Fall is a great time to target striped bass in tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay with spinning gear or a fly rod. Striped bass, also called rockfish, have an aggressive nature that is triggered by fall temperatures, and they provide incredible excitement on light tackle.
In October, I can’t stop thinking about fall stripers. A quick check on the marine forecast website earlier this week was bad news. A small craft advisory was in effect and the forecast wasn’t improving until late in the week. Winds at 15-knots with gusts up to 20-knots with 2-foot waves means a no-go for launching my kayak on the Chesapeake Bay. The weekend weather was looking promising for targeting stripers but the early muzzleloading season for deer will have to take priority this weekend.
That is how October goes, just not enough days in the month to do everything, which makes for tough decisions on my outdoor activities. October is a vibrant month and every day in October brings change. Temperatures drop, the days grow short, and the leaves briefly wear their fall colors before being abruptly discarded to the wind. The fall is much too fleeting.
Sandy Point stripers
A few years ago, fellow Potomac Valley Fly Fisher member Larry Forte showed me photos of several nice stripers that he caught while fishing from one of several jetties at Sandy Point State Park located near Annapolis on the Chesapeake Bay. The fish were impressive catches in addition to the fact he was catching them from shore with his fly rod. I have had the striper bug ever since. Not sure if I should thank or blame Larry.
Fishing for stripers at Sandy Point State Park is exciting when weather and water conditions align in October and into November. As Larry indicated to me, there are several jetties at Sandy Point located on the north side of the beach. There is a smaller parking lot with a soft launch for kayaks located near the jetties. The larger boat launch at the marina at Sandy Point provides easy access to the structure under the Bay Bridge. The water surrounding these piers are well-known for holding stripers.
Fish on the move
As water temperatures drop in the tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, the baitfish begin to migrate. The colder air temperatures start to chill the water temperatures and put fish on the move. Baitfish such as menhaden and anchovies move from the Magothy River upstream of Sandy Point as well as other Chesapeake Bay tidal tributaries at this time of year. The stripers are waiting for them. The fish remain in casting distance from the jetties well into the month of November. Colder temps are favorable but only to a point. At some point, the water temperatures will drop below 50 degrees and the fish will move to deeper water.
In recent years, I have made several trips to Annapolis in pursuit of stripers while fishing from my tandem hull kayak in the month of October. I have had some success catching small “schoolie” stripers and white perch, but I have yet to land any ‘keepers’ — one fish per day at least 19 inches is the regulation.
My most recent trip to Sandy Point on the late afternoon of Oct. 6 produced two undersized but hard-fighting stripers. The fish were the only two hits on my fly that evening, and both occurred after the sun had set. No doubt, low-light conditions at dusk and dawn trigger feeding activity in stripers.
Severn River
In Maryland, I have discovered several locations on the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries where anglers can fish from shore or launch kayaks. The Severn River is one that I visited recently. I launched my kayak at Jonas Green Park, located under the north side of the Naval Academy Bridge. I spent the better part of the day exploring the shoreline while casting for stripers. It was one of those bright blue, cloudless skies that crushed any striper activity. I did manage to land a few chunky white perch and one small striper. Not much to show for my efforts, but I saw masses of baitfish calmly swimming near the many docks and piers. It won’t be long before they will be targeted by the stripers and the fishing will really heat up.
Striper gear
Spin anglers cast jerkbaits, paddletails, jigs and popping lures for stripers using a medium to heavy action rod. For fly anglers, I recommend a 7- or 8-weight rod with an intermediate sink tip or full sinking line, depending on the depth of the water you are fishing. I carry two rods, one is rigged with an intermediate sink tip line for shallow water less than 10-feet and another rod with full sinking line that can be effectively used for jigging and trolling from my kayak. My favorite striper fly is a chartreuse Clouser half and half.
Check conditions online
Before making the drive to Annapolis for stripers, I check the weather and most importantly the wave heights, which are directly related to wind speed. I also check the tides, as the moving tide will stimulate fish activity as well as reposition fish. I believe a dropping tide is best as the faster current concentrates the fish into a smaller area, usually downstream of the jetties and other structures that create some slack spots where currents form eddies.
Good to know
Sandy Point State Park charges $3 per vehicle from Oct. 1 — April 30. The park closes at dusk through October but switches to a 4 p.m. closure in mid-November. Park rangers announce the park closure and begin patrols to encourage attendees to vacate. Active anglers are allowed to fish all night if desired.
