Skunked last 3 trips looking for stripers

[Fish123]

So I’m relatively new to fishing this area and have been skunked in the eastern bay, bay bridge pilings and the Severn while trying to fish stripers by jigging. I have also been trolling while looking for fish. Seems like I’m locating fish according to the finder but can’t get any takers. Am I wasting my time? Seems to be a lot of negative reports and it’s frustrating doing a lot of research and reading trying to get better. Any tips on where to launch(willing to go an hour and a half north or south of Annapolis), what to look for and lures would be appreciated. I have been jigging BKDs in multiple colors with geye jigs.

Thanks

Matt

[rugbyfish]

Unfortunately, it just doesn't seem like the fish are around in any real numbers in those areas right now. I've been out the past 3 weekends, and aside from 2 fish in the low 20's on my first trip, I've only caught a couple ~6" stripers while fishing for perch. This past Saturday, I didn't even see anything of interest on the depth finder. It sounds like you're doing everything right, the fish just aren't there right now.

[CarsonNash]

Overall, the striped bass has become more difficult to catch due to declining numbers.

I cannot speak for eastern bay. But as for the BB, I never have much luck there or at Thomas point until later in the summer/fall.

The Severn is my home waters. I do not have a fish finder on my kayak and have never really felt the need for one. I have one on my boat and rarely use it, because I have learned to read the water (birds, tide flows, points and sandbars). I have been going out on the Severn pretty regularly and have yet to be skunked... knock on wood. I troll a 5 inch culprit mullet on candy cord jigheads, and on occasion I use an under spin, the underspin has been catching larger fish. All of my tidal fish have been caught trolling. And soon, topwater will heat up.

I think tide has a pretty significant effect on fish when you jig for them. I don’t know if you have been aligning your trips with moving tides, but I try to do that. On a strong moving tide the striped bass like to sit behind structure and let the tide bring the baitfish to them.

And why you are marking fish and not getting bites.... I am not 100% sure. Maybe try switching out trailer colors, that has worked for me in the past. Sometimes they only want one color. But most importantly, is just to keep trying. Cheesy, I know, but the more time a line is wet, the better chance of catching fish you have. Waters are still warming, so in theory it will only get better.

Good luck

[Mark]

2019 has turned out to be a very slow developing year for stripers in the mid-Bay region. According to reports by fisheries scientists, the number of Chesapeake stripers is down due to our past successes in catching them -- and their failure to recognize our successes soon enough, I might add. There could be environment factors too. But the fact is that recreational and commercial anglers have hammered the fishery pretty hard in recent years.

Fewer stripers are swimming where they used to regularly. However, I wouldn't give up on them yet.

Queen Anne's County (Kent Island) has numerous launch sites (Landings) and I would suggest you visit them until the bite in the Severn and Patapsco materializes. Note that you will need a permit to use those landings. You can find the details here:

https://www.qac.org/1009/Landings-and-Piers

I would also suggest you downsize your lures to 3-inch paddletails on 1/2 to 1/4 oz. jigs and 1/2 oz. Rat-L-Traps either for casting or trolling.

[Fish123]

Unfortunately, it just doesn't seem like the fish are around in any real numbers in those areas right now. I've been out the past 3 weekends, and aside from 2 fish in the low 20's on my first trip, I've only caught a couple ~6" stripers while fishing for perch. This past Saturday, I didn't even see anything of interest on the depth finder. It sounds like you're doing everything right, the fish just aren't there right now.

Hopefully it picks up soon. Guess I’ll have to keep trying thanks.

[Fish123]

Overall, the striped bass has become more difficult to catch due to declining numbers.

I cannot speak for eastern bay. But as for the BB, I never have much luck there or at Thomas point until later in the summer/fall.

The Severn is my home waters. I do not have a fish finder on my kayak and have never really felt the need for one. I have one on my boat and rarely use it, because I have learned to read the water (birds, tide flows, points and sandbars). I have been going out on the Severn pretty regularly and have yet to be skunked... knock on wood. I troll a 5 inch culprit mullet on candy cord jigheads, and on occasion I use an under spin, the underspin has been catching larger fish. All of my tidal fish have been caught trolling. And soon, topwater will heat up.

I think tide has a pretty significant effect on fish when you jig for them. I don’t know if you have been aligning your trips with moving tides, but I try to do that. On a strong moving tide the striped bass like to sit behind structure and let the tide bring the baitfish to them.

And why you are marking fish and not getting bites.... I am not 100% sure. Maybe try switching out trailer colors, that has worked for me in the past. Sometimes they only want one color. But most importantly, is just to keep trying. Cheesy, I know, but the more time a line is wet, the better chance of catching fish you have. Waters are still warming, so in theory it will only get better.

Good luck

What would be a good depth to try to keep the jig head at and what size do you generally use? And how deep of water are you usually in? I can really only get out on weekends so I keep it close to shore to get some distance from the boaters.
Thank you for your advice I will give it a try. Especially trying to align my trips with the tide.

[Fish123]

I will try some more of the QAC landings I only used Romancoke once but that wooden ramp was steep and slippery alone lol. I will give the paddle tails a chance I have a lot of those from targeting specks in SC. I was trolling a 3/4 rat-l-trap so I’ll try to step it down and size. Thank you for your advice.

[bignose]

One highly recommended resource is Shawn Kimbro's book "Chesapeake Light Tackle."
Here, you will get more information than can be shared in a forum format.
Order thru: Chesapeakelighttackle.com or Amazon

[Clubhorned]

With all the rain and fresh water being pushed into the bay, It seems to me that more people are having success closer to open water rather than up in the creeks and farther south (mid-bay).

[Memory Maker]

One highly recommended resource is Shawn Kimbro's book "Chesapeake Light Tackle."
Here, you will get more information than can be shared in a forum format.
Order thru: Chesapeakelighttackle.com or Amazon

I actually like Yakfish’s ( Alan Battista) books. I have both Shawn and Allan’s books. https://www.facebook.com/chesapeake.kayak.trolling/

Alan’s are actually excellent Yak fishing books written by one of our own that belong in everyone’s library ........ I’m sure he would love to autograph them for you too.

Jus sayin

[Fish123]

I actually like Yakfish’s ( Alan Battista) books. I have both Shawn and Allan’s books. https://www.facebook.com/chesapeake.kayak.trolling/

Alan’s are actually excellent Yak fishing books written by one of our own that belong in everyone’s library ........ I’m sure he would love to autograph them for you too.


Jus sayin

I will look into Kimbros books I have definitely seen them at anglers. I actually bought Alan’s books from Delaware Paddlesports a few weeks ago and the guy who worked there(Dan I want to say) took a picture with me and sent it to Alan lol. There is a lot of good info in his book and I’m re-reading it right now!

[Oldbayrunner]

Right now there is a couple of factors for the decline afaic. One being the decline in numbers and as mentioned the amount of rain and fresh water being released into the bay. Some of us are putting a moratorium on Striper fishing and targeting other species.