# Quick question about the choptank.



## light tackler (Jul 12, 2013)

If the weather holds up throughout the week and we have a nice weekend next week I'm hoping to go down and do some fishing off the bill burton pier. Question I have is what kind of bite could I expect this time of year? What should I be throwing bait wise? Don't have a lot of experience off that bridge especially this early so any little bit helps. Thanks ahead of time!


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## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

I would probably stick to BW's.. I would say you have a good Chance of Catching Rocks, Perch and Catfish... I wouldn't be surprised if you get into some Croaker too


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## QBALL (Jun 26, 2014)

Kwesi W. said:


> I would probably stick to BW's.. I would say you have a good Chance of Catching Rocks, Perch and Catfish... I wouldn't be surprised if you get into some Croaker too


Too soon for croaker up here.


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## light tackler (Jul 12, 2013)

I kinda thought that rockfish might be a possibility but wasn't too sure. Good to know. Any bait shops in that area? Or should I just hit anglers on my way there?


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## digiRAMbo (Dec 16, 2015)

Went to BB a couple times in the last month, including last week. Used bloodworms and cut bait (store bought). Not much action. Just white perch, and not too many bites.

Maybe more fish will show up with increase in temp. Cold snap must have scared them away.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Since you can't keep any rock from the Choptank forget about wasting your $ on bloods. Take night crawlers for white perch and cats. Still way too early for croakers. Let us know how you do Good luck. BTW Chesapeake Outdoors is on Rt 50, right side before you hit the 50/301 split. They'll have whatever bait you want.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

If you want white perch, you probably want to go further up the Choptank. They are still in the late spawning stage. Nightcrawlers work well/no need to spend $ on bloods.


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## Twinkies (Jul 1, 2011)

Choptank is closed to rockfish. You can not do catch and release fishing there.


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## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

^^What he said^^ ...and, you don't even want to pull one out of the water to take it off the hook!!!

That being said, the cats are always around. I would walk off and down the shore if interested in them...and carry some cut bait. The white perch should be there...so grass shrimp and nightcrawler bits for them. I'm not sure if the water is warm enough for you to use fishbites yet?


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

CoolDude said:


> ^^What he said^^ ...and, you don't even want to pull one out of the water to take it off the hook!!!..............


Amen to that brother.


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## light tackler (Jul 12, 2013)

Went out this weekend a few times. Not much luck. Soaked nightcrawlers without much action. Saturday morning caught nothing on nightcrawlers. Small rockfish were chasing baitfish though. Saturday evening again nothing for the most part but actually caught a small rockfish (wasn't trying to, I know they're off limits) on the nightcrawler. Sunday morning was miserably cold with the strong wind blowing but got out for an hour or so before checking out. Nothing even touched the worm, but I tried throwing this little jig I like to use for perch and caught a WP on that and another small rockfish. Not a bad weekend though. And in regards to the stripers being off limits, I think DNR really needs to make the information more readily available if possible. Talked to a few people there and no one even heard of that regulation.


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## digiRAMbo (Dec 16, 2015)

light tackler said:


> Went out this weekend a few times. Not much luck. Soaked nightcrawlers without much action. Saturday morning caught nothing on nightcrawlers. Small rockfish were chasing baitfish though. Saturday evening again nothing for the most part but actually caught a small rockfish (wasn't trying to, I know they're off limits) on the nightcrawler. Sunday morning was miserably cold with the strong wind blowing but got out for an hour or so before checking out. Nothing even touched the worm, but I tried throwing this little jig I like to use for perch and caught a WP on that and another small rockfish. Not a bad weekend though. And in regards to the stripers being off limits, I think DNR really needs to make the information more readily available if possible. Talked to a few people there and no one even heard of that regulation.


I personally didn't know about that regulation either until I read through this thread. When I got checked for my fishing license last time I was there, I had a small conversation. I think I might have mentioned that I am trying to catch whatever I can, since I am only catching and releasing. He didn't mention anything about stripers being off limits.

light tackler, you may want to try using bloodworms. I know some folks are saying save money and use nightcrawlers, but for me it's night and day in terms of getting hits. Bloodworms release blood and I am pretty sure that it gives off a difference "scent" compared to nightcrawlers. I'll keep checking this thread for updates from BB pier!

Oh btw, I've personally witnessed someone catching a lot of white perch with nightcrawlers. For me, it just doesn't work (I'm sure it has to do with the rig - either wrong size line or hook). Much respect to those who are catching in brackish water with just plain ol' nightcrawlers!


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

They can't, or won't stop you from fishing BW for perch off that bridge, even when they know you might hook a rockfish. Just like they don't stop people fishing for bass in spawning rivers even if they might hook a rockfish.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

If you catch a few stripers while bottom fishing with small hooks, you should be fine. 

The way it works is they do not want people targeting stripers in the spawning rivers in order to let the big ones spawn. Do not use anything that makes it look like you are striper fishing- big lures, big whole bloodworms, etc. Quite honestly, you are unlikely to hook a big spawner bottom fishing with small cut bait.

DNR has the striper regulation maps of where is closed and when. Basically, all rivers with real amounts of freshwater outflow are striper spawning rivers. On the western side, Magothy, Severn, South, and West Rivers are labeled as rivers (not much flow) and fish cannot be kept. However, since there is no successful spawning activity, C&R is still allowed (striper eggs need constant current to hatch). The Susky flats has certain areas as C&R and others as no striper fishing period.

Small stripers are sometimes everywhere and will attack any moving lure or bait like you experienced. If you happen to catch one, just promptly release it. These small stripers are resident fish and not spawning anyways.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Well said bluefish!


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## CaliYellowtail (Jul 28, 2014)

This is all HOGWASH! Trollers are wackin and keepin pre spawn 50" Stripers as we speak out in the channels. Just go to the DNR website.

Us shore anglers are being discriminated against by the state of Maryland. I don't buy all these regs. and closed areas! Sorry Boys. You too Bluefish!


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

CaliYellowtail said:


> This is all HOGWASH! Trollers are wackin and keepin pre spawn 50" Stripers as we speak out in the channels. Just go to the DNR website.
> 
> Us shore anglers are being discriminated against by the state of Maryland. I don't buy all these regs. and closed areas! Sorry Boys. You too Bluefish!


No doubt bro but it is what it is.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

You can fish blood worms off the Bill Burton Bridge. Just tell them I said so. All kidding aside, they won't bother you. Let us know if the good size perch show up. You might do better walking the shore-line near the bridge.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

CaliYellowtail said:


> This is all HOGWASH! Trollers are wackin and keepin pre spawn 50" Stripers as we speak out in the channels. Just go to the DNR website.
> 
> Us shore anglers are being discriminated against by the state of Maryland. I don't buy all these regs. and closed areas! Sorry Boys. You too Bluefish!


Yes you are entitled to your own opinion on how DNR regulates. Feel free to go send them mail, e-mail, or visit their office and voice some complaints/suggestions. 

The real enemy is the general fishing public who book one or two charters a year to go out and catch the big one. They fuel the charter business. If people can "de-glorify" the picture of a large dead striper at the dock and perhaps move to a catch and release fishery, then there can be a balance between money and conservation. Look at the redfish/channel bass fishery around the Southeastern US. There are plenty of fisherman who will go out with a guide purely for catch and release. 

However, all the information I stated about striper spawning trends are true. Go find and read some articles written by naturalists. Striped bass cannot spawn successfully without a consistent water current flow. Hence, the upper portions of rivers and the Susky flats are the main spawning grounds. 

Opening Day is set to where some stripers would have already reached their spawning grounds up the rivers. However, without sampling, the actual time frame of the spawning run is simply a prediction. In Alaska, they actually sample to get estimates of how many salmon have migrated up the river before opening the fishery. Due to the long winter of 2014, most fish were still in pre-spawn by the time the third Saturday rolled around. This year, there is a mix. With every single species of fish that make spawning runs, some will spawn well before others.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

opcorn:


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## light tackler (Jul 12, 2013)

A lot of good info on this thread and I'm enjoying reading it. Usually for a trip like that I would have used bw but with what was posted here and what I was told once before I decided against it. I had a guy who ran a little bait shop in Cecil county tell me he saw dnr make people change their bait and tactics if they hooked into a rockfish in the Susquehanna out of the c&r season. And if you had no other bait you had to pack up and leave. Now I don't know how true a scenario like this is, I aired on the side of caution. But anyway I hope to get back out there again this year. Just not a trip I can do too often since it's a little over 2 hour drive for me. And next time I will definitely have bloodworms!


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

That won't happen on the Bill Burton Bridge. If you don' believe me, just stop in the DNR office right at the bridge and ask if you can fish for perch with Blood worms. Then let us know what they tell you.


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## light tackler (Jul 12, 2013)

andypat said:


> That won't happen on the Bill Burton Bridge. If you don' believe me, just stop in the DNR office right at the bridge and ask if you can fish for perch with Blood worms. Then let us know what they tell you.


Oh I believe you. I was just cautious since I was 100 percent sure


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