As most of the post-spawn stripers leave the Chesapeake for ocean waters to the north, local fishermen can pick up some of the resulting slack beginning Saturday as the regulations are modified. The 28-inch minimum length will be replaced by a much more liberal 18-inch minimum, the creel limit will be upped to two fish a day though only one can be of more than 28 inches.

In addition, the legal area for catching and keeping in the bay proper will be extended from the Brewerton Channel to Hart and Miller Islands - and come June 1 all tidal waters will be open for rockfish. So, currently we have a fair chance for the last of the big...