# Any Choptank news?



## Brackish Boy (May 3, 2001)

I know that the consensus is that it is too early for the Choptank pier, but since it's my favorite, I am curious if anyone has heard any reports? Also, I'm guessing that the fishing will not get hot there until particularly late in the year this year because of all the rain, and thus the sailinity of the river will be real low. Or is that really the issue?


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## pan0k (Aug 27, 2002)

Been there on the 19th (When the Stripper season open.) Was there with 2 buddies at around 11AM. Surprising nobody was on the pier. The only thing we caught was weakfish on squid. Later on in the day people start showing up. Some caught stripper on bloodworm, unfortunately, it wasn't us.  But overall it was a fun day for me.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

I catch Strippers on dollar bills,   Just Joking.A weakfish was caught down there;Thats amazing.What did it look like,any size.


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## gwaud (Apr 14, 2003)

Rumor has it that the white perch and some croakers are being caught on bloodworms.

Hope this helps


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Did someone mention the 'Tank? Should be white perch and catfish hitting right now. Try getting a container of crab aprons from Kools for catfish bait. Perch fillets will work, too.

I recently received a ten year old collection of Fisherman Magazine articles on the Chesapeake Bay area. Interestingly enough, a couple of the articles mention fishing for spotted seatrout in the Choptank and Honga Rivers in the Spring. Seems back then rock were scarce (remember the moratorium?), and a lot of guys turned to other species. Spotted trout were pretty popular, and the "weakies" caught off the bridge/pier may have been spotted trout.

There are also articles on red and black drum, and lots of articles on big blues that seemed to fill the void left by the depleted rockfish. Interesting reading, if only from an anecdotal standpoint...


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

I caught a 4.08lb Speck years ago in a creek around Crisfield while my dad and his buddy were catching White Perch.It was caught on some Bass Assasin looking thing.It still could of been a Weakfish;eventhough they have Specks down there too along with Puppy Drum.


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## Brackish Boy (May 3, 2001)

Any predictions when the croakers and other saltwater fish will start hitting on the Tank this year?


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

I think we got us a lot of Sandbaggers! Last Saturday I counted over 30 people fishing the pier when I returned from Crisfield. Lots of rods out in the water - yet no posts on what's happening at the Tank. Come on - start posting...


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## Skate_Magnet (Sep 24, 2002)

I am curious and want to know, how's the Choptank Pier's salinity compares to SPSP's salinity under normal condition?


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## Jaefish (Jul 1, 2002)

Yesterday(May 1) I was there with my friend. I saw several people fishing too. Everyone got thier limit of croker. I also caught a lot of crocker but only keep 5. I caught two rocks(17 inch) and bunch of perches(I released all of them). bloodworm. Hand tying Hi-Lo righ.
We fished from 8:00 to 11:00 PM. The people there from earlier told me that day fishing was also good as night fishing.
Every year, I think this is the one of best time in choptank. Many people overlook this place in this season. So you can fish any spot you want, no tangle, calm and planty of parking space, etc.


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## pan0k (Aug 27, 2002)

> HaPPyPapPy832443 I catch Strippers on dollar bills, Just Joking.A weakfish was caught down there;Thats amazing.What did it look like,any size.


Well, we caught something. But fish looks more like weakfish than any other fish. I have to post the picture. The size is around 12 to 15 inch.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

I wonder if the Bay is real salty one year and we catch things like Red Drum.If's rainy the next year will they come to the same place?  .It would be nice to catch Redfish at Kent Narrows,Choptank,or Sandy Point.It would be even better if the Choptank could have Weakies and Flounder this time of year too?Could it be possible?


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

*wow!*All those fish and at low tide to boot.  I've never ran into them that good at the Tank.  Wish I could get down there this weekend but SWMBO has other plans.  

Catman.


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## BigWillJ (Jan 21, 2001)

Who, or where, is Kool's? Thanks.


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

I think Kools is a bait shop off of Route 50 going to OC or AI.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings BigWillJ!

Kool's is a seafood store in Cambridge, just off Rt 50 not too far from English's (big red roof.) That's where I get my fresh spot for cut bait fishing (so I can save the live one's for livelining!) I don't have an exact addrress or even a telephone number, but you could get both online from the MD yellowpages.

Yo Sandcrab! You're probably thinking of Tommy's, a B&T on RT 50 in Cambridge not far from the bridge. That's where I get my bloodworms (for catching live spot) if Shore Sportsman on Rt 50 in Easton is out. I'd have to rate Shore Sportsman as the better B&T.

Most Choptank fishermen are pretty tight-lipped when the fishing is good. Once the word gets out, that mile of pier on the Cambridge side fills up pretty quick, especially at night on the weekend. We usually arrive at 3:00 PM to get our spot for the night.... 

Yo HaPPyPapPy832443! Salinity has a lot to do with what you catch where. During last year's drought, the "salt line" moved pretty far up the bay, and saltwater species were being caught in places they wouldn't normally show. Each species salinity requirements vary, and tolerance within species can vary according to age. Young fish will tolerate "sweetwater" better than older fish, so you catch small blues at the 'Tank, but rarely anything over four pounds. Weakies and croakers are members of the drum family, which can tolerate freshwater for extensive periods (there are freshwater drum species, too!)

The main reason the salt line is important to young fish is the variety of food available. They can sample forage from both worlds. This is why estuaries are so important as fish nurseries...

So to answer your question, you might catch the same species this year, but they will probably average smaller. But nothing is written in stone!


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## JIGMAKER (May 4, 2003)

I FISHED THE TANK ON 5-4-03 AFTER I WAS SKUNKED A SPSP I CAUGHT A 10 INCH WHITE PERCH AND A THORW BACK BABY ROCK.
I SAW SEVRAL ROCK CAUGHT BUT THEY WERE ALL SMALLER THAT 15 INCHES. CROAKER AND CATFISH WERE ALSO CAUGHT. MOST PEPOLE WERE USING BLOODWORMS OR SQUID. I ONLY FISHED FROM 4:00 TO 6:00 PM. FISHED IN THE CHANNEL. ONE GUY LOST A MONSTER ROCK ON HALF AN ALEWIFE.


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## The fisherman (Jul 6, 2001)

I caught about 6 nice size croakers at the Tank on sat. They were catching them all over the place. People are just being hush, hush about it. I also caught five or six Rock Fish. The largest was about 18inches. Check it out for yourself. I was there from about 2:00 to 7:00pm.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

hmm...I'm planning on an all nighter this friday night to saturday. I am considering the tank and point lookout.
I like the idea of the tank, cause I can leave all the big surf stuff behind and just fish my 7', 9', and my 7' livelining setup.

Where would you go if you had the choice and they were about the same distance away?


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## WarMachine (Mar 7, 2003)

Hey Husky,

Let me know where you are headed and i will grab my pops and we will meet you there. I have never fished the Tank before but i think it would be great to try it out. I was planning on hitting one of the old spots but i think im going to venture out a little further.


MC


"Remember,the further you cast the longer it take to bring the big ones in."


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

I'll let you know. Got a friend that seems interested in coming. I'll let him help decide where we go. Look forward to meeting you Master Caster.


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## BigWillJ (Jan 21, 2001)

Thanks for the info on Kool's folks! Will.


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## TRIGGERFISH (May 21, 2001)

Husky- Master Caster go to the Tank,at least you can get a spot to fish,PLSP pier will be to crowded and you will never get to the ends of the pier,your best bet is the Tank. I myself use eather 9' or 10' rods,when you get there try and catch you some white perch for live lining for the big Rock that visit that area at times and use blood worms for the croaker. Have fun, I wish I could go.   TRIGGER


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## The fisherman (Jul 6, 2001)

Hey Guys, don't forget to bring yourself some shrimp. They have them on sale at Safeway for $3.99 a pound.( 2 pound bag). The Croakers love them at the choptank.


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## John K (May 25, 2000)

*Rockfish season is CLOSED on the Choptank bridge-pier till June 1 - it's a spawning river.*

And you'll catch very few there in the summer. Pretty good in the fall, though.

Btw, Tommy's bait and tackle in Cambridge is out of business. I don't think they moved (haven't checked around) but the store is gone.


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Hey John K check your PM.


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

John K. has a good point. As Choptank is listed as a "tributary river", the catching and keeping of striped bass is not legal during the "second season' in the bay.

Guys - Check the MD DNR website for more info.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

Thanks John K.


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## Joey (May 27, 2001)

According to the DNR report, croakers and white perch are biting at Choptank. Bloodworms are the bait of choice.

Read the midbay portion of this report:
DNR report


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Anybody still fishing the Choptank;Whats Up?any Drum?Trout?or Croakers?Are there any Blues down there;it could happen?


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

I don't think there's anything worth mentioning right now at the Tank. I drove across the bridge Friday afternoon and again early Sunday morning and both times there were only 2 or 3 cars in the lot. When the bites on the lot is full.

Catman.


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## Jack Crevalle (Jul 30, 2001)

I fished the Choptank last Saturday. I went about 3/4 of the way up the pier. Fished the incoming tide. I got a 22-24 inch catfish and a couple of small perch. Only one guy in my vicinity caught a croaker and it was dinky. The ranger came by and was surprised that I didn't catch any croaker. He said that the people at the beginning of the pier were catching them while he was standing there. I thought about moving down that way but decided to pack it in when I heard thunder. I'll fish in the rain but I won't not catch fish in the rain. On the way out I passed two people reeling in croaker. One was good sized the other dinky. On the way out I talked to a guy I spoke with on the way in and he said he had ten in the cooler. He was using bloodworms. I used bloodworms and clam snouts. The clam snouts seemed to get more nibbles. By what I don't know. Probably dinky perch.

The croakers being caught close to the start of the pier holds with reports of them being in shallow water.

Oh yeah, in addition to the ranger patrolling again the cash box is back up. Glad to see both because it cuts down on weirdos.


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