While it’s been mostly small fish so far with a few keepers mixed in, yellow perch are on the prowl in upper Chesapeake rivers. Smaller fish have been plentiful, and the larger fish have stretched the tape to more than 13 inches. This should be just the beginning of outstanding perch fishing to come in the days and weeks ahead! Anglers lining the rails of the Morning Star out of Ocean City with Captain Monty Hawkins at the helm have caught big wintertime tautog of 13 pounds and more. Most of the current action in Chesapeake Bay country has been centered on freshwater fishing, as anglers on the Potomac River have hooked up with largemouth bass (jig ‘n pigs, Silver Buddies, plastic grubs, Rat-L-Traps), while the Pocomoke and other rivers have
provided action with pickerel, crappie and yellow perch. There is also a long list of interesting and entertaining shows, seminars and flea markets coming up in the weeks ahead that will help us pass the time until spring and the beginning of another rockfish season on Chesapeake Bay.
(pictured is a recent bird show in the lower Chesapeake that Tidal Fisher Jig Moster caught. While the striper action in Maryland's Bay is on the slower side other then local power plants, many anglers are traveling to Virginia to get in on the hot striper action. Check Jig Monster's full fishing report with plenty of fishing pictures by clicking here)
Fishing shows, Fishing Seminars, and other Fishing Events
February 3rd–5th
MSSA Annual Convention
Ocean City - Princess Royale
Packages Starting at $350
Speakers, Dinner, and Show - $100
Saturday 9 - 10 (speakers, dinner, show)
February 4th
Tri-State Marine Fishing Flea Market
Tri-State Marine - Deale, MD
7:30 - 2
February 4th
Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series
Annapolis
Presentations by Captains “Walleye” Pete Dahlberg, John Oughton, Brady Bounds, Chris Dollar and others.
www.nationalseminarseries.com.
February 11th
Upper Bay CCA Winter Barbeque and Auction
VFW on Turkey Point Road in North East, MD
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Live and silent auctions
$55 per person, $100 per couple
February 17th – 19th
OC Seaside Boat Show
Ocean City Convention Center
$9 per person ($15 weekend pass)
Fri. 11 - 7; Sat 10 - 7; Sun 11 - 5
February 18th – 19th
PSG Fishing Flea Market
Earleigh Heights Fire Hall
$3 each day
Sat 8 - 2; Sun 8 - 2
February 18th
8th annual Chesapeake Bay / Delaware Bay Fishing Workshop
Quarryville, PA, 9am-3pm
Presentations on Chesapeake Bay rockfish trolling, jigging and live-bait fishing; Delaware Bay stripers and black drum, and better understanding your depthfinder / GPS. Call Keith Kaufman at (717) 284-3385.
February 25th
MSSA Annapolis Chapter Saltwater Fishing Expo
Annapolis Elks Lodge #622
$5 per person
8am - 3pm
February 25th
MSSA Dorchester Chapter Fishing Flea Market
American Legion Post #91 (Cambridge)
$3 (12 yrs and under FREE)
8am opens
March 3rd
MSSA Carroll County Chapter Bull Roast
WCVFD Social Hall
$40 per person
6pm - 11pm
March 17th – 18th
MSSA Essex/MR Chapter Fishing Flea Market
Commodore Hall
$3 per person
Sat 9 - 4; Sun 9 - 2
March 24th – 25th
MSSA Southern MD Chapter Fishing Fair
Solomons Firehouse
$3 (12 yrs and under FREE)
Sat 8 - 3; Sun 8 – 3
Maryland Fishing Reports
Herb’s Bait & Tackle in North East reports that yellow perch fishing in the rivers of the upper bay is great! Although there are many, many small fish, you can usually catch your limit of larger fish. The Susquehanna River around Perryville and Havre de Grace is producing lots of small fish. The Northeast River has many small fish but there seems to be a larger abundance of larger fish than the Susquehanna River at this time. Captain Mike Benjamin had a charter of three guys and they caught approximately 200 fish and took home their limit of fish up to 13-1/2 inches.
From Captain Walt on the Pocomoke River
The calendar has turned to February, which means we’re less than a month away from March and the opening of the catch-and-release striped bass season on Susquehanna Flats. Captain Walt will move his operation to Havre de Grace in March where Walt and his anglers will pursue huge stripers to more than 50 pounds on the flats. The best action for trophy stripers usually begins in early April, when water temperatures on the flats warm to 48 to 50 degrees. While looking forward to striper fishing on the flats, Walt will continue to fish the Pocomoke River where his anglers have been hooking feisty pickerel, chunky crappie, and yellow perch.
Tyler’s Tackle in Chesapeake Beach While the shop remains closed, everyone is already looking forward to Tyler’s Annual Sidewalk Sale coming up April 7th and 8th, and 14th and 15th. In the meantime, Tyler’s will have exhibits at the following shows and sales: Tri-State Marine Indoor Flea Market February 4 in Deale, Pasadena Sportfishing Group Flea Market February 18 and 19 in Severna Park, Dorchester Fishing Flea Market February 25, Essex Fishing Flea Market March 17 and 18, and the Solomons Fishing Fair March 24 and 25.
Potomac River Fishing Reports
Potomac River - D.C.
Bass are available along most drop-offs, on plastic grubs, Silver Buddies and jig 'n pig. Work the baits very slowly from shallow to deep water, paying particular attention to the lip of the drop-off. This is where the hits should come. Some better areas are Blue Plains, The Spoils, the rip-rap above Columbia Island Lagoon entrance, 14th Street Bridge pilings, Washington Sailing Marina and the War College Wall in Washington Channel. Some walleye activity is reported on the upstream point of Three Sisters Islands, as well as at the base of Great Falls and the mouth of Difficult Run, in Mather Gorge. Shore anglers may want to try Alexandria Power Plant for some big catfish, when the plant is operating. Cut shad or live minnows work very well in the warm-water discharge. Anglers working the discharge from Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, at Gravelly Point, are catching occasional walleye on outgoing tides. Better baits are live minnows, silver buddies and plastic grubs. The bridges at the mouth of Four Mile Run are holding bass. Shore anglers are taking them on Ratl-L-Traps, Silver Buddies and small crankbaits. Take plenty, as you will lose a bunch to the hardware cloth protecting the banks.
Potomac River Below Woodrow Wilson Bridge
Drop-offs adjacent to shallow sand or gravel banks are holding bass. These are available along the creek channels, as well as on the main river. Best baits are live minnows, plastic Power Grubs and Silver Buddies. Fish these baits from shallow to deep water, paying close attention to the lip of the drop-off.
Potomac River - Upper
The Dickerson Power Plant warm-water discharge canal continues to provide good action for smallmouth bass, walleye, tiger muskie and channel catfish anglers when the plant is operating. Live bait is the best choice for the catfish, while smoke grubs and live minnows or crayfish are the better choice for the other species. The deeper holes from Dickerson to Edwards Ferry are holding some good smallmouth. Live minnows, hair jigs and plastic grubs are enticing strikes at times. Some crappie are reported at the mouths of Goose Creek and Broad Run, by bank fishermen. Walleye and smallmouth bass are available at the base of Great Falls on live minnows and plastic grubs.
Ocean City, Maryland, Fishing Reports
Captain Monty Hawkins on the Morning Star out of Ocean City fished on February 1 and reported that the tog fishing was “Very OK for some. Others got their head handed to them. Biggest was 13-1/2 pounds. Awesome winter weather but the water is chilling.”
Sue Foster in Ocean City reported that Oyster Bay Tackle and Fenwick Tackle are closed and will re-open in March.
That’s it for this week’s report, new fishing reports coming on Friday. Have a great fishing week!
You can get daily updated Maryland Chesapeake fishing reports on TidalFish.com's Maryland fishing forum by clicking here , Ocean City, MD Offshore Fishing Reports on the Mid Atlantic Offshore Fishing Forum and Ocean City inshore fishing reports on the Mid Atlantic Inshore Fishing Forum.
Menu
Advertisement
