Trolling Tricks for Fishing in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay

By Captain Lee Poore
Posted Friday, March 3, 2006

Have you ever wondered if so-called “Professional Charter Captains” have bad days? Well I can assure you that anyone who says they have not, needs to either fish more…or just plain quit lying!

No one but God almighty himself can make a fish feed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How is it then that many Chesapeake Bay Fishing Charter Captains consistently catch fish? Is it luck? My definition of the word “luck” is: the moment at which preparation meets opportunity. Two key words there, “preparation” and “opportunity.” The more prepared you are, the more opportunity you can create for yourself.

Before you go on any Maryland fishing trip, you must make sure all the details are covered. What will the tides be? How hard and in what direction will the wind blow? What baits should I have on board? And, the list goes on. Most of the time, it is the small details that separate the “great” Maryland charter boat Captains of the Chesapeake Bay from the not-so-great Captains of the Chesapeake Bay.

Nice striper caught while trolling in the Chesapeake Bay. Stripers like this are a common catch when Chesapeake Bay fishing.

Small details include things like keeping the baits in front of a fish for as long as possible. Many times, there can be as many as 10 or more charter boats working on the same school of fish. If the Charter Boat Captain is more aggressive, they will make the hardest turn possible and maybe get one or two more passes over a school of fish before the fish decide that dinner is over.

Another little trick is to make a turn and slow down for a moment while you go through the feeding fish. This can increase your opportunity greatly because you’re already beginning your turn sooner, which means you can get back to the “meat” faster. Something else occurs when you make your turn - the fishing rods on the inside of the turn drop deeper into the water column while the rods on the outside of the turn rise. Basically, you end up covering more area and keeping the baits in front of the fish longer - while at the same time, lowering the chance of any disturbance or noise that may spook the fish because your lines are at an angle.

Another question that I get asked all the time… "what color lure is most effective for fishing in Maryland and Virginia waters?" I think I can speak for most Charter Boat Captains in both states. You want to stick with your basic white, pearl, chartreuse and yellow. At the same time, however, don’t be afraid to try something different if you’re not having luck with any of those. That’s how we all improve ourselves and our fishing techniques. There’s always something new to learn, either new techniques or tactics that can help you catch more fish in the Chesapeake Bay. Try to be open to new ideas and techniques, and keep on learning. That’s what makes Chesapeake Bay sport fishing so much fun.

Stay tuned each month for additional articles about Maryland fishing. Next month, Charter Captain Frank Abner of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, will do a detailed report on the many species of fish this wonderful Chesapeake Bay has to offer!

Until the next time…good luck and good fishing! -- Captain Lee Poore

Captain Lee Poore
Chesapeake Beach , MD
410-610-7420 - Cell
301-855-0739 - Home
CaptainLee@DockOar.com