Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report - 7/30/14

Thank you to everyone who came out to the SJ Sportsmen's Jamboree! It was great to see everybody. We can't wait for next years event.

Offshore Ocean:

Tuna fishing was very good up and down the line this past week. The Restless Lady crew took 2nd place in the Big Fish Classic with their 235.5# Bigeye!

Bigeyes were reported being caught from the Hudson down to the Washington with just about every canyon in between having a decent bigeye bite.

Yellowfins and longfin tuna are also being caught in most local canyons. The bite is more of a slow pick most of the time, but most boats are reporting getting a couple of shots at these fish a day.

Marlin, mahi and wahoo are also being caught in good numbers in most of the local canyons.

Inshore bluefin fishing is still very good. The popular 20 and 30 fathom humps are holding bluefins for anglers trolling and chunking for them.


Inshore Ocean:

Flounder fishing has been good on the deep water wrecks and reef sites. Bucktails and strip baits are the most popular.

Anglers targeting sharks inshore are catching a mix of browns, duskys, spinners and hammerhead sharks. Please be sure to read up on the current regulations to see which sharks you can target/keep.


Chesapeake Bay:

Striper fishing is very good above the bay bridge. Keepers can be hard to find for those chumming and live lining, but there are a ton of fish to catch. Trolling is producing less fish, but more keepers.

Bottom fishing for croakers and spot is decent up and down the bay. White perch are being caught at the mouth of the rivers in the mid and upper bay regions.

No change on the crabbing front. Many crabbers are reporting long days to catch enough crabs for a meal. There is the occasional report of a crabber getting their bushel, but some are just catching a few crabs as well. Hopefully the crabbing starts to improve for the fall season.

Delaware Bay:

Flounder fishing has dropped off a little bit in the DE bay. The fishing is still good, but not as good as it was in previous weeks. Those having success on the flatties are reporting catching them on minnows, strip baits and gulp.

Bottom fishing for croakers has been good all over the bay. Sometimes it is hard to find big enough croakers worth keeping, but if you find some nice sized ones they do make very good table fare.

The reef sites and rock piles of the lower bay should start holding good numbers of triggerfish. These are some of the best eating fish in our waters and put up a great fight. The occasional tog can also be caught in the warm water. As the water cools off in the fall, tog fishing will pick up.

Freshwater:

No change to the freshwater reports. Anglers fishing early and late are reporting good action on bass with the occasional pickerel and crappie being caught.

Anglers fishing the upper Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers and other branches are reporting good action on smallmouth.


Tight Lines,

Dave