Weekend fishing report

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What a great weekend this will be. In the rivers, the Chesapeake Bay and the ocean, there will be action galore. One reason is a rise in the water temperature that, in the case of species that come from the South, has encouraged migration.

It begins with tremendous numbers of Atlantic croakers that are invading the Chesapeake Bay like so many waterborne locusts. The croakers now have come up the tidal Potomac River as far as the bridge for U.S. Route 301, and they're inside the Patuxent and Choptank rivers in Maryland. They're also in Virginia's York, James and Rappahannock rivers.

The trophy striper season begins Saturday in Virginia and continues through May15. One 32-inch-and-over rockfish a day is allowed. Maryland's trophy striper season is already under way, and most of the private and charter boats that troll Sassy Shad-laden umbrella rigs or individual spoons and parachute bucktails on the Chesapeake are finding fine specimens.

If it's huge black drum you're wondering about -- because they arrive here every year at this time -- word has it that some are being caught around the Cape Charles, Va., portion of the Chesapeake. Many more will follow within the next week.

Bass catches can be made in nearly all the tidal rivers but it's the Potomac that is best. Largemouths and occasional, unplanned hookups with stripers are seen from the Nanjemoy Creek to the Chicamuxen, including such areas as the Arkindale Flats and Wade's Bay. The upper river toward the District also turns up bass action.

The Maryland DNR reports a change in flounder regulations: Effective immediately, the recreational 17-inch minimum size restriction and daily catch limit of eight summer flounder a person has been rescinded. The recreational summer flounder minimum size will be reduced to 17 inches, with a daily catch limit of three fish a person. The recreational summer flounder fishery will remain open year-round in the Atlantic Ocean, its coastal bays and tributaries and the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

(Ratings key: = excellent fishing; = Good; =Fair; = Poor.)

AREA 1: D.C. AND VICINITY