Weekend Fishing Report

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It appears the big ocean stripers have started to visit the Chesapeake Bay as they're heading south along the Atlantic Coast. The Tackle Box store in Lexington Park (St. Mary's County, Md.) reported that local angler Tom Allwine came into the store over the weekend with two rockfish, one a 50-incher, the other a mere 27 inches. Both displayed the tell-tale sea lice found in the gill plates of only ocean-run striped bass. Allwine also had a 34-incher, but it appeared to be a resident rockfish.

In Virginia, James River anglers are hooking stripers by simply casting and retrieving jerkbaits, bucktails and Sassy Shads clear up to the I-95 highway overpass in Richmond, while the Chickahominy River has been surprising bass fishermen with sudden strikes from rockfish, as well.

Locally, the mid- to upper tidal portions of the Patuxent, Potomac, Pocomoke and Rappahannock rivers have been quite good as far as bass catches are concerned. Despite unusually high tides over the past week, topwater lures -- worked across grass patches and spatterdock fields in the mainstem of the rivers, as well as the tributaries -- can deliver fish.

Crankbaits worked around wood or rockpiles in the rivers also produce largemouth action. Best of all, the crappies are beginning to school in some of the local lakes and ponds, forming tight bunches of willing fish that will snatch up a tiny white/chartreuse shad dart simply fished under a small, plastic float. But be certain to do such fishing in flooded brush or downed trees.

Ocean fishing hasn't been the greatest, but that's primarily because of strong winds that again kept many of the boats in safe harbors. Tunas and albacores are out in the canyon waters of the Middle Atlantic, with sea bass hanging tight against offshore wrecks and man-made reefs.

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

AREA 1: D.C. AND VICINITY