MD Fishing Report, Sept 9: Fall Fishing Heats Up, Ocean City Flounder & Sheepshead, Jumbos in Crabbing Baskets & Bay Stripers

Cooler fall weather has arrived, summer beach crowds are thinning out, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources just dropped their full weekly fishing report - covering the Bay, coastal waters, and freshwater reservoirs!

Here are the key takeaways:

Atlantic Ocean & Coastal Bays (Ocean City)

* Inlet & Jetty Action: Anglers fishing tight to the jetty rocks are catching solid sheepshead and tautog using live sand fleas. Croakers and flounder are active in the East Channel, while evening anglers are picking up bluefish on soft plastics and cut bait.

* Surf Fishing: Kingfish, spot, and croakers are active in the surf on bloodworms. Bouncing soft plastics tipped with squid strips along the breakers is producing flounder.

* Wrecks, Reefs & Offshore: Inshore and offshore reef sites are delivering limits of large flounder, alongside triggerfish and sea bass. Offshore boats are flying multiple white marlin release flags, while deep-drop trips are loading up on blueline and golden tilefish.

Chesapeake Bay Highlights

* Incredible Late-Season Crabbing: Recreational crabbers are seeing an exceptional run, scooping up swimmers, dock doublers, and jumbo blue crabs up to 8 inches in 8–12 feet of water.

* Striped Bass Movement: With water temperatures dipping into the low 80s and upper 70s, striped bass are moving toward shallower fall feeding patterns. Casting topwater poppers or paddletails along shoreline structure in the mornings/evenings is producing great topwater bites, while live-lining spot along channel edges remains effective.

(Catch & Release Reminder: Anglers are catching stripers over the 24-inch maximum; DNR asks everyone to practice safe catch-and-release fishing by keeping larger fish in the water to reduce thermal stress.)

* Lower Bay Drum & Bottom Fishing: Catch-and-release action for large red drum continues near Cedar Point, Point Lookout, and the Target Ship via large soft plastic jigs. Bottom fishing for large spot and keeper croakers is also wide open.

* Tidal River Catfish & Snakeheads: The Bush, Gunpowder, and Patapsco rivers are producing large Chesapeake Channa (snakeheads) on topwater frogs and chatterbaits. The lower Susquehanna and Conowingo Dam pool continue to deliver steady blue catfish, flatheads, and morning rockfish.

Central MD Freshwater Reservoirs

* Anglers looking for calm freshwater bass fishing can take advantage of city-managed water supply lakes - including Liberty Reservoir, Prettyboy Reservoir, and Loch Raven Reservoir - for largemouth bass, panfish, and more.

Regulations, Hearings & Angler Surveys

* Atlantic Menhaden Public Hearing: Coastwide management options under Draft Addendum II aim to reduce the Chesapeake Bay reduction cap by up to 50%. You can participate in the Annapolis public hearing on Sept 15 or submit comments online.

* Citizen Science: If you're heading out on the water, consider logging your catch with the DNR Volunteer Angler Surveys to help local fisheries research.

* Water Conditions: Check real-time salinity, flow, and dissolved oxygen before you launch via Eyes on the Bay's Click Before You Cast.

You can read through the entire, comprehensive regional breakdown directly on the Maryland Fishing Report - September 9.