A Little History

• State and private fisheries in both states created fish farms dedicated solely to re-introducing striped bass to the bay area. As they were re-introduced to local waters, strict regulations helped protect the fish by limiting catches and instituting catch-and-release policies for much of the year. As of 2010, the rockfish had rebounded to the point where commercial boats can legally catch as many as 1.5 million fish annually.
  
  

Striper Behavior

• Stripers spend most of their life in salt water but spawn in freshwater streams. There are about 150 rivers and streams that feed into the Chesapeake, giving the stripers a lot of spawning routes to choose. Most leave the bay at 2-to-4 years of age during the summer months and join an ocean migration northward and return to the bay in the spring where they wait for their spawning run. That is the time you want to fish for them.
  
  

Where to Find Them

• Upon returning from their ocean migration most Rockfish congregate near the Susquehanna River for their spawning run. There is a deep channel from the Susquehanna surrounded by mud-bottom shallow flats called the Susquehanna Flats. The lunkers like to lurk in these warmer flats, and this is where most rockfish are caught. The youngsters seem to prefer pilings and shallows in the Mid-Chesapeake Bay area which runs from the eastern half of the bay at the Chester River to the Maryland-Virginia state line.
  
  

Fishing Methods

• Charters and commercial trollers sail through the channels to deep water fish for the striped bass as they make their way through the Bay and head back to sea. The lures of choice include umbrella rigs with shad teasers or large spoons or plugs that resemble a large baitfish.
  
  

Regulations

• During the pre-spawning period, fishing regulations require the fish be caught and released to help assure a healthy population. After they've spawned and returned to the bay, Maryland lifts the catch-and-release restriction for several weeks. Catch limits differ, though the minimum length in both states for a legal rockfish catch is 18 inches. There are size and weight restrictions that determine what if any of the younger fish you can keep.
  
  

Licensing

• Because the Chesapeake involves territorial waters in two states and the Atlantic Ocean, wading through licensing regulations is worse than swimming in shark infested waters. Both states have split seasons, with a short season in early March to early May and another from mid-May to the end of the year. Licenses can be obtained through either state but there is a combination Bay and Ocean license available for $30 for residents and $60 for non-residents. Temporary licenses are also available. Local licensed bait shops and the Bureau of Natural Resources in each state can provide all other particulars.