Trophy Rockfish Season

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Upper Bay
Location: Bay Bridge

Rough start to the season. Had a glitch in the engine. But thanks to Steve Snyder, my boat Doctor, he got us back up and running. My first day out this season, Thursday May 7th, was beautiful and flat calm. We started fishing early afternoon between the Bay Bridge and the LP buoy. Fished about two hours not even a knock down. Saw fish on the fish finder but none of them wanted to grab my worm. Was only running eight lines on my out riggers, 6 tandems and 2 umbrella rigs off the back of the boat. Two umbrellas were running deep. My farthest line was 175 feet. All of a sudden my longest line went down, the fight began! Ten minutes later we pulled in this beautiful 41 1/2' rock fish weighing approximately 26 pounds.

Trip two of the season, Saturday May 9th. Started out late morning. We went to the sames spot, tide was going out. Started trolling going north of the Bay Bridge toward the LP buoy and Love Point. A ton of boats out there running their plainer boards with 15 to 20 rods a piece hanging off their boards. I still kept my eight lines out. After trolling about 25 minutes, I start getting reports from my buddies down south that nothing is biting. All of a sudden, my short line hit on a white umbrella rig right behind the boat. Brought in a 39" rockfish, got a great picture and threw it back. I turned the boat around, went through the bridge heading south no more than 200 yards south of the bridge hit another on a tandem rig chartreuse. Brought this 34" rockfish in and put it in the box. Turned the boat around again and started heading north. Went through the bridge and about 100 yards north of the bridge we caught our 3rd fish of the day. 35" on a white tandem 125 feet off the back of the boat. Was a great day!