Croaker Fishing?

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Southern
Location: Deal Island

hi,

Most of your Angler's Log reports (which I enjoy) focus on successful fishing recreational ventures. In contrast and in reality, sometimes the most useful information we fisherman can share are reports of where we didn't do as well. That said, much to my chagrin and disappointment I have had multiple recent disappointing outings in Tangier Sound in pursuit of croaker. This is bottom fishing, multiple locations in the Deal Island area at various depths and times, with a focus on late afternoon, early evening, and even night time. I'd like to note that this is on the heels of consecutive years where I have had to work a lot harder to catch the same numbers of fish I have caught in years past... are there other reports that concur with what I am seeing and if so are there any prevailing theories to explain?

Thanks,
Randy Bethke

DNR's Fisheries Service Response (Biologist Harry Rickabaugh) The Atlantic croaker population on the east coast of the United States exhibits wide swings in abundance, with periods of very low catches alternating with periods of very high catches. We have been fortunate for the past 15 years or so to have remained in a period of high abundance. The swings in abundance are believed to be directly related to year-class strength (the number of young of the year croaker produced in a given year), with the presence of strong year-classes occurring just before and during high abundance periods, and very low year-classes occurring just before and during periods of low abundance. Year-class strength has been directly linked to climatic factors. Atlantic croaker spawn on the continental shelf and the larvae (the recently hatched, very small, fish) are dependant on prevailing winds and currents to transport them into estuaries (such as Chesapeake Bay) for their survival. So you need a good hatch of larvae, the right currents, and favorable habitat conditions (adequate water temperature, dissolved oxygen, food availability and cover from predators) in the nursery areas (estuaries from Delaware Bay to Florida) to get a good year class. This is confounded by the fact that the over wintering juvenile croakers are very susceptible to winter kill during extended periods of near freezing water temperature in more northern states such as MD. Croaker do not necessarily return to their natal estuaries, like some other species, and the population migrates up and down the coast in response to temperature changes and in order to spawn. So a good year-class in North Carolina could lead to good catches in MD a couple of years latter. Year classes have been low to moderate in most states the past five years with 2008 and 2009 being a little better than the previous three years. Catches have declined some what in Maryland since 2005, but are still near the long term average. Commercial samples examined by DNR biologists and anecdotal reports from pound net fishermen indicate an increase of small (8-10 inch) croaker being caught thus far in 2010, but fewer of the larger croaker we have become accustom to seeing. Time will tell if the influx of smaller croaker will be great enough to provide some larger fish over the next few years. A very large year-class can contribute significantly to catches for up to 10 years, so keep your fingers crossed for one to come along in the next couple year or two.