Recent Sampling by the Southern Region

Type: Chesapeake
Region: Southern Region
Location: Patuxent River

On April 12th, Southern Region Inland Fisheries biologists began collecting striped bass broodstock for DNR hatcheries. We targeted the Patuxent River because historically it�s been a good spot to collect fish. The day started slowly; on the first stretch of river we only collected one male striper that had already spawned. However, things picked up when we found fish staging in 5 � 7 feet of water. We collected a lot of fish and the boat�s livewell was full. At the end of the day we chose two females (32 and 40 lbs) and four males to be spawned in the hatchery and returned to the Patuxent. Their offspring will be stocked to various locations in Maryland and a few in other states.

Anglers are reminded that although striper season opens on April 16th, the Patuxent River and several other rivers of the state will remain closed to all striped bass fishing (maps of areas closed and open to fishing can be found here). Not to worry though, anglers will get an opportunity at these fish once they spawn and travel down the Chesapeake and back to the Atlantic.