Bay Bridge Fish Report

[Patrick13116]

Went out from Hemingways Saturday afternoon for the first time. Caught a dozed or so spot in 11 feet of water then head out to 20' of water for some stripers under the south (east bound) bridge. Tried for an hour or so with no luck. Headed to the north side and saw another kayaker hook up with a good sized fish. Had some bites but no luck. Tried moving out to the first pier in 30' of water and caught a 24" striper before running out of spot. While loading up on spot in 20' of water watched a boat pull up and anchor and proceed to catch one striper after another. With more spot I went back to 30' of water and found a large school on depthfinder and hooked one after another until I ran out of spot again. Every spot I dropped down was grabbed by a fish. I landed about 8 fish total, between 18" and the 24"er. They all had the red sores. Tried jigging with no luck and tried to troll a bucktail back to the beach but just snagged it on the bottom and lost it. Looking forward to next time.

[Redfish12]

Welcome to the site Patrick! Great to hear you had some success out there! We had a big event there in the morning and there were about 17 or more kayakers there in our group.

Was that you in the yellow and red kayak?

[jet]

thanks for the report. some of the sores i have seen lately are disgusting. i dont even know how some of these fish are even alive. I dont know how anything is alive in the bay for that matter...

[DOGFISH]

Bay Alive?

It is sad to say how the Bay has deteriorated in my 58 years. Mostly due to greed. Industrial waste, farm waste, greater population without planning, poor sewer plants and commercial overfishing. Some day Maryland and other Bay states will wake up. Although, probably not in my life time. Wonder how many life times it has been, or will be. That is the sad part.

Only fish that are stressed, due to polution or possibly lack of food, contract disease easily. More and more Bay speices are becoming sickly.

[crawdad]

Is it just prevalent with rockfish, I have'nt heard about the other species being caugth with it?

[Patrick13116]

Yes that was me. You were one of the three guys in the other kayaks. I caught the first fish just before you guys move toward the beach. Not long after you left the fishing picked up. I got a few bites near those A shaped bridge piers but caught all of the fish in deeper water.

I heard only the fish at the bridge have the sores. Don't know if that is true or why that would be. Saturday was my first time fishing at the bridge and the first time I caught fish with sores.

[Redfish12]

I was in the Orange Trident, I tried to say hey when I drifted down to you at the east bound span but I don't think you could hear me.

We thought the fishing was going to pick up but we'd be at it since 6 am and had both caught a lot all day. The third guy in the sit in got his first two right after we left.

I can confirm that it's not just the fish at the bridge, it is said that is only the resident fish that are affected, although, there have been some minor reports of fish showing up in New England with sores. It is also said that the sores are more prevalent in the fall. I have fish with sores in other parts of the bay and the Potomac, so I can confirm that it is definitely not just the bridge.

[chimo]

Welcome Patrick! I was the 3rd guy in the sit in kayak. Tried to say hello as well. I was down to two spot by the time redfish left and was finally able to land 2 fish in probably 5 minutes of fishing. Up till then it was a couple missed runs and a couple break offs. If I had had more spot I would have stuck around but I was in recovery mode from the night before still Good fishin

Chimo

[mytmouse]

Great report! I hope to make a trip to the Bay Bridge someday...

MYT

[mmanolis2001]

I have caught sick fish down at PLO before but never in the number present at the bridge. I did not fish the bridge last year so i cant compare the level of sick fish this year. The bridge probably holds more sick fish because the eddies created allow the sicker (weaker) fish to ambush prey. They would have a hard time competing in open water with a healthy fish. You can tell when you hook a sick fish. They are like slugs and barely fight. Its a very sad situation.

The bay is very sick now. Over fishing of bunker and oysters (the bays filtering system) is taking a toll as well as agricultural runoff.

[medicyaker]

Last meet and greet

Just wanted to let you all know I had a great time last week and am now hooked on the Bay Yakin!!! Going out on Monday am out of Hemmingways. Seemed like a good spot last week. Does anyone have a fairly decent seat that they may want to sell. I have a BPS SOT 12ft Ascend and my butt keeps falling asleep!! any ideas? Let you all know how I do tomorrow...
Thanks again for the friendship. Can't waite till next month.
Tom