing has been somewhat slow near Liberty Road Bridge, but live crayfish produced good numbers of smallmouth bass a short distance uplake at Oakland Mills Point. Walleye are still smacking Erie Dearies trimmed with a piece of worm, mainly when cast from the shores downlake of Nicodemus Bridge.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- While there are still good numbers of mid-size largemouth bass being caught early and late in the day from beneath piers and along deepwater drop-offs, the best action was with striped bass. Stripers to eight pounds slammed a variety of lures trolled near the State Park, Jett Island, the Splits and the mouth of Sturgeon Creek. Crappie action was fair to good for anglers dunking live minnows and tiny shad darts near bridge pilings and some of the artificial reefs.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- The river is at its lowest level and in the best shape it has been all year. Water temperatures are in the mid-70s, and the water is low enough for fly rodders to wade in and fish traditional summer haunts. But fishing is mediocre at best, even in the grass beds near Bentonville Bridge. As the season progresses, the action should improve.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- The bay's upper reaches are still a muddy sea, mostly stemming from rains that poured huge quantities of debris-laden, nutrient-loaded waters down the Susquehanna and other upper bay tributaries. The only bright spot was inside North East River, where scattered catches of tidewater largemouth bass and stripers were made by anglers casting small surface plugs near the edges of grass beds in the shallows of Furnace Bay, Susquehanna Flats and the river's upper reaches near the mouth of North East Creek. Channel catfish remain plentiful throughout the area; however, many are a bit on the small side, most less than three pounds. Bottom-fished chicken livers, clam snout, night crawlers and cut herring baits accounted for the best catfish action. White perch seem to have vanished from areas north of Pooles Island; however, just south of the island at the Peach Orchard, bottom-fished bloodworms produced perch to 10 inches last weekend. Trollers using dark-colored surgical hose eels, white spoons and tandem-rigged bucktails managed to hook a few keeper striped bass, some measuring up to 32 inches. Most were taken at Peach Orchard, Belvedere Shoal, Love Point, Hickory Thickets and the Mary Jane.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- White perch and small throwback rockfish were found lurking among the twin span's eastern shore pilings and the submerged boulders of the manmade islands on both sides of the bay's main shipping channel. Most were taken on bottom-fished bloodworms and bait shrimp. A bit to the south at the Diamonds, scattered catches of striped bass were made by chummers, but again, most of the fish were much too small to keep. White perch to 12 inches were caught inside the mouth of Eastern Bay, but croaker seem to have disappeared from this location. White perch were also found at the south end of Kent Narrows, the mouth of Wye River and the mouth of Crab Alley Bay.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- Fly anglers casting Clouser Minnows and Lefty's Deceivers had a ball chasing mixed schools of breaking rockfish and snapper bluefish just south of Poplar Island and down to the Choptank's mouth at Sharp's Island Light. Inside the river, white perch are beginning to stack up along the channel edges downriver of the Route 50 Bridge. Bridge anglers caught a mix of small white perch and channel catfish while fishing after sundown with bait shrimp and bloodworms.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- The Diamonds was the hotspot for spot. Rod 'N' Reel Dock dockmaster Fred Donovan took a number of youngsters to this location and said, "The kids had a ball catching double-header spot to 13 inches long." Charter boats have been chumming at the Gooses for the past several weeks, and while most return to the docks with limit catches of stripers to 20 inches, most captains reported high rates of undersize fish. Trollers using surgical hose eels and tandem bucktails trimmed with chartreuse Sassy Shad caught somewhat larger stripers, but fewer numbers. Most of the trolling takes place along the bay's western channel edge between Holland Point and the mouth of Parker's Creek in depths of 35 to 40 feet.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- Most of the charter boats are crossing the bay and heading southeast to the vicinity of Buoy 72A, where chumming with ground menhaden produced limit catches of stripers to 24 inches for the vast majority of those who arrived early. As the day progressed, the fish seemed to get smaller. However, there were good numbers of snapper bluefish and a few big croaker taken from the chum slicks as well. At Cedar Point Rip and south to the Targets, mixed schools of breaking rockfish and bluefish dominated the action, with some rockfish measuring up to 19 inches. Most of the bluefish were 12 to 15 inches, but there were a few reportedly in the 20-inch category. Both species are foraging on bay anchovy; therefore anglers casting streamer flies and small jigging spoons enjoyed the best action. Inside the river, spot to 12 inches were taken from the river's channel edges. .

HONGA RIVER AREA -- The river's shallows continue to produce a few keeper-size rockfish, but the best action has been found in the open bay, where foraging schools of bluefish and stripers alike churn the surface to foam as they rip through schools of bay anchovy. Among the top locations were Point No Point Light, the Targets, Hopper Island Light and Hooper Straits. Flounder can still be taken from the flats between Buoys 74 and 76, with live minnows and squid strips topping the list of preferable baits.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Spot dominated the weekend action in Tangier Sound's middle reaches, where bottom-fished bloodworms lured spot to 10 inches at Old Rock, Island Rock, Fox Island Buoy, Puppy Hole and Old No. 9. Croaker were caught at night from the same locations by headboat anglers, but the fish seem to be in the process of migrating out of the bay. Consequently, most of the local captains said they'll soon be switching back to chumming for striped bass along the bay's eastern channel edge.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Chummers caught good numbers of striped bass near the Potomac River's mouth just north of Smith Point Light, and across the bay at the Southwest Middle Grounds, locations where limit catches of rockfish to 24 inches were reported. Croaker seem to have rebounded along the bay's channel edges; however, the fish are now headed south and in much deeper water. Most were found in 35 to 55 feet, where bottom-fished squid strips lured croaker to 18 inches, and a few small weakfish were often mixed with them.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Spot dominated the action inside the river, while those who opted to run southeast found lots of flounder and small spadefish lurking near the Cell. Overall, the weekend was a bust because of high winds and towering waves.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Good catches of flounder were reported by anglers fishing with live minnows and frozen shiners at the CBBT's Third and Fourth islands, and up the bay from Buoys 36A to 40A in 40 to 55 feet. Nine Foot Knoll was the weekend hotspot for cobia and an occasional black drum, both of which were in the 40-pound category. Large numbers of sheepshead were found lurking among the CBBT's bridge pilings near High Rise Bridge, where chunks of peeler crab and clam lured fish to three pounds.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- Brett Jamison of Virginia Beach, fishing aboard the Canyon Express, won first place in the White Marlin Open, providing the captain and crew with winnings of $1.3 million for Jamison's 84-pound white marlin. Allen Roys of Stevensville, Md., was fishing from the Reel Toy when he hooked and landed a whopping 895-pound blue marlin, the first-place fish in that category. Roys picked up $360,000 for his monster blue. For a complete list of winners, see www.whitemarlinopen.com. Offshore, on days when the weather cooperated, good catches of yellowfin tuna, dolphin, wahoo and an occasional white marlin were made a short distance southeast of the Hotdog and just northwest of Washington Canyon, mainly along the 30 Fathom Curve. Headboat anglers are still catching fair numbers of sea bass at the inshore wrecks, where squid strips lured these tasty fish to four pounds. Shorebound anglers at Assateague Island found good numbers of kingfish in the suds that were willing to gobble down bait shrimp and bloodworms, but shark fishing seems to have fallen off since the recent croaker kill.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- Charter boats have been running to the Parking Lot or Lumpy Bottom, catching their one-fish limit of bluefin tuna, then heading farther east and trolling for yellowfin tuna and dolphin along the edges of Washington and Norfolk canyons. There are loads of small croaker in both inlets, but anything larger than 12 inches has been rare since the fish kill wiped out millions of larger fish.

OUTER BANKS -- Since the passage of Hurricane Alex, pier and surf anglers have caught a mix of snapper bluefish, spot, croaker, small flounder and sea mullet. South of Oregon Inlet, mainly at Cape Point and the Buxton area, the surf yielded a mix of flounder, pompano, speckled trout and croaker, nearly all of which were taken on bloodworms, bait shrimp and squid strips. Offshore, king mackerel dominated, with kings to 31 pounds slamming skipbaits fished 30 miles southeast of the inlet.

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Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, August 20, 2004; Page WE56

Fish Lines

Hurricane Charley hit the mid-Atlantic region with only glancing blows, producing a couple of inches of rain and moderate winds in coastal areas, not the intense storm that was anticipated. Areas west of Chesapeake Bay received little or no rain at all, and winds barely exceeded 10 miles per hour.

What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- Most of the river's tributaries remain muddy, water temperatures are in the low 80s, and the algae bloom from Mattawoman to Aquia creeks is no longer surface-oriented, as it has now mixed in the water column. The river's main stem is relatively clear in the lower reaches, but you still lose sight of a chartreuse spinnerbait in 18 inches. In the river's Woodrow Wilson Bridge area, anglers managed to sink their hooks into a few largemouths that have taken up residence among the structure's pilings, but overall, bass fishing has been slow through the District area. A few bass were taken from South Point, and a few more from grass beds south of Belle Haven, mostly on spinnerbaits. Four Mile Run and Pomonkey Creek produced modest catches of tidewater largemouths for weekend anglers, while Mattawoman Creek was a complete bust for most everyone. There are still good numbers of channel catfish around, some weighing up to 10 or more pounds. A mix of channel catfish, blue catfish and carp were found lurking close to the shores of Fletcher's Landing, where bottom-fished chicken livers, night crawlers and cut herring baits proved quite effective. Crappie are still tough to find.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- Algae blooms seem to have intensified in some segments of the Potomac's upper reaches, but there have been modest catches of smallmouth bass reported at the Sawbuck, Lander and the stretch of river between Dam No. 4 and Brunswick. Nearly all were caught on live crayfish, minnows and hellgrammites.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA.) -- The river remains extremely high and muddy. For additional information on river conditions, call 888-881-7555.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- Modest catches of white perch and crappie were reportedly made from the middle and lower reaches of Rocky Gorge, while the upper reaches of Triadelphia provided anglers with fair numbers of largemouth bass and an occasional walleye. Nearly all were taken with live minnows and night crawlers. Jerry Sauter of Baltimore caught a 6-pound 9.5-ounce largemouth bass in Triadelphia during the past week.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- White perch remain plentiful throughout the impoundment's middle reaches, where anglers trolled with inline spinners trimmed with a morsel of night crawler. Some returned to the fishing center with their coolers bulging with perch to 12 inches, plus there were a few catches of walleye, bluegill and crappie made using the same lures. Bass anglers had a tough week, mainly because of the density of the reservoir's grass beds. Sago pondweed seems to be responding to the high influx of nutrients from various sources, and the beds have expanded to depths of 30 feet or more.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- The impoundment's upper reaches near Nicodemus Bridge continue to provide anglers with a mix of white perch, crappie, bluegill and walleye. Most were taken on small, live shiners fished both from the span and from the adjacent shores.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Striped bass action was good to excellent at the Splits, Route 208 bridge, and Sturgeons, Pigeons, and Contrary creeks. The fish have been biting all day long, with topwater action taking place during early mornings using XPS Slim Dog and Cordell Redfins. During the day, troll deep-diving Cordell Redfins, DD-22's or Bagley DB3's. Bill and Dale Marsh of Annandale caught six fish, with a combined weight of 41 pounds. Tim and Fred Biesecker of Louisa, Va., caught five fish with a combined weight of 40 pounds. Ray Viloria and Steve Lanove of Alexandria had four stripers that totaled 25 pounds. It was a difficult week for largemouth bass anglers. Most of the fish caught were found in depths of eight to 15 feet, where large, live shiners proved effective early and late in the day. A few bass to five pounds were taken on plastic grubs and tube lures rigged to half-ounce leadheads and bounced off the edges of drop-offs.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- The river is still lower than normal, which is good news for anglers wet-wading for smallmouth bass. Unfortunately, bronzeback action is still not on par with previous seasons. Some of this can be explained by the dense growth of aquatic grasses that seems to be exploding exponentially as the level of nutrients increases in area rivers and streams. However, there also seems to be an unexplained absence of aquatic insects, which is an integral part of the food chain.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- The Chesapeake's upper reaches remain extremely muddy, but during the past week a few legal-size striped bass were found in the North East River's upper reaches near the mouth of North East Creek. Anglers casting small, white spoons trimmed with a four-inch chartreuse twister tail caught stripers to 20 inches while fishing from shore. A few tidewater largemouth bass were found lurking in dense grass beds located at the mouth of Furnace Bay and the Susquehanna Flats, most taken on topwater plugs intended for stripers. Channel catfish remain plentiful throughout the upper bay, but the largest fish seem to be congregated in the C&D Canal near Chesapeake City. Bottom-fished clam snouts, night crawlers, chicken livers, cut herring baits and squid strips lured catties to four pounds from the Elk, North East, lower Susquehanna, Bush, Gunpowder, Dundee and Sassafras rivers, while the same baits lured catfish to nine pounds from the canal. Trollers found fair numbers of keeper rockfish lurking over the lumps just southeast of Pooles Island, where dark-colored surgical hose eels, tandem bucktails and mid-size spoons lured rockfish to 31 inches. Chummers scored well on overall numbers of stripers while fishing at Belvedere Shoals, Man-O-War Shoal, Peach Orchard, Hickory Thickets and Love Point Light. Although most of these fish were too small to keep, there were enough keepers around to keep everyone interested.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- White perch and small stripers continue to dominate the action at the twin spans, while just a short distance to the south at Bloody Point Light, mixed schools of striped bass and bluefish ripped through pods of bay anchovy that measured just an inch long at best. Most of the rockfish measured 12 to 17 inches, and a rare fish pushed the ruler to 20 inches. The vast majority of the bluefish measured just 12 to 15 inches. Large numbers of chunky white perch have been congregating for the past few weeks inside the mouth of Eastern Bay and along the waterway's channel edge north to Kent Narrows. Perch to 12 inches smacked bottom-fished bloodworms, bait shrimp and razor clam during periods of peak tidal flow.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- White perch to 10 inches were found lurking along the river's channel edge between Castle Haven and the Route 50 bridge at Cambridge, most taken on bottom-fished bloodworms. Anglers near Sharps Island Light found schools of breaking rockfish and bluefish, most of which were just too small to keep. They provided lots of light tackle and fly fishing fun while on the surface, but few were keepers.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Another good week of bottom-fishing for headboat anglers who want a good mix of jumbo spot and white perch. Both were found in abundance at the mouth of West River, where bottom-fished bloodworms lured spot to 13 inches and white perch to 11 inches. Charterboat anglers found lots of rockfish at the Gooses, where chummers and trollers alike caught rockfish ranging from throwbacks to 22-inch keepers.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- The river's mouth has been a hotbed of topwater action, especially near Cedar Point Rip, where mixed schools of snapper bluefish to three pounds and striped bass to 20 inches ripped through pods of small menhaden and bay anchovy. Small jigging spoons such as the Stingsilver and Crippled Alewife cast among the surface melee produced instant, arm-jolting strikes. Across the bay, a few flounder were caught by anglers drifting live minnows and squid combinations along the bay's eastern channel edge between buoys 74 and 76 during the day, while at night, fair catches of migrating croaker were made in somewhat deeper waters between the same buoys. White perch and spot can be found throughout the lower reaches.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- Scattered catches of striped bass and bluefish were reported by fly rod enthusiasts and plug casters chasing flocks of gulls on both sides of the bay. Near the Targets, bluefish weighing up to nearly five pounds and striped bass to 22 inches churned the bay's surface to foam as they fed leisurely on small menhaden that are slowly migrating south.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Most of the area headboats are still reporting good catches of spot to 13 inches, croaker to 15 inches, a few legal-size weakfish and an occasional keeper flounder while bottom fishing with bloodworms and squid strips in upper and middle Tangier Sound.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Area charter boats returned to the docks with a mixed bag consisting of a limit of stripers to 30 inches, bluefish to four pounds, and an occasional keeper-size weakfish. Croaker seem to be migrating south for winter, and the action is improving throughout the area, mostly in depths of 25 to 35 feet. Bottom-fished squid strips seem to be the most productive bait for croaker. There were a few in the 19-inch category.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Mixed schools of snapper bluefish to three pounds and similar-size Spanish mackerel erupted through the bay's placid surface near Windmill and Stingray points. Small jigging spoons cast among the surface activity produced great light tackle action and filled the cooler chests of local anglers.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel was the past week's hotspot until Hurricane Charley arrived on the scene, which brought fishing to a standstill. Just before the storm, good catches of flounder to nine pounds were made while wire-lining bucktails trimmed with live killfish and squid strips over the tube between the CBBT's Third and Fourth islands. Croaker seem to be everywhere.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- Before the hurricane, which according to area charter captains really did not amount to much, the offshore fleet enjoyed good yellowfin tuna and billfish action along the 30-fathom curve, the Rock Pile, the north tip of Washington Canyon and Massey's Canyon. The same locations also provided anglers with a mix of wahoo and mid-size dolphin to 12 pounds. Closer to shore, headboat anglers had a fair mix of croaker and sea bass, while shorebound anglers fishing from the beaches caught a mix of kingfish (sea mullet), small flounder and a few very unusual species. A 24-inch bluefin tuna was caught and released by 12-year-old Brandon VanKirk of Jefferson Hill, Pa., while on his first surf fishing trip to Ocean City.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- Lots of small croaker in the inlets, but the larger fish seemed to have vanished with the recent fish kill. Offshore, the Parking Lot, Lumpy Bottom and Ammo Wreck all provided chunkers with bluefin tuna to 75 pounds. Unfortunately, the limit has been reduced to one fish per boat.

OUTER BANKS -- No report because of Hurricane Charley.

[treed942000]

Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to the Washington Post
Friday, August 27, 2004; Page WE53
Fish Lines
What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- A few small stripers were caught in Washington Channel, while tidewater largemouth bass were found lurking among the pilings of Key Bridge, the mouth of Pentagon Lagoon, and from among the submerged riprap boulders at Bolling Air Force Base. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge area improved somewhat, with tidewater largemouth bass coming from the adjacent gravel pits, barges in Smoot Bay and from among the structure's bridge foundations. Grass beds below Belle Haven, near the back of Broad Creek and Bulltown Cove held a few bass, while Mattawoman, Pomonkey and Chickamuxen creeks have been the most consistent producers. Still, lots of anglers are reporting large quantities of blue-green algae and high levels of bacteria in the river's main stem. If you encounter obvious pollution violations or problems, contact the Maryland Department of the Environment at 800-922-8017.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- The stretch of river between Edwards Ferry and Whites Ferry provided anglers with somewhat improved smallmouth bass fishing, larger fish and reports of several keepers being caught. The most productive locations were ledges below Edwards Ferry, the Maryland side of Harrison Island, and mid-river pools above Whites Ferry. At Lander, anglers said that though they could smell sewage at times, smallmouth bass were biting.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA.) -- The river remains high, muddy and unfishable in many areas. The only option was to concentrate efforts in the mouths of smaller tributaries that were unaffected by recent rains.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- Another quiet week with little or no fish checked in at the Brighton Dam office.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- White perch dominated the action during the past week, but there have been several anglers returning to Loch Raven Fishing Center with bonus catches of chain pickerel to four pounds as well. Nearly all of the pickerel were taken by anglers trolling inline spinners trimmed with a morsel of night crawler, a rig primarily intended to catch white perch. Plug casters caught good numbers of largemouth bass from the impoundment's upper reaches, mainly while casting the rocky shorelines early in the morning. The fishing center will be closing Tuesday and Thursday beginning the day after Labor Day until October, when the schedule will switch to weekends only. For additional information, call 410-887-7692.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Vince Shoemaker of Reisterstown, Md., caught a 12-pound rockfish while dunking extra-large shiners. The fish were taken from depths of 80 feet in the impoundment's lower reaches. Nicodemus Bridge anglers reported sporadic catches of white perch and crappie, most made on Bettle Spins trimmed with a piece of crappie meat. Walleye action dropped off a bit, but there were good numbers of smallmouth bass taken from throughout the lake.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Most of the impoundment's waters between Pigeon Creek, the Splits and Jett Island hold small pods of striped bass to 10 pounds. The vast majority have been taken while trolling deep-diving crankbaits early in the day. Early morning anglers caught largemouth bass using topwater lures cast to the edges of grass beds in the upper lake, but when the sun gets up, the fish take refuge beneath boat docks, where plastic worms and live shiners prove effective. Crappie action is still limited to deepwater haunts, mainly in depths of 15 to 25 feet near bridges. Small, live minnows and tiny shad darts lured slabsides to 14 inches during the past week.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- Not much has changed during the past week, water levels are still a bit low, and aquatic grasses near Bentonville Bridge have been a problem for anglers that float-fish the segment of the river and cast shallow-running crankbaits. Anglers wading the downriver riffles reported modest catches of both panfish and smallmouth bass while casting a variety of streamer flies and nymphs.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- While most waters of the Chesapeake's upper and middle reaches remain quite muddy, the North East River's are relatively clear. Apparently, the abundance of aquatic grasses provided sufficient filtration that scrubbed much of the river's suspended particulate matter, thereby providing both improved water quality and fishing. "You don't have to travel very far out of the North East River to find muddy water, but inside the river we're finding underwater visibility down to four feet and great striped bass fishing," said Capt. Mike Benjamin. "We had several days of excellent topwater action during the past week, and most of the fish we caught were keeper size," he added. Channel catfish remain plentiful in the lower Susquehanna, Elk, North East, Sassafras, Bush, Gunpowder and Bohemia rivers, locations where cut herring baits, chicken livers, clam snouts and night crawlers lured catfish to eight pounds. Recreational crabbing seems to have improved in the Gunpowder River's lower reaches, where sport crabbers using collapsible traps baited with small white perch returned to the docks with limit catches of crabs to seven inches. Chummers and trollers alike caught large numbers of small rockfish while fishing a half-dozen locations south of Pooles Island. The Peach Orchard, Gale's Lumps, Belvedere Shoals, Hickory Thickets, Love Point Light and Swan Point Bar all proved productive for weekend anglers. The secret to catching keeper-size rockfish at all locations was to arrive on the site just before dawn; that's when the larger fish seemed to be most active. White perch to 12 inches were also found at the same locations, and most were taken on bottom-fished bloodworms and bait shrimp.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- Increasing numbers of keeper-size rockfish were hauled from among the bridge pilings and submerged boulders of the structure's manmade islands. While most of the keeper fish measured just a shade over the 18-inch minimum, there were a few to 22 inches taken as well. White perch remain plentiful in the confines of Eastern Bay, lower Kent Narrows, the mouth of Crab Alley Bay, Wye River and the channel edges between Parson's Island and Bloody Point Light. Bottom-fished bloodworms, bait shrimp, razor clam and clam snout accounted for most of the action. Chummers found good numbers of throwback stripers and snapper bluefish to three pounds at the Diamonds, Sharps Island Flats and the Stone Rock.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- The river's channel edges between Cook Point and Castle Haven continue to provide anglers with fair numbers of white perch to 13 inches, lots of small striped bass, and an occasional keeper rockfish to 20 inches. Route 50 bridge anglers caught a mix of white perch, throwback stripers and lots of channel catfish to four pounds.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Most of the area's charter boats are heading across the bay and chumming at the Gooses, where rockfish to 28 inches were caught by weekend anglers. Good catches of bluefish to three pounds, and mackerel to 18 inches, were also hauled in from the slicks.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- Ken Lamb at the Tackle Box in Lexington Park said spot and croaker are plentiful, and told of one local fisherman who reported a catch of 43 fish -- spot, croaker, rockfish, bluefish and trout -- near Hog Point. At Cedar Point on the naval air station, anglers are catching keeper rockfish on surface poppers, sassy shads and swimming plugs in the evenings, many 20 and 22 inches, with plenty of bluefish mixed in. Lamb added that white perch, croaker and trout are active up the Patuxent from Captains Point to Broome's Island.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- Local charter captains have been heading directly across the Chesapeake and fishing the bay's western channel edge, where mixed schools of breaking rockfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel produced nearly nonstop action for those willing to chase them.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Most headboat and charterboat anglers reported good catches of large spot, fair numbers of croaker to 12 inches and a mix of flounder, weakfish and snapper bluefish. The vast majority of these fish were caught while bottom fishing with bloodworms and chunks of peeler crab. Plug casters found a few legal-size striped bass among the submerged boulders that make up Smith Island's western jetties, fish that smacked small bucktails and Rat-L-Traps retrieved along the jetty's edge during high and ebb tides.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- While the weather was quite windy, anglers that took shelter from the prevailing winds inside the Potomac River found good numbers of spot, croaker, mid-size striped bass, Spanish mackerel and white perch. Most of the panfish (spot, croaker and white perch) were caught by rental boat anglers around the Wicomico River's mouth near Bushwood. The best striper action took place at the Triangle, where chummers caught rockfish to four pounds, bluefish of similar size and a few weakfish.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Small spot and croaker dominated the action inside the river, but the river's mouth was loaded with schools of breaking mackerel and bluefish. Similar reports were echoed by anglers trolling small, silver spoons through pods of breaking fish just north and east of Smith Point Light.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- While most of the larger spadefish seem to have deserted the Cell and Buoy 42 area, there are still lots of big flounder lurking near these structures. Flounder to 24 inches slammed minnow-squid combos fished in depths of 25 to 30 feet. Swarms of small croaker were found near the concrete Liberty Ships at Kiptopeke, while just a short distance to the west at the bay's eastern channel edge, croaker to three pounds smacked drifted squid strips. Trollers caught a mix of snapper bluefish and mackerel at the CBBT's Fourth Island while dragging tiny silver and gold spoons.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- The offshore fleet reported excellent bluefin and yellowfin tuna catches at Massey's Canyon, and to the south at the Parking Lot and Lumpy Bottom. While most of the tuna were taken by chumming and chunking with butterfish, trollers fishing the same area with rigged ballyhoo also caught some mid-size dolphin, wahoo and an occasional billfish. Headboat anglers loaded up on a mix of sea bass to four pounds, plus a bonus of croaker to 18 inches. Shorebound anglers found kingfish in the surf of both Ocean City and Assateague, while back bay anglers found lots of small flounder along the bay's channel edges. Route 50 bridge anglers caught a mix of stripers to 33 inches, weakfish to six pounds and fair numbers of keeper flounder to three pounds.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- Croaker action at both inlets seems to have fallen off quite a bit, but there were a few keeper flounder found lurking along the channel edges of the adjacent back bays. Offshore, the 26 Mile Hill and north tip of Washington Canyon were the hot spots for yellowfin tuna and dolphin.

OUTER BANKS -- Offshore, when the weather cooperated, good hauls of yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds were made by both the Oregon and Hatteras inlet fleets. The tuna were frequently mixed with schools of gaffer dolphin to 36 pounds, which is exceptionally large for this part of the world. Inshore, headboat anglers caught a mix of French grunt, sea bass and sea mullet while drifting squid strips and bait shrimp. Surf and pier anglers caught lots of small spot, fair numbers of croaker, a few mackerel and a mix of pompano and sea mullet. At Cape Point, a 42-inch red drum was beached.

[treed942000]

Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, September 3, 2004; Page WE56
Fish Lines

What's the Catch?


Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- Another slow week of bass fishing on this once highly productive river. Local bass fishing guides have been working the river from Chickamuxen to the District, but the Woodrow Wilson Bridge area seems to be the only location that consistently produces fish. Weekend hot spots included Smoot Bay and the Spoils, where spinnerbaits lured modest numbers of mid-size largemouths. Water temperatures are in the low 80s; algae blooms below the mouth of Occoquan River are severe, and direct contact with those waters can be hazardous. Mattawoman Creek continues to be the most productive location for tidewater largemouths; spinnerbaits, stickbaits and crankbaits proved effective above Slavin's Launch. Jetties at Leesylvania, bridge pilings at Powell Creek, and grass beds at Chickamuxen Creek held a few bass, but none of these locations has been consistent.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- The river's upper reaches look like pea soup from the massive algae blooms and scummy bottom. The weekend's best smallmouth bass areas included: ledges below the Lander launch ramp (from power lines to fish pots), and ledges below the Fence and Burkharts Riffle. At Whites Ferry/Edwards Ferry, ledges below Edwards Ferry, water intake, Balls Bluff, deeper pools on the Maryland side of Harrison Island, Virginia shore below the ferry, mid-river pools above the ferry and Virginia's shore at the Cow Fields. Lots of tiny bass, but keepers are indeed rare.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA.) -- Much of the river is beginning to take on the same appearance as the upper Susquehanna. When river levels are near normal, which has been rare this season, anglers catch fair numbers of tiny smallmouth bass in the stretch of river between Fort Hunter and Three Mile Island. Downriver at Conowingo Lake and Holtwood Pool, underwater visibility is near zero. The few exceptions where water quality was fair to good were Broad, Conowingo and Muddy creeks, all tributaries to Conowingo Lake. Each held good numbers of mid-size bronzebacks that were willing to smack live minnows, hellgrammites and tube lures rigged to quarter-ounce leadheads.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- It was a great weekend for anglers fishing both WSSC impoundments. Bryan Sirotkin of Columbia caught a 4-pound 11-ounce largemouth bass at Duckett Reservoir. At Triadelphia Reservoir, legendary bass angler Jerry Sauter of Baltimore caught a pair of smallmouths, one weighing 4 pounds 3 ounces, and the other tipping the scales at 5 pounds 2.5 ounces. Vivian Bonnell of Laurel sunk her hooks into a 4-pound 13-ounce largemouth bass at Duckett.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- Lots of white perch in the impoundment's middle reaches, mainly near the mouths of the major coves. Trollers using inline spinners trimmed with a morsel of night crawler had no trouble putting dozens of 10- to 14-inch perch in the cooler while fishing the mouth of Dead Man's, School House, Pierce's and Hopkins coves. Plug casters found chunky largemouth bass to three pounds along the rocky shores uplake of Dulaney Valley Bridge, while bridge anglers managed to catch a mix of small crappie and bluegill on live minnows. Trollers fishing above the bridge caught a few walleye to three pounds and chain pickerel to two pounds while dragging shallow-running crankbaits over depths of 30 to 40 feet near the submerged wreckage of the old Dulaney Valley Bridge.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Anglers dunking large, live shiners just above the Route 26 bridge caught striped bass to 12 pounds, and while the numbers are not high, those individuals that were patient enough to wait the fish out did catch their two-fish limits. Uplake, bottom-fished crawfish produced fair catches of smallmouth bass near Oakland Mills Point and just below Nicodemus Bridge. Bridge anglers caught a few crappie early and late in the day on live minnows and chicken livers, while shorebound anglers a short distance uplake found walleye to three pounds that slurped down large, live shiners.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Largemouth bass are still holding tight against deep structures late in the day, mainly in depths of six to 15 feet near docks, brush piles and stumps near the mouths of creeks and coves. Slowly retrieved crankbaits such as the XPS and Norman DD-14 have been effective early in the day, but late in the afternoon switch to five-inch Yamamoto grubs, or 7 1/2 - to nine-inch plastic worms mainly in pumpkin, watermelon, and smoke colors. Scott Taylor and Bill Deeds of Orange, Va., caught three bass with a combined weight of 11 pounds 4 ounces. Yankee Mastrup of Fredericksburg caught two bass totaling 8 pounds 7 ounces. Big fish of the week tipped the scales at 6 pounds 7 ounces. Great striper fishing continues with limit catches reported from the Splits, Rose Valley, Jett Island and the channel edges near the state park. The best topwater action is during early morning. After 10, trolling with deep-diving crankbaits provided steady action. Steve Coleman of Fredericksburg nailed an 11-pound 4-ouncer, while Nathan Wood and Sherri Carneal of Spotsylvania had a six-fish stringer totaling 55 pounds. Mike and Jason Otting of Fairfax had a seven-fish stringer weighing 44 pounds.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- Weekend anglers managed to catch a few bronzebacks while floating downriver of Bentonville Bridge, but again, the numbers were modest. Some of this can be attributed to aquatic grasses, which are now to the point where most of the deeper pools are choked with vegetation. Wading anglers fishing the base of riffles and casting a variety of streamer flies caught lots of smaller fish, most measuring just six to 10 inches. Panfish action is still slower than it should be.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- Much of the upper bay above Pooles Island was in deplorable condition. Most of these waters ranged in color from chocolate brown to pea-soup green, some areas were still experiencing outbreaks of blue/green algae and fishing was slow at best for all species. The only bright spot continues to be the North East River and Susquehanna Flats, where anglers casting Bass Assassins caught good numbers of striped bass ranging from throwbacks to 24 inches from the edges of grass beds. Good numbers of tidewater largemouths to three pounds were also caught at the same locations. The secret to success was timing to periods when high tide occurred during periods of low light angles. Channel catfish remain fairly plentiful throughout the bay's upper reaches. Bottom-fished chicken livers, cut herring, cut spot, chunks of menhaden and night crawlers lured catties to four pounds from the channel edges of C&D Canal, North East, Elk, lower Susquehanna, Bohemia, Sassafras, Gunpowder, Bush and Seneca rivers. Trollers continue to catch limits of keeper-size rockfish from among the huge number of throwbacks that inhabit the lumps and bumps south of Pooles Island. Stripers to 32 inches slammed surgical hose eels, tandem-rigged bucktails and deep-diving crankbaits trolled at the Peach Orchard, Belvedere Shoals, Love Point Light, Man-O-War Shoal and Swan Point Bar. White perch to 12 inches smacked bottom-fished bloodworms and bait shrimp at the mouth of Fairlee Creek, Bodkin Point, the submerged boulders of Fort Carroll, Belvedere Shoal and from beneath Eastern Neck Island Bridge.

BAY BRIDGES AREA --  White perch to 10 inches and striped bass to 19 inches gobbled down bottom-fished bait shrimp and bloodworms fished among the submerged boulders of the old span's manmade islands, while larger stripers smacked jigging spoons worked among the finger pilings of the new span on the east side of the main channel. White perch action held up well for weekend anglers fishing the confines of Eastern Bay, with perch to 12 inches taken from the mouth of Crab Alley Bay and Wye River, Kent Narrows' south jetty boulders and the bay's channel edges between the artificial reef and Parson's Island. Schools of breaking rockfish and bluefish dotted the horizon near Poplar Island, where plug casters and fly fishing enthusiasts caught lots of bluefish up to three pounds, and stripers ranging from 12 to 17 inches.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- The river continues to produce fair numbers of smaller stripers and a few keepers from the shallow flats situated between Cook Point and Castle Haven. Most of the keeper-size fish were taken on half-ounce bucktails trimmed with a four-inch chartreuse twister tail. Bottom-fished bloodworms fished in depths of 12 to 20 feet along the river's southern channel edge lured white perch to 10 inches and similar-size spot. Sharps Island Light anglers encountered erupting schools of stripers and bluefish ripping through pods of bay anchovy, fish that smacked tiny silver spoons as fast as they hit the water. Not many keepers, but lots of fun on light spinning tackle and fly fishing gear.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Local charter captains continue to catch increasing numbers of bluefish to five pounds and rockfish to 32 inches while both trolling and chumming at the Gooses and Gas Docks. The largest fish seem to be consistently caught early in the morning, often just after sunrise. When chumming fails to produce keeper-size fish, trolling with surgical hose eels, mid-size spoons and tandem-rigged bucktails provided an effective method of luring keeper-size stripers.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- Minnow drifters working the bay's eastern channel edge from Buoy 74 to above Buoy 76 enjoyed great catches of keeper-size flounder. The flatfish ranged from 14 to 21 inches, with the majority measuring just under the 16-inch limit. The average ratio is one keeper for every five or six caught. One experienced fisherman landed around 50 last Friday, but all but 12 of them were too small to keep. Local angler Tex Turner landed 12 and kept his three on Saturday. Capt. Billy Langley caught 10 at the Three Legged Marker on Friday and came home with two keepers. All of these reports were from the Solomons area, but the fishing seems to be just as good from Hooper Island south to Buoy 72. Spot, croaker, perch and some small trout are very active in the Patuxent's lower reaches, where bottom-fished bloodworms and bait shrimp have been effective. Good reports of croaker action from Second Beach. Plug casters working the rocks around the Patuxent Naval Air Station during high tides are catching rockfish and bluefish alike. The lower river's creeks hold plenty of white perch that were willing to take beetle spins cast near piers and along the edges of drop-offs. The upper Patuxent also produced good perch fishing.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- Mixed schools of breaking snapper bluefish to 3 pounds, striped bass to 20 inches and lots of Spanish mackerel were found all along the bay's eastern channel edge between Hooper Island Light and Buoy 72A. Across the bay at the Targets, Point No Point and the flats just south of the Targets, similar schools ripped through pods of fleeing anchovy. Small jigging spoons cast among the breaking fish drew instant strikes.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Lower Tangier and Pocomoke sounds were productive for large numbers of big spot, mid-size croaker to 15 inches, a few keeper weakfish and an occasional flounder. Most of Crisfield's charter fleet, however, now divides its time between chumming for stripers, trolling for mackerel and bottom fishing in the confines of Tangier and Pocomoke sounds, all of which has been productive for the several weeks.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Glowing reports of great flounder catches came from Point Lookout Bar, Cornfield Harbor, and Piney Point. Flounder to 22 inches were also caught from Point Lookout State Park's public fishing pier and the adjacent causeway, where live minnows and squid strips were quite effective. Trollers caught large numbers of mackerel to three pounds, bluefish to six pounds and stripers ranging from throwbacks to 26 inches.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Spanish mackerel dominated the action at both Windmill and Stingray points, where small gold spoons trolled over the channel edges lured mackerel to four pounds and lots of snapper bluefish as well. Spot, croaker and a few weakfish were found cruising Smith Point Bar, where bottom-fished squid strips and bloodworms lured croaker to 17 inches when fished late in the day. Flounder are again active just outside the mouth of Little Wicomico River.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Flounder catches remain good at the CBBT's Fourth Island and up the bay at the Cell. Croaker of all sizes are just about anyplace you drop a piece of bait, and there are lots of throwback weakfish along the bay's eastern channel edge. A few red drum to 35 pounds were caught and released from the Cabbage Patch and Lattimer Shoals.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- Offshore, the tuna bite has been awesome from the Hambone and several other locations closer to shore. Bluefin tuna to 150 pounds and yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds are slamming butterfish baits fished in chunk slicks. Trollers using rigged ballyhoo at Poorman's Canyon caught a mix of yellowfin tuna, white marlin, blue marlin and an occasional wahoo. Shorebound anglers caught a mix of kingfish, throwback flounder, an occasional keeper rockfish and snapper bluefish.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- Most of the action centered around plentiful bluefin tuna at the Parking Lot, Ammo Wreck and Lumpy Bottom, locations that provided anglers with tuna to 150 pounds every day the weather cooperated.

OUTER BANKS -- Because of the weather, little fishing took place during the past week.

[treed942000]

Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, September 17, 2004; Page WE61
Fish Lines

Hurricane Ivan is slowly marching north, bringing torrential rains that could produce severe flooding in the mid-Atlantic region. By this weekend water conditions will be marginal at best. Play it safe and do not venture out on rivers that are higher than normal, and be sure to wear a personal flotation device at all times.

What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- The river continues to produce poor largemouth bass and striper fishing in areas that have been plagued with huge mats of floating algae. Additionally, much of the river's length is nothing more than a sea of mud with lots of floating debris. This includes much of the main stem from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to the Route 301 bridge and nearly all tributaries within that segment where underwater visibility is essentially zero. In the D.C. segment there, anglers reported muddy water, but some stripers ranging from 12 to 20 inches were found in Washington Channel, the channel edge near Columbia Island Marina, deeper waters near the airport and also Blue Plains. Not many smallmouths lurking among bridge foundations, but a few chunky largemouths were found among Long Bridge supports Nos. 1, 2 and 3 (Virginia side), and Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 from main shipping channel east. The Wilson Bridge area improved somewhat during the past week. Stickbaits and tube lures produced modest numbers of mid-size bass when fished at the Spoils cove, bridge foundations and drop-offs near the concrete plant in Smoot Bay. Hog Island may have some of the best bass action in the area, where crankbaits cast to deep water near the Lighthouse produced good results. Mount Vernon Cupola provided a few largemouths, along with the dropoff between Dogue Creek and Gunston Cove. Grass in Pomonkey continues to provide a few big bass, while Mattawoman Creek is highly productive one day, and seemingly devoid of fish the next. Although muddy water hampers largemouth and striped bass action, it has not impaired channel catfish catches. Good catches ranging from four to eight pounds were made near Fletcher's Landing, where bottom-fished night crawlers and chicken livers proved effective. This is also a great place to test your fishing skills while battling monster carp. Carp to 20 pounds gobbled down bottom-fished night crawlers and hooks baited with whole kernel, yellow corn when fished in some of the back eddy locations near Fletcher's and other nearby locations. Similar catches were also reported by anglers fishing Washington Channel.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- A few days before the onset of heavy rains, the river produced modest catches of smallmouth bass ranging eight to 10 inches, but larger fish are still extremely scarce. If Ivan hits as predicted, the weekend will be a bust when it comes to fishing.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA) -- The river remains high, muddy and nearly impossible to fish. Call 888-881-7555 for river conditions.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- Local angler Bryan Sirotkin was fishing Rocky Gorge last week and set his hooks on a 10-pound 3.5-ounce channel catfish. Richard Berberich of Kensington caught a 5-pound 12.5 ounce largemouth bass while plug casting in Triadelphia's upper reaches.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- White perch remain plentiful between Dulaney Valley Road and Loch Raven Drive bridges, where trollers caught perch to 15 inches using inline spinners trimmed with a morsel of night crawler. Scattered catches of largemouth bass to five pounds were reported by plug casters working the shallows located just above the Log Jam, most smacking spinnerbaits and shallow-running crankbaits fished early in the day. Crappie action beneath Dulaney Valley Bridge remains slow.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Walleye to five pounds smacked trolled, deep-diving crankbaits fished over the impoundment's western channel edge just above the Route 26 bridge. A few big stripers were also caught at the same location by anglers drift-fishing with large, live minnows and suspending them over depths of 60 to 70 feet. Nicodemus Bridge anglers caught a mix of small crappie, white perch and an occasional walleye while dunking live shiners from the span, while a short distance downlake, live crawfish lured bronzebacks to three pounds from rocky outcrops.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Striped bass action in the impoundment's upper reaches was good, with linesiders to 12 pounds smacking deep-diving crankbaits, large live minnows and Sassy Shad trolled along the channel edges. Largemouth bass to six pounds inhaled large, live shiners, plastic worms and spinnerbaits cast near piers and bridge pilings. Crappie action seemed to be improving in deeper waters, however, Ivan will obviously have a huge impact on this weekend's action.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- The river was high and muddy and fishing was slow at best.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- Everyone is bracing themselves for the onset of more, high, muddy water. The Susquehanna River was already high and muddy, and most anglers reported modest catches of small channel catfish and tiny white perch while dunking night crawlers in the deeper waters just above the Interstate 95 bridge. The North East River's lower reaches and nearby Susquehanna Flats provided good catches of striped bass to 26 inches, most of which nailed Bass Assassins cast along the edges of grass beds and fished in deeper troughs located in the middle of the flats. Bottom-fished bloodworms and night crawlers produced scattered catches of white perch to 10 inches for anglers fishing near Rocky Point, Red Point and Turkey Point. Channel catfish to six pounds were found lurking in the lower reaches of the Elk, Sassafras, North East, Bohemia, Bush and Gunpowder rivers, mainly in depths of 12 to 15 feet, where bottom-fished night crawlers and chicken livers were effective. Trollers and chummers caught huge numbers of small stripers last weekend, and though most measured less than 18 inches and were released, there were fair numbers of 18- to 26-inch fish that were caught by anglers willing to be on the water at the crack of dawn. Among the most productive locations were Swan Point Bar, Mary Jane, Belvedere Shoal, Peach Orchard and Hickory Thickets.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- White perch to 12 inches arrived among the twin span's Eastern Shore pilings, mainly beneath cross sections of pilings east of No. 57 on the old span. Bloodworms, night crawlers, squid strips and clam snout were all effective when fished during the last few hours of ebb tide. Jigging spoons lured a few keeper-size rockfish from among the submerged boulders of the old span's manmade islands, while small bluefish and throwback rockfish blasted through pods of bay anchovy just above the bridges. Eastern Bay anglers caught lots of white perch to 12 inches while dunking razor clam, bloodworms and chunks of peeler crab along the bay's southern channel edge in a stretch that ran from the lower end of Kent Narrows to Parson's Island. Chummers caught fair numbers of rockfish at The Hill, but the vast majority were throwbacks ranging 12 to 15 inches at best. Mixed schools of breaking bluefish and stripers erupted through the bay's placid surface at the flats situated just south of Poplar Island, and while most were too small to keep, they provided great catch-and-release action for flyrodders and light-tackle enthusiasts.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- A couple of black drum to 55 pounds were caught and released by anglers bottom fishing for white perch in the river's lower reaches near Cook Point. Most of the action centered around roaming schools of white perch that were found between Chancellor Point and the Route 50 bridge at Cambridge, where bottom fished bloodworms lured perch to 15 inches. Anglers fishing from the bridge's public fishing piers caught a mix of channel catfish, mid-size white perch, an occasional snapper bluefish and fair numbers of throwback stripers. Nearly all were taken on bloodworms and night crawlers.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Local charter boats returned to the docks with mixed sizes of stripers and ranging from 18 to 20 inches and bluefish measuring 12 to 16 inches. Headboat anglers continue to catch fair numbers of jumbo spot and chunky white perch, but this year's croaker run was a big disappointment.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- Spot action was good at the mouth of the Patuxent during the past week. The best catches were made at Second Beach, Drum Point, Green Holly, and Hawk's nest. Typical stories of spot coming thick and fast, such as a dozen in 10 minutes are common. These are the big, slab sided spot of fall, with yellow humpbacks. These fish are building fat reserves and will soon be heading south. They should remain in the vicinity for several more weeks, but what effects Ivan will have on their annual migration is still unknown. The bay's channel edge between Buoys 74 and 76 produced flounder every day during the past week, most coming from depths of 33 feet. The edge located about a mile above Buoy 76 has been very consistent. Several fishermen found the bay too rough to cross and stayed in the Patuxent working the river's channel edge at the Three Legged Marker where they limited out on flounder using fresh cut spot strips.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- On days when the weather was too rough to venture out in the bay's open waters, chummers found good numbers of keeper size stripers in the river's sheltered waters near Bentley Point. When the winds calmed, they encountered mixed schools of snapper bluefish to two pounds and stripers to 20 inches just west of Hooper Island Light and across the bay at The Targets. Small jigging spoons cast among the breaking fish drew instantaneous strikes.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Although bottom fishing seems to be drawing to a conclusion in most sections of Tangier and Pocomoke sounds, relatively large numbers of jumbo spot and white perch were found at the Nanticoke and Manokin river's mouths during the past week. Additionally, some keeper stripers have arrived in the shallows of Smith, Janes and Watts islands, locations where small bucktails trimmed with chartreuse twister tails lured rockfish to 26 inches.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Cornfield Harbor and the nearby public fishing pier at Point Lookout State Park provided weekend anglers with good catches of flounder to 24 inches. Most were taken late in the day while fishing with live minnows and squid strips. Just a short distance across the bay along the eastern channel edge is where schools of snapper bluefish and rockfish churned the surface to foam as they ripped through pods of fleeing anchovy. Most of the fish were only 12 to 15 inchers, but anglers working jigging spoons beneath the breaking fish and close to the bottom caught keeper size stripers to 20 inches and an occasional weakfish and croaker to 16 inches. A few pods of mackerel were also found, but most were too small to keep.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Small spot and croaker are stacked near the river's mouth, while across the bay at The Cell anglers caught several exceptionally large flounder to 26 inches while bottom fishing with minnow/squid combos. The Cut Channel is where trollers dragging tiny, Clarke spoons intercepted schools of migrating mackerel, some of which topped the four pound mark.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Migrating schools of mackerel, croaker, spot, snapper bluefish and weakfish provided light tackle buffs with an incredible week of bottom-fishing action on both sides of the bay's main shipping channels. At the CBBT's manmade islands, schools of snapper bluefish and Spanish mackerel blasted through schools of migrating baitfish as they fed at their leisure. Flounder to eight pounds were caught by trollers using wire line, bucktails and bottom bouncing rigs fished over the submerged tubes, and there were a few big weakfish mixed with the weekend catches.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- While sea bass season is now closed for two weeks, most anglers have switched to chunking for bluefin tuna which are currently in abundance at the Hambone, located just 30 miles from Ocean City Inlet. The tuna range from 50 to 150 pounds and slammed butterfish baits fished in the chunk slicks. Trollers fishing between Poormans and Baltimore canyons caught yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds and several white marlin while dragging rigged ballyhoo. A few wahoo and dolphin were taken at the same locations. Shorebound anglers have been plagued with dirty water conditions for the past week, which hampered striped bass and weakfish action from the Route 50 Bridge.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- While bluefin tuna action fell off at the Parking Lot and Lumpy Bottom, yellowfin tuna catches improved at Washington and Norfolk canyons where rigged ballyhoo and cedar plugs produced tuna to 100 pounds on days when the weather cooperated.

OUTER BANKS -- Another slow week of offshore fishing, mainly because of high winds and rough seas.

[treed942000]

Fish Lines
By Gary Diamond
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, September 17, 2004; Page WE61
Fish Lines

Hurricane Ivan is slowly marching north, bringing torrential rains that could produce severe flooding in the mid-Atlantic region. By this weekend water conditions will be marginal at best. Play it safe and do not venture out on rivers that are higher than normal, and be sure to wear a personal flotation device at all times.

What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- The river continues to produce poor largemouth bass and striper fishing in areas that have been plagued with huge mats of floating algae. Additionally, much of the river's length is nothing more than a sea of mud with lots of floating debris. This includes much of the main stem from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to the Route 301 bridge and nearly all tributaries within that segment where underwater visibility is essentially zero. In the D.C. segment there, anglers reported muddy water, but some stripers ranging from 12 to 20 inches were found in Washington Channel, the channel edge near Columbia Island Marina, deeper waters near the airport and also Blue Plains. Not many smallmouths lurking among bridge foundations, but a few chunky largemouths were found among Long Bridge supports Nos. 1, 2 and 3 (Virginia side), and Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 from main shipping channel east. The Wilson Bridge area improved somewhat during the past week. Stickbaits and tube lures produced modest numbers of mid-size bass when fished at the Spoils cove, bridge foundations and drop-offs near the concrete plant in Smoot Bay. Hog Island may have some of the best bass action in the area, where crankbaits cast to deep water near the Lighthouse produced good results. Mount Vernon Cupola provided a few largemouths, along with the dropoff between Dogue Creek and Gunston Cove. Grass in Pomonkey continues to provide a few big bass, while Mattawoman Creek is highly productive one day, and seemingly devoid of fish the next. Although muddy water hampers largemouth and striped bass action, it has not impaired channel catfish catches. Good catches ranging from four to eight pounds were made near Fletcher's Landing, where bottom-fished night crawlers and chicken livers proved effective. This is also a great place to test your fishing skills while battling monster carp. Carp to 20 pounds gobbled down bottom-fished night crawlers and hooks baited with whole kernel, yellow corn when fished in some of the back eddy locations near Fletcher's and other nearby locations. Similar catches were also reported by anglers fishing Washington Channel.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- A few days before the onset of heavy rains, the river produced modest catches of smallmouth bass ranging eight to 10 inches, but larger fish are still extremely scarce. If Ivan hits as predicted, the weekend will be a bust when it comes to fishing.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA) -- The river remains high, muddy and nearly impossible to fish. Call 888-881-7555 for river conditions.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- Local angler Bryan Sirotkin was fishing Rocky Gorge last week and set his hooks on a 10-pound 3.5-ounce channel catfish. Richard Berberich of Kensington caught a 5-pound 12.5 ounce largemouth bass while plug casting in Triadelphia's upper reaches.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- White perch remain plentiful between Dulaney Valley Road and Loch Raven Drive bridges, where trollers caught perch to 15 inches using inline spinners trimmed with a morsel of night crawler. Scattered catches of largemouth bass to five pounds were reported by plug casters working the shallows located just above the Log Jam, most smacking spinnerbaits and shallow-running crankbaits fished early in the day. Crappie action beneath Dulaney Valley Bridge remains slow.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Walleye to five pounds smacked trolled, deep-diving crankbaits fished over the impoundment's western channel edge just above the Route 26 bridge. A few big stripers were also caught at the same location by anglers drift-fishing with large, live minnows and suspending them over depths of 60 to 70 feet. Nicodemus Bridge anglers caught a mix of small crappie, white perch and an occasional walleye while dunking live shiners from the span, while a short distance downlake, live crawfish lured bronzebacks to three pounds from rocky outcrops.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Striped bass action in the impoundment's upper reaches was good, with linesiders to 12 pounds smacking deep-diving crankbaits, large live minnows and Sassy Shad trolled along the channel edges. Largemouth bass to six pounds inhaled large, live shiners, plastic worms and spinnerbaits cast near piers and bridge pilings. Crappie action seemed to be improving in deeper waters, however, Ivan will obviously have a huge impact on this weekend's action.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- The river was high and muddy and fishing was slow at best.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- Everyone is bracing themselves for the onset of more, high, muddy water. The Susquehanna River was already high and muddy, and most anglers reported modest catches of small channel catfish and tiny white perch while dunking night crawlers in the deeper waters just above the Interstate 95 bridge. The North East River's lower reaches and nearby Susquehanna Flats provided good catches of striped bass to 26 inches, most of which nailed Bass Assassins cast along the edges of grass beds and fished in deeper troughs located in the middle of the flats. Bottom-fished bloodworms and night crawlers produced scattered catches of white perch to 10 inches for anglers fishing near Rocky Point, Red Point and Turkey Point. Channel catfish to six pounds were found lurking in the lower reaches of the Elk, Sassafras, North East, Bohemia, Bush and Gunpowder rivers, mainly in depths of 12 to 15 feet, where bottom-fished night crawlers and chicken livers were effective. Trollers and chummers caught huge numbers of small stripers last weekend, and though most measured less than 18 inches and were released, there were fair numbers of 18- to 26-inch fish that were caught by anglers willing to be on the water at the crack of dawn. Among the most productive locations were Swan Point Bar, Mary Jane, Belvedere Shoal, Peach Orchard and Hickory Thickets.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- White perch to 12 inches arrived among the twin span's Eastern Shore pilings, mainly beneath cross sections of pilings east of No. 57 on the old span. Bloodworms, night crawlers, squid strips and clam snout were all effective when fished during the last few hours of ebb tide. Jigging spoons lured a few keeper-size rockfish from among the submerged boulders of the old span's manmade islands, while small bluefish and throwback rockfish blasted through pods of bay anchovy just above the bridges. Eastern Bay anglers caught lots of white perch to 12 inches while dunking razor clam, bloodworms and chunks of peeler crab along the bay's southern channel edge in a stretch that ran from the lower end of Kent Narrows to Parson's Island. Chummers caught fair numbers of rockfish at The Hill, but the vast majority were throwbacks ranging 12 to 15 inches at best. Mixed schools of breaking bluefish and stripers erupted through the bay's placid surface at the flats situated just south of Poplar Island, and while most were too small to keep, they provided great catch-and-release action for flyrodders and light-tackle enthusiasts.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- A couple of black drum to 55 pounds were caught and released by anglers bottom fishing for white perch in the river's lower reaches near Cook Point. Most of the action centered around roaming schools of white perch that were found between Chancellor Point and the Route 50 bridge at Cambridge, where bottom fished bloodworms lured perch to 15 inches. Anglers fishing from the bridge's public fishing piers caught a mix of channel catfish, mid-size white perch, an occasional snapper bluefish and fair numbers of throwback stripers. Nearly all were taken on bloodworms and night crawlers.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Local charter boats returned to the docks with mixed sizes of stripers and ranging from 18 to 20 inches and bluefish measuring 12 to 16 inches. Headboat anglers continue to catch fair numbers of jumbo spot and chunky white perch, but this year's croaker run was a big disappointment.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- Spot action was good at the mouth of the Patuxent during the past week. The best catches were made at Second Beach, Drum Point, Green Holly, and Hawk's nest. Typical stories of spot coming thick and fast, such as a dozen in 10 minutes are common. These are the big, slab sided spot of fall, with yellow humpbacks. These fish are building fat reserves and will soon be heading south. They should remain in the vicinity for several more weeks, but what effects Ivan will have on their annual migration is still unknown. The bay's channel edge between Buoys 74 and 76 produced flounder every day during the past week, most coming from depths of 33 feet. The edge located about a mile above Buoy 76 has been very consistent. Several fishermen found the bay too rough to cross and stayed in the Patuxent working the river's channel edge at the Three Legged Marker where they limited out on flounder using fresh cut spot strips.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- On days when the weather was too rough to venture out in the bay's open waters, chummers found good numbers of keeper size stripers in the river's sheltered waters near Bentley Point. When the winds calmed, they encountered mixed schools of snapper bluefish to two pounds and stripers to 20 inches just west of Hooper Island Light and across the bay at The Targets. Small jigging spoons cast among the breaking fish drew instantaneous strikes.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- Although bottom fishing seems to be drawing to a conclusion in most sections of Tangier and Pocomoke sounds, relatively large numbers of jumbo spot and white perch were found at the Nanticoke and Manokin river's mouths during the past week. Additionally, some keeper stripers have arrived in the shallows of Smith, Janes and Watts islands, locations where small bucktails trimmed with chartreuse twister tails lured rockfish to 26 inches.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Cornfield Harbor and the nearby public fishing pier at Point Lookout State Park provided weekend anglers with good catches of flounder to 24 inches. Most were taken late in the day while fishing with live minnows and squid strips. Just a short distance across the bay along the eastern channel edge is where schools of snapper bluefish and rockfish churned the surface to foam as they ripped through pods of fleeing anchovy. Most of the fish were only 12 to 15 inchers, but anglers working jigging spoons beneath the breaking fish and close to the bottom caught keeper size stripers to 20 inches and an occasional weakfish and croaker to 16 inches. A few pods of mackerel were also found, but most were too small to keep.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AREA -- Small spot and croaker are stacked near the river's mouth, while across the bay at The Cell anglers caught several exceptionally large flounder to 26 inches while bottom fishing with minnow/squid combos. The Cut Channel is where trollers dragging tiny, Clarke spoons intercepted schools of migrating mackerel, some of which topped the four pound mark.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Migrating schools of mackerel, croaker, spot, snapper bluefish and weakfish provided light tackle buffs with an incredible week of bottom-fishing action on both sides of the bay's main shipping channels. At the CBBT's manmade islands, schools of snapper bluefish and Spanish mackerel blasted through schools of migrating baitfish as they fed at their leisure. Flounder to eight pounds were caught by trollers using wire line, bucktails and bottom bouncing rigs fished over the submerged tubes, and there were a few big weakfish mixed with the weekend catches.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- While sea bass season is now closed for two weeks, most anglers have switched to chunking for bluefin tuna which are currently in abundance at the Hambone, located just 30 miles from Ocean City Inlet. The tuna range from 50 to 150 pounds and slammed butterfish baits fished in the chunk slicks. Trollers fishing between Poormans and Baltimore canyons caught yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds and several white marlin while dragging rigged ballyhoo. A few wahoo and dolphin were taken at the same locations. Shorebound anglers have been plagued with dirty water conditions for the past week, which hampered striped bass and weakfish action from the Route 50 Bridge.

CHINCOTEAGUE & WACHAPREAGUE -- While bluefin tuna action fell off at the Parking Lot and Lumpy Bottom, yellowfin tuna catches improved at Washington and Norfolk canyons where rigged ballyhoo and cedar plugs produced tuna to 100 pounds on days when the weather cooperated.

OUTER BANKS -- Another slow week of offshore fishing, mainly because of high winds and rough seas.

[Fat Boy]

Fish Lines

By Gary Diamond
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, October 1, 2004; Page WE56

Fish Lines

The remnants of Hurricane Jeanne will have a negative impact on this weekend's water-related activities. Several inches of rain hit the mid-Atlantic region and caused flooding.

Boating anglers should exercise extreme caution in debris-laden rivers and the Chesapeake's upper reaches north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, where partly submerged logs, pier pilings and other flotsam pose hazards.


What's the Catch?

Washington & Vicinity

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER -- While the river still resembles coffee with cream and sticks, there were a few tidewater largemouths caught during the past weekend by anglers near Woodrow Wilson Bridge at the Spoils, Smoot Bay, Fox Ferry Point, barges near the bridge, and coves south of Belle Haven Marina.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER -- High, muddy and unfishable.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER (PA.) -- The river rose to 20 feet last week, causing significant flooding in many areas. While water levels have fallen, conditions are still hazardous, even in many of the tributaries. Call 888-881-7555 for up-to-date river conditions.

Maryland

TRIADELPHIA AND ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIRS -- Jeff Smith of Jefferson, Md., caught a 4-pound 12.5-ounce largemouth bass at Triadelphia Sept. 23. There were several smaller bass caught and released from Triadelphia as well. Crappie are still not active.

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR -- White perch to 10 inches continue to smack trolled, inline spinners fished near the entrance marker to Loch Raven Fishing Center at the mouth of School House Cove. Lots of chunky bluegills were also caught by trollers, some measuring more than 10 inches. Live minnows suspended beneath floats lured crappie to 12 inches from the mouths of several mid-lake coves, while uplake, plug casters enjoyed good catches of largemouth bass at rocky shorelines and log jams.

LIBERTY RESERVOIR -- Nicodemus Bridge anglers continue to catch a mix of crappie, white perch and an occasional walleye while dunking live minnows from the structure late in the day. Downlake, trollers dragging large crankbaits and big, live shiners caught a few striped bass, the largest tipping the scales at just over seven pounds. Smallmouth bass are beginning to feed up heavily in preparation for winter and can be found near any rocky point. Bottom-fished live crayfish were effective.

Virginia

LAKE ANNA -- Falling water temperatures made largemouth bass fishing somewhat difficult, but striper action continues to hold up well in the impoundment's upper reaches near Lake Anna State Park, Jett Island and Rose Valley, locations where four-inch Sassy Shad rigged to half-ounce leadheads lured stripers to 12 pounds over the weekend. Crappie are beginning to stack up beneath bridges and deepwater piers, where live minnows lured slabsides to 12 inches. Channel catfish smacked bottom-fished night crawlers at dozens of locations throughout the lake, many of which tipped the scales at five pounds or more.

SHENANDOAH RIVER -- The river is still a bit high and muddy.

Chesapeake Bay

UPPER BAY -- The Chesapeake's upper reaches, especially north of Pooles Island, are unsafe for recreational boating. The region is loaded with debris, some of which lurks just beneath the surface. A 50-foot section of floating dock was spotted drifting down the bay by a group of anglers fishing from Eastern Neck Island Bridge. Relatively clear water was found in the North East River's upper reaches, apparently the result of clean, fast-flowing currents exiting from North East Creek. Consequently, this was one of the few locations that provided recreational fishing action in the bay's upper reaches. Scattered catches of crappie, white perch, tidewater largemouth bass and small stripers were all reported from the docks of North East River's Town Park, and all were taken on live minnow. Bottom-fished night crawlers produced a few channel catfish from the dock as well, but most were quite small. Anglers dunking bloodworms from Eastern Neck Island Bridge caught a few white perch and an occasional, keeper-size striped bass to 20 inches, but overall, muddy water produced lousy fishing conditions.

BAY BRIDGES AREA -- Muddy, debris-laden water curtailed much of the action beneath the twin spans, but the mouth of Eastern Bay did provide chummers with good light tackle action last Sunday. Several anglers reported catching a mix of bluefish to 14 inches and lots of throwback stripers while chumming the channel edge near Bloody Point Light. Inside Eastern Bay, white perch to 12 inches continue to dominate the action. Bottom-fished bloodworms were effective when fished during ebb tide at the mouth of Wye River, Crab Alley Bay and the southern end of Kent Narrows near the jetty boulders.

CHOPTANK RIVER AREA -- White perch now make up the bulk of the river's fishing action, especially in areas upriver of Chloras Point. Downriver, deep jigging with Stingsilvers in depths of 25 to 30 feet lured a few keeper stripers to 20 inches, while bucktails cast to the shallows of Cook and Black Walnut points proved effective for the same size fish.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH AREA -- Area charter boats continue to chum at the Gooses, where they're catching lots of small stripers and bluefish. While most captains reported limit catches of rockfish to 20 inches, the throwback ratio this season has been very high. Most of the bluefish taken from the chum slicks ranged 12 to 15 inches, but a few in the three-pound category were mixed with them. Trollers caught somewhat larger stripers and bluefish, plus a bonus of Spanish mackerel to three pounds. Nearly all were taken on small spoons trolled about four feet beneath the surface.

PATUXENT RIVER AREA -- The river's lower reaches, downriver of Route 4 bridge, continue to provide good numbers of big spot, but in the next few days, these fish will begin migrating south. Upriver of the bridge, white perch to 12 inches smacked bottom-fished bloodworms. Just outside the river's mouth at Cedar Point Rip, swarms of snapper bluefish, most ranging just 10 to 12 inches at best, ripped through pods of bay anchovy. Deep beneath the surface action were striped bass measuring up to 20 inches, fish that nailed jigging spoons worked tight against the bottom during periods of moving tide. Across the bay a few flounder were caught by weekend anglers, some measuring more than 24 inches. The flatfish were schooled along the bay's eastern channel edge in depths of 35 to 45 feet and were mixed with small weakfish measuring 12 to 15 inches.

HONGA RIVER AREA -- Speckled trout to 20 inches slammed small bucktails and bright colored streamer flies fished in the river's shallows near Bentley Point and a few locations downriver near Lower Hooper Island Bridge. Just outside the river's mouth near Hooper Straits Buoy, schools of snapper bluefish and mid-size stripers churned the surface while gorging themselves on schools of bay anchovy. Across the bay at the Targets, larger bluefish, some measuring 18 to 20 inches, ripped though pods of baitfish. The blues were frequently mixed with Spanish mackerel to 3 pounds. Both species slammed small jigging spoons cast among the breaking fish and retrieved at high speeds.

TANGIER SOUND AREA -- While there are still some spot and white perch in Tangier Sound's upper reaches, bottom fishing was not very good. However, a few anglers tried their luck casting bucktails in the shallow sloughs and guts of Smith, Tangier, South Marsh and Janes islands, where they found a mix of striped bass to 26 inches and speckled trout to 20 inches. Area charter captains opted to fish west of Smith Island at the Middle Grounds, where they chummed for stripers and limited out on fish to 22 inches. Most reported excellent catches of bluefish to 18 inches as well as a few mackerel.

POINT LOOKOUT AREA -- Four dozen charter and large private boats lined up along the bay's eastern channel edge this past weekend, all chummed with ground menhaden, and all caught a mix of snapper bluefish and striped bass. While the bluefish ranged just 12 to 16 inches at best, the stripers measured up to 22 inches. The secret to success was to use a short length of lightweight, coffee-colored, stainless steel leader armed with a 1/0, wide-gap hook. This prevented bite-offs from the bluefish, yet the wire was thin enough not to deter the stripers from biting. Cornfield Harbor continues to hold a mix of spot and flounder, especially in the area just west of Point Lookout Bar, where live minnows, squid strips and bloodworms proved productive.

CAPE CHARLES AREA -- Flounder to eight pounds were caught at the Cell by anglers drifting large, live minnows sandwiched between squid strips and fished in depths of 35 to 40 feet. Good catches of flounder were also reported at Kiptopeke Flats, Plantation Flats and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel's Fourth Island. Swarms of mackerel ripped through pods of baitfish schooled near the CBBT's manmade islands, where Clark spoons trolled at relatively high speeds lured macks to four pounds, snapper bluefish and a few small stripers.

Atlantic Coast

OCEAN CITY -- Most of the resort city's charter captains had a great weekend of offshore action, catching large numbers of longfin tuna, yellowfin tuna and an occasional bluefin tuna. The longfin and yellowfin were caught along the 100-fathom curve in a lengthy stretch of water between Poormans and Washington canyons. Most of the bluefin were found just a short distance southeast of the Hambone, and tipped the scales at 80 to 130 pounds. A few dolphin, billfish and wahoo were also found along the canyon edges and all were caught on trolled ballyhoo. Headboat anglers loaded their coolers with large numbers of chunky sea bass, some topping four pounds. Significant numbers of croaker to 16 inches were found a bit closer to shore, keeping the action going for small boat anglers just a few miles east of the inlet. Shorebound anglers caught a mix of stripers and flounder from beneath Route 50 bridge while casting bucktails and live minnows from the structure at night.