Fishing Q&A
Fishing in the Chesapeake?
What is there to know about fishing in the Chesapeake Bay? Any good websites about the Bay fishing in general? I have fished probably every freshwater lake in Virginia, but I have never tried the Bay, and I don't know where to start!
Public Comments
- I would suggest going out at least once with a guide. They will teach you how to fish those waters, and then you can return in your own boat and have a better idea of where to head, what structure to look for, and the techniques you need to know to be successful in the bay.
- I know this really isn't the type of answer you're looking for , but I feel it needs to be addressed. The Chesapeake Bay and it's aquatic life aren't as in good shape as they used to be in years past because of over-fishing and pollution. I've never did much fishing in the bay , but I did plenty of crabbing there when I was a kid. The crabs now are fewer , smaller , (and more expensive if you buy them) as a result. Oysters too. This is a shame because the Chesapeake Bay is the largest body of water of it's type in the world.An "estuary" I think...but anyhow , the Bay used to be thought of as an inexhaustible source of many kinds of seafood. Now we know better. In recent years past there was a ban on fishing for "rock fish" , which has since been lifted because their numbers have recovered.Now we all get to eat rock fish a-plenty (and pretty cheaply!) because of that initiative. Hopefully the "powers-that-be" will institute a similar program to protect the other species that live in the bay. I'm not suggesting that a ban on crabbing or oyster dredging be implemented , but I think it would be prudent to put certain species and fishing activities on an annually rotating list of forbidden activities that can be resumed in the following year or two. That way the critters have a chance to reproduce , and there will still be plentiful resources for commercial fishermen who rely on the Bay for a living , and for folks like yourself who want to experience the Bay for themselves. Not to mention all of us Marylanders , Virginians , and DC natives who are eating less local seafood because of the high price and lower quality these days. Again I apologize for an answer that doesn't quite fit your question , but I felt it appropriate.
