Striper seasons open across the watershed

Anglers and charterboat captains across the Chesapeake Bay watershed look forward to the month of May when recreational striped bass seasons are available across Maryland, Virginia and tidal Potomac River waters. For the first half of the month, possession of rockfish, as stripers are also called, remain limited to the larger springtime variety which generated so much excitement last month. The majority of these big fish have completed their spawning runs up into Maryland’s upper bay and tributaries, the fall line of the tidal Potomac and the spawning reaches of Virginia’s tidewater tributaries of Chesapeake Bay. Now they are hungry and heading back down the bay along the channel edges and will meet up with the smaller resident class of striped bass. Trolling large colorful lures in tandem rigs will be the predominant strategy until the creel limits change later this month. The most likely fishing areas will be a wide stretch of bay water from just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to offshore from Parkers Creek in Maryland, with both the Eastern and Western sides of the channel being fished. Further down the bay, anglers will be targeting the mouth of the Potomac River and the channel areas around Buoys 66 to 68. Some late spawners heading back down the Potomac may also be found along the channel off the shoreline between Tall Timbers and Cornfield Harbor. Virginia striper action will most likely concentrate this month near the Bay Bridge-Tunnel and in the northern section of Virginia Chesapeake Bay waters, southeast of Smith Pont Lighthouse and the Northern Neck Artificial Reef.

    The current 2007 Maryland recreational striped bass season continues through May 15 with a daily limit of one fish per person at a length of 28 to 35 inches or one fish 41 inches or greater. During this season, all stripers between 35 inches and 41 inches must be released. From May 16 to December 15, the season creel limits in Maryland change and allow for two fish per person per day between 18 and 28 inches, or one fish between 18 and 28 inches and one fish over 28 inches. Additional information on Maryland’s 2007 recreational striped bass seasons can be obtained by visiting visit the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by calling 1-800-688-3467 or visiting their website at, www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries. Maryland also provides detailed map graphics which indicate areas within the Chesapeake Bay watershed that are closed to the possession of striped bass during certain times of the recreational season. This information is available at, www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/fishingreport/frmapindex.asp Maryland’s DNR Fisheries Service encourages catch and release practice of brood class stripers and offers a certificate of recognition for turning loose any striped bass 40 inches or larger. Information on the Governor’s striped bass conservation certificate can be found at, www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/recreational/tournament/rockconserawardform.html

    Virginia’s recreational striped bass season for Chesapeake Bay waters opens on May 1 and continues through June 15. The minimum size is 32 inches with the possession limit being one fish per person. Then, from May 16 through June 15, Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Spring Season comes in, with a possession limit of two fish from 18 to 28 inches. One of these fish can be larger than 32 inches. A catch report is required for 32 inch or larger stripers caught during these May-June seasons in Virginia. Copies of the catch report are available online from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). For additional information, visit the VMRC website at;
http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/regulations/swrecfishingrules.shtm or call (757) 247-2200.

    The current Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) recreational striped bass season continues through May 15. During this time, the area open for possessing stripers is mainstream Potomac River waters down river of the Harry Nice (Route 301) Bridge. The daily creel and size limits are one fish per person per day from 28 inches to 35 inches or one fish over 41 inches. On May 16 through December 31, 2007 the PRFC striper season changes to allow anglers fishing tidal Potomac River waters to keep two striped bass per person per day at 18 to 28 inches in length. One of these two fish can exceed 28 inches. From May 16 to December 31, all PRFC waters are open to possession of striped bass, from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (Route I-95) to Smith Point, Virginia.