Middle Bay Report

[LivinTheDream]

Got a rare opportunity to fish the bay with my son a little this weekend. We launched from Chesapeake Beach around 3:30 yesterday afternoon trolling 3/8 to 1 ounce jigheads and Zman Diezel Minnowz and Grass Kickerz in Opening Night and white Bucktails and trailers. There were lots of marks between 15 and 25 feet, but in four hours of trolling, the only fish we caught was this Catfish. It was a nice one, probably close to 30 inches, but not what I was hoping for.
Blue.jpg

Still, always great to be out and a double pleasure to get to spend time with your adult son. I suspect that we just might not have been getting deep enough, but I don't know. Maybe one of you all can tell me what I might have done wrong.

Going to try Beverly Triton this morning.

[CHOC]

You were seeing marks 15 to 25. How deep was the water? I’ve been catching them in deep water so far this year (20’+). As you suggested, you might not have been getting deep enough. A 3/8 oz bucktail probably only runs 5-6’ when trolled. The 1 oz probably 10-12’. I haven’t exactly been knocking it out of the park, but I’ve been consistently catching 4+ fish per outing using deep diving (14-18’) Yozuri crankbaits trolled at 2.8 mph.

[LivinTheDream]

I figured that trolling depth was the problem. I was surprised to catch that catfish in about 20 feet trolling that way. I was in 20 to 25 FOW when the marks were prevalent at 15 to 25. Inside of 15 foot depths there was rarely anything at all. Sure wish I could try again with something deeper, but I'm back in PA now and not sure I will venture back that way until maybe fall. I'm feeling Presque Isle Bay at Erie, PA calling me and before long it will be back to Adirondack adventures.