Fished for: Striped Bass
Date Fished: 6/20/98
Boat Name: Vina's Surprise
Water Temp: 73 Degrees
Water Clarity: 6 Inches
Seas: Choppy
Weather: Clear and Sunny (high front moved in)
REPORT:
Bill Dixon and I fished for STRIPED BASS on Saturday, 06/20/98, from 6:10 AM until 5:00 PM in the Baltimore Harbor and on the Patapsco River. We fished areas just north
of South Locust Point Marine Terminal, south to Cox Creek.
I asked Bill if he though the Stripers were back in the Harbor area. He answered the question by catching a Striper on his first cast. What a great way to start a fishing trip!
WATER CONDITION:
The water was high and outgoing when we started. It was muddy on the west side of the Patapsco River and the tide predictions were correct. The Striped Bass were suspended in 1’ to 6’ of water.
STRUCTURES FISHED (in this order): Point, sandbar, old pier and pilings, rock pile, underwater mound, underwater discharges, creek points and large piers.
LURES USED: Soft plastic baits rigged on 1/4 and 3/8 ounce round head jigs, lip less vibrating crankbaits, top water poppers, floating stickbaits, suspended jerkbaits, jigging spoons, bucktails with spinners.
TOTAL STRIPED BASS CAUGHT WAS 97. The Stripers ranged from 10 inches to 15 1/2 inches. The most productive structure was a sandbar running parallel with a point. This sandbar crest at 2 1/2 feet with deep water on both sides and was approximately 120 feet long. No birds were seen working the water.
We also hooked 3 large skates and 2 large white perch.
NUMBER OF STRIPERS CAUGHT DURING THIS TIDE:
37 - Incoming
56 - Outgoing
4 - Still
MOST PRODUCTIVE LURE- Bass Assassin, Salt Water, Curly Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", Albino, #CSA27330. Fished on a 1/4 oz. round head jig. Landed a total of 32 Striped Bass on this lure.
MOST PRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUE- Jig & Stop-cast the lure out let it drop to the desired depth (drops 1 foot per second), then lift your rod tip swiftly from 9 o’clock to 11 o’clock while taking up the slack line-pause for 1 second. Repeat this again and again, until the lure is back at the boat. The Stripers usually take the bait on the fall.
OTHER PRODUCTIVE LURES THIS TRIP:
*All lure information is supplied for REFERENCE ONLY. These types of lures are made by other manufacturers which may be just as, or more productive than, the lures listed. It gives the readers an opportunity to see these productive lures through the Internet or in catalogs. Starting with the most productive.
Bill Lewis, Rat-L-Trap, Vibrating Crankbait, 1/2 oz., Chrome/Blue
Rapala, Husky Jerk, Suspended Stickbait, 3 1/8", 1/4 oz., Silver Blue, Model HJ08
Fenwick, Shallow Crank, Shallow Running Crankbait, 4 1/8", 7/16 oz., Chartreuse
Cotton Cordell, Ratt’l Spot Minnow, Vibrating Crankbait , 1/2 oz., Smokey Joe—off white sides with a black back
Smithwick, Suspending Rattlin Pro Rogue, Suspended Stickbait, 5 1/2", 1/2 oz., Blue Back/Silver Sides, Model SDRC 1200
Bass Assassin, Split Tail Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", Arkansas Shiner, #STS39331
Bass Assassin, Shad Assassin, Soft Plastic Bait, 3 inch, Salt & Pepper Silver Phantom/Chartreuse Tail, #SA13238
Smithwich, Deep Suspending Rattlin’ Pro Rogue, Suspended Stickbait, 6", 3/8 oz., Chrome/Blue Back, Model SSRB1200
FISHING TIP:
When fishing the Baltimore Harbor or Patapsco River in a small boat always keep a sharp lookout for large wakes, especially on a weekend day.
Good Fishing…..Tom Hughes