Upper Bay/Susquehanna Flats Fishing Report 4/12/07

[Capt.Karl]

Capt. Karl’s Upper Chesapeake Bay/Susquehanna Flats Fishing Report

Thursday, April 12th, 2007

Welcome Aboard! To Maryland’s, April Winter Fishing season. I think that we can all agree it would be nice for spring to get here and the winter fishing season to end, the one positive thing is the fish are biting if you are up to the challenge of enduring the cold and sometimes wet wintry, windy days. The bass bite has been much more consistent and pattern able than the striper/rockfish bite.

We are continuing to find the largemouth bass on the main creek points, docks and channel edges and most any large wood laydowns. We have been fishing Optimum Baits, Tales of Optimum Swim Baits in Shiner & Sunfish colors. 3/8 ounce White/Chartreuse Dave’s Tournament Tackle Assasin Shad spinnerbaits in my thumper special blade configuration. Also 3/8 ounce White/Chartreuse Chatterbait’s, for the reaction bite. The 4 to 6 foot diving Bandit crankbait in a variety of colors has produced some good quality bass for us this week also, when fished tight to the ends of wood laydowns and points.

Case Plastics Brush Puppie’s and Sweet P’s in Greenpumpkin/Copper color have been our best producing plastic finesse baits, again this week. The bass are holding tight to the cover, we are fishing these baits very slowly and pegging the weights or using Dave’s Tournament Tackle Spot Hopper or Round Shaky Head style jigheads in ¼ ounce to keep our baits tight to the cover.

The striper/rockfish bite on light tackle with artificial lures was really starting to get good this week as the water temperature got to 49 degrees. Last night’s (Wednesday’s) cold rain quickly brought the water temperature down to 46 degrees in much of the flats area. Our best pattern today was to look for the best water temperature, as close to 49 degrees as you can find. Fish the warmer water with swimbaits and bright colored chartreuse plastic baits rigged on ¾ and 1 ounce jigheads. Also pay close attention to the birds they will help you to find the bait fish which will help you to find the striper/rockfish.

I am frequently applying CB’s Hawg Sauce, about every fifteen cast’s in the bass honey and sweet & sassy garlic flavor to all of my baits, yes even my plastics that I am fishing for the striper/rockfish.

If you are planning to head-out in pursuit of the fish tomorrow and this weekend be careful as the weather forecast is calling for the winter weather to visit us once more with cold, wet and extremely windy conditions.

Water Temp. 46 degrees
Water Clarity: 1 ½ foot

Thank you! for the replies to my last fishing report. I hope that they will help and I have a Triumph 190 Bay, it has Karl's Bassin' Adventures on the side of it. If you see me on the water please feel free to say Hi and introduce yourself.

Thanks & Good Fishing, Capt. Karl

[cagrove]

Thanks for the report...good info for us that live in this neck of the woods.

One thought, why is it that every fishing report sounds like a commercial for some tackle company or latest gizmo that the fish can't resist? Not just your reports...seems like every one that get's posted these days has that theme. How about instead of "caught them on a Willy Wonka Purple People Eater 9/37 ounce Jig with a Hog Wild Hot Chili Sauce Flutter trailer" that it's changed to "jig and pig"? I doubt the fish really care whose name was on the package. Just my thoughts.

Thanks again for the report.