While the summer is winding down for many Chesapeake Bay
vacationers, things are just heating up for fall fishing. October marks the
time when striped bass, otherwise known in the Bay region as rockfish, start
swimming home.
The migratory fish, most of which have been summering up
north in the cool waters of New England, join the rest of the coastal stock in
the Bay once temperatures start to drop. Packing on some extra pounds (some as much as 50), the rockfish pause to feed on smaller fish that migrate
out for the winter. After their stopover, most head further south to winter homes off the coast of
Virginia and North Carolina.
Once in the Chesapeake, the rockfish prefer to munch on Menhaden,
Spot and Croakers, closely following the forage fish along the 200-mile main
stem of the Bay. Location of the group varies according to water temperature
and salinity. A cool fall can signal a banner year for fishing in the Maryland
portion of the middle and upper Bay, while a warm fall can make for more
challenging conditions in the lower sections. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) keeps track of the fluctuations in water temperature and salinity through their Interpretive Buoy
System, key to finding the fishing hotspots.
You can join the thousands of fishermen from around the country
that will descend on the Bay October/November for several rockfish tournaments.
Visit the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association (MSSA) Fall Classic or book a charter through Miss Grace Charters and join the action.
To learn more about Rockfish go to http://www.striperspace.com/chesapeake.html
Posted by Carole Funger
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