Bay water is warming! From the Little Choptank to Tangier Sound we consistently found surface water temperatures from 68 to 72 degrees. This is perfect for the speckled trout that are starting to show in the Honga River and parts of Tangier Sound. I had three trips this week with mixed success, mainly weather dependant. The wind blew both Friday and Saturday, turning the shallows to a coffee latte’ color. The fish were there but not feeding heavily for reasons I’ll explain below.
I fished out of the Little Choptank Wednesday with Joe Bruce of the former Fisherman’s Edge. Always a great day on the water with Joe as his casting ability and quick wit reminds one of Lefty Kreh. Caught 50 or so stripers from 14″ to 26″. All shallow water fly and spin fishing. Several were caught on topwater. There was lots of baitfish (silversides) in the shallows so the fish should stick around for awhile. The silversides could at times be seen taking to the air in an attempt to escape the marauding rockfish. Great fun to watch!
Here’s Joe with a 26″ striper that he caught on a Stillwater Smack-it popper.
I had two trips to Tangier Sound towards the end of the week with somewhat limited success. Aside from the previously mentioned wind problems, the stripers that we caught were so full of what I suspected to be spawning clam worms, that their stomach’s were actually taut enough to beat as one would a drum. They were so stuffed, I honestly don’t know where they expected to put the four inch shads that they were trying to eat!? This clam worm swarm occurs once or twice every year about this time and can make fishing tough, as the stripers become so keyed in on the worms they want nothing else. Before you say it, I haven’t had much luck with worm patterns either.
Anyway this should be over as I write this, and with the addition of post-spawn fish moving in, I expect the next two weeks to provide some outstanding shallow water action.
Speckled trout are beginning to show as well, so I look to have a super report for you all next week.
My best till then,
Kevin
Capt. Kevin Josenhans
10154 Grapevine Road
Josenhans Fly Fishing Blog 
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