Crisfield Area

[CreekFisher]

Fished the Crisfield area with Guide Kevin Josenhans yesterday. Overcast (not a peep of sun) conditions contributed to a solid top water bite in the shallows. Caught all top water fish on big poppers on a spinning rod. As soon as the popper hit the water, it was slammed. The fly rod popper I had didn't warrant even a tail swipe from the fish, however. Never experienced that before - could have been the rattles in the spin baits, or maybe the way the fly floated on the surface versus a hanging popper (rattles rolled to the plug's rear, making it suspend partially). I think it was the latter. Half and halfs, deceivers, etc all were snubbed in favor of the poppers.

Anyone ever experience this with rattle poppers over a fly rod delivered popper?

Also managed some fly rod fish while prospecting once the top water bonanza ended.

Most of the fish were 21" - 26", with sea lice and broad shoulders. On a side note, it was damn cool to see an 8 lb fish tail swipe a popper out of the water, and catch it when it landed.

- Matt

[brettgaba]

awesome! thank you for the report. thinking about heading down tomorrow. don't want to pry but just trying to get an idea of the pattern, but were you fishing the guts and creeks or shorelines of the bigger water.

[ictalurus]

I had an evening at PLO where I threw everything I had with a flyrod and only managed one half-hearted swirl. Zero fish despite having breaking blues all around me for 2hrs. Very frustrating. I didn't have conventional gear to compare with though, but I suspect I would've gotten something.

[CreekFisher]

Every day is different, but I'd fish bigger water before the creeks. It's warm down there (water and air both). When you find them, bigger lures seemed to be the ticket if it's the motherload. Also, keep an eye out for breakers. There are fish in the creeks, but you have to work to catch them. I pulled in mine with small clousers, while the spinning rods in the boat struggled.

ictalurus - I've had the same thing happen on the Bay, at Indian River Inlet, Lewes...never could figure out why the fish wouldn't bite. I guess that's part of what keeps it interesting.

- Matt

[brettgaba]

great information. trip down there's looking to be next week. i'll probably jig the bridge piulings of the honga today.

[bass-ackwards]

that sounds like a blast. thanks for posting.