Spring surf schedule?

[porgy75]

How do you guys decide where and when to move in the spring? I know a lot of guys talk about back bay or in the back. That's what I usually do. I like to wait a few weeks or so because it's so cold. Then I start by clamming, and have caught some small bass. One thing I like about the back bay is you do not catch skates or dogfish, at least I don't.
How do you know when to leave the bay and start fishing the ocean? Is it the moon cycle, the water temperatures, or some other thing. I usually just read the reports where they are catching because I don't know a lot. How do you guys know when to move? thanks

[rip316]

I believe when the water temps get up to the mid fifties. correct me if I'm wrong guys.

[clamchucker]

porgy there a lot of factors. The ocean takes longer to warm up. Shallow bays will experience a rapid temperature rise in the spring as the water and mud from the shallowest creeks and lagoons becomes heated by the sun. This is why anglers usually target the bays first as they wait for the ocean temperatures to rise. Fish are simply more active in the back bays in the beginning.
It also depends on the bait and bait migration pattern. Early resident fish will eat the worms and crustaceans in the mud and shallow rocky areas. If they bunker come in and leave to move north, a large mass of predators will usually follow them north.

You also have to account for when the fish are done spawning in the Chesapeake. The closer geographically you are to that area, the sooner guys will be out in the ocean after the spawn tracking the bass as they move north. As has been said, a big push to fish activity is water temperature. Fish are more active as the ocean temperature hits the mid to higher 50s. I didn't want to confuse you with the answer. I did want you to understand that it is not always the same week, or date when you should fish the ocean. The bays are a good place to be as long as the bait is there. As fishing slows in the bays, try to keep a log of when this happens. You will develop confidence this way and start to trust in your choices of when to move out to the ocean. good luck.

[gjb1969]

for me theres two things water temps and when bait get more active and plentiful

[surfstix1963]

My spring spot plain and simple Bunker,bunker and more bunker.

[wish4fish]

My spring spot plain and simple Bunker,bunker and more bunker.

yup an when they move i follow them, and then hit the ocean