Mid Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay - light tackle rockfish in northern bay

I wanted to try and get into fishing light tackle alot more this summer. I have not done this alot in the past. I fish out of annapolis. I was hopeing for some advice on what tackle to use and how exactly to fish for then. What to look for as far a structore and if there are any well known spots. I do have an hds 7 with structorscan and would like to put it to good use. Any info would be much appropriated and put to good use. Thank you-chris

I take it you are following this thread?
http://www.thehulltruth.com/mid-atlantic-chesapeake-bay/411450-offical-2012-susquehanna-flats-c-r-season.html
If not, it is a start.
Unless you are "Networking" with someone you trust, 99% of the time all the info you will get on a public forum will be general info.

As a general rule, anglers that have put in the time doing the homework and are on fish, will only tell other anglers that they trust with their wife or girlfriend (or both).


What do you consider the northern bay?
There is the Upper then there is the Upper, Upper.

Check this thread also.
http://www.thehulltruth.com/mid-atlantic-chesapeake-bay/389584-upper-upper-chesapeake-bay-boundary.html


Head up to the Flats, be quiet, polite and give other anglers a wide birth and keep your eyes and ears open.
Go up wind/current then drift while being very alert and observant.

If you are going to make a move after a drift, do not run on the side of the other boats where they will be drifting.
If they are drifting to the south, pass on their north side as far away as you safely can.
Some times there are so many boats there this will be impossible. In that case go slow and easy.

Sometimes they are in the grass very shallow. Sometimes in deeper water on flats, drop offs, stronger current, etc...
Sometimes they are almost everywhere but that is rare.
Go as much as possible and stay as long as possible, like before sun up till after sun down then do it again the next day.

Are you also on tidalfish.com?
Follow those threads too.
The puzzle will have many pieces. You don't need all of them to catch fish.
.
.
.

Thanks for the advice I will put the pieces together and hope for tight lines

I take it you are following this thread?
http://www.thehulltruth.com/mid-atlantic-chesapeake-bay/411450-offical-2012-susquehanna-flats-c-r-season.html
If not, it is a start.
Unless you are "Networking" with someone you trust, 99% of the time all the info you will get on a public forum will be general info.

As a general rule, anglers that have put in the time doing the homework and are on fish, will only tell other anglers that they trust with their wife or girlfriend (or both).


What do you consider the northern bay?
There is the Upper then there is the Upper, Upper.

Check this thread also.
http://www.thehulltruth.com/mid-atlantic-chesapeake-bay/389584-upper-upper-chesapeake-bay-boundary.html


Head up to the Flats, be quiet, polite and give other anglers a wide birth and keep your eyes and ears open.
Go up wind/current then drift while being very alert and observant.

If you are going to make a move after a drift, do not run on the side of the other boats where they will be drifting.
If they are drifting to the south, pass on their north side as far away as you safely can.
Some times there are so many boats there this will be impossible. In that case go slow and easy.

Sometimes they are in the grass very shallow. Sometimes in deeper water on flats, drop offs, stronger current, etc...
Sometimes they are almost everywhere but that is rare.
Go as much as possible and stay as long as possible, like before sun up till after sun down then do it again the next day.

Are you also on tidalfish.com?
Follow those threads too.
The puzzle will have many pieces. You don't need all of them to catch fish.
.
.
.

Are you catching largemouth in the same areas as mentioned above?

More towards the shore only because that's where I have been fishing for them.
I have not spent a lot of time on the flats in the typical grass areas looking for grass but it has to be coming up.
I plan to check those areas out this weekend.
It's no secret, on the upper end the grass can get thick but there will be grass in a lot of areas. Way more then half.


.

More towards the shore only because that's where I have been fishing for them.
I have not spent a lot of time on the flats in the typical grass areas looking for grass but it has to be coming up.
I plan to check those areas out this weekend.
It's no secret, on the upper end the grass can get thick but there will be grass in a lot of areas. Way more then half.


.

:thumbsup:

Next dollar you spend should be on Shawn Kimbro's recently released book, Chesapeake Light Tackle. Lots of info available on the website by the same name - see the "articles and techniques" section.

He calls the bay bridge rockpiles, which are a reasonably short run from annapolis (and super easy if you can trailer to sandy point) "light tackle university"

Good luck!