By the end of the week, it'll be March! Who's fishing and where?

[Spot77]

Seriously fellas.....March is HERE and the winter has been as mild as I can ever remember.

Fish should be moving through the bay now.

So where's everyone going this week?

[Skip]

I'm hoping to try Tuesday - legal to pull full spread until Thursday but Monday and Weds look bad.

Figure with full spread - I'll know if any are around yet.

If they are - then drop back to the goofy 6 rod limit and start fishing.

If none are caught with full spread - wait a week or two and try again with 6 rods.

[Spot77]

Originally Posted by Skip

I'm hoping to try Tuesday - legal to pull full spread until Thursday but Monday and Weds look bad.

Figure with full spread - I'll know if any are around yet.

If they are - then drop back to the goofy 6 rod limit and start fishing.

If none are caught with full spread - wait a week or two and try again with 6 rods.

How far south ya' going? Breezy? All the way to PLO?

I'll be hoping for ya' while I'm sitting in court to testify against someone. Probably get postponed for the 4th time.....or nolle pros'ed.

[garlien]

skip,

dumb question the trolling gear does not need to be barbless does it ?

just baited hooks right ?

[Skip]

Garlien - Until March 1st ( Thursday ) - it is legal to troll normal gear. Barbed / stinger hooks are OK and as many rods as you want to put out.

From March 1st until opening day ( April 21st ) - trollers can only use 6 rods , no matter how many are on the boat. Single hooks and barb must be mashed flat.

It is legal to use tandem rigs as long as each lure is single and barbless.

If using bait - must be with circle hooks or J hooks with 1/2 inch or less gap ( about a # 4 hook or smaller ).

If LTJ / casting - there are no rules. Barbed and even treble hooks are legal but most fish barbless / single to avoid hurting the fish.

[Chesapeake Rock]

Skip I think you can troll with treble hooks just so they are barbless. I don't see anything on the regs that states otherwise

[reds]

You may want to be careful Trolling, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Rock Fish season will be open for Gill Nets.

[Spot77]

Originally Posted by reds

You may want to be careful Trolling, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Rock Fish season will be open for Gill Nets.

Good advice.

I don't know the regulations on where the nets can go, but I've never seen them north of the bridge, which is where I spend most of my time.

Still a couple of weeks away before I get on the bay though. I'm relegated to freshwater ponds right now.

[garlien]

Skip,

As always, thanks !

Mike

[Fish Nut]

Yup. I will be prepping the boat . Time to change the filters rydlyme the heat exchanger, and pull the alternator for a rebuild, Hope to have her in the water on Good Friday!!!!!!!!!!

Will be out of sandy point for some C&R Trolling. Using My Blue fish Spread.