Catch and keep rules

[J.A. Veil]

This past spring the Maryland DNR went through a lot of activity to revise the striped bass regulations for the Chesapeake. The size and creel limits changed several times. We are just about up the summer closure on striped bass fishing. The DNR rules do not allow targeting stripers from Aug 16-31. Perch, catfish, snakehead, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, and other species are still options for the table during the closure period.

There is another change to the DNR regulations that is substantially different from the long standing limits. I had not been aware of this change until l saw a post on another fishing board. The limit on bluefish had been 10/day for many years. The current limit for 2020 is 3 fish/day when fishing from the shore or from a private boat, and 5 fish/day when fishing with a charter. The size limit is 8".

None of us want to have an unpleasant encounter with the marine police or to be considered a "poacher". It is a good idea to know the current catch and keep limits to avoid these situations. A summary of the fishing limits can be found at http://www.eregulations.com/maryland...-sizes-limits/.

[Big Mike]

Reiterate, no fishing for stripers starting Sunday until September.

[ronaultmtd]

It is funny that the Potomac River fishery will open for a two 20” minimum fish limit as Maryland closes...you would think these two regulatory Commissions would try to be consistent with each other in waters that border each...

[Big Mike]

I’m sure in deference to the charter fleet

[Mark]

I was curious why the following two weeks were chosen by the MD DNR to forbid recreational striper fishing.

The long term average water temperatures of the Chesapeake near Annapolis show why:

Annotation 2020-08-16 081943.jpg

In Fahrenheit that chart equates to an average August water temperature of 78 degrees with that month offering the highest average water temperatures of the year.

No doubt the shape of the graph is the same throughout various Bay locations with water temperatures peaking in August.

However, the past 4 weeks have been warmer than normal. I bet July/August water temperatures have been higher than what is shown on the chart.

I was on a guided trip 4 weeks ago out of Crisfield -- in July. Our target was specks. The air temperature was 100 degrees that day and the guide's FF registered a surface water temperature of 89.9 degrees. He searched hard for our catches on that outing -- blues, specks and one striper. They were not in shallow water.

It's impractical for the DNR to require adherence to real-time temperature data. In other words, regulate striper fishing based on daily temperatures. If so the fishery may have been halted for the past four weeks. But I know many on this forum limited their striper fishing during this time anyway which was a good thing.