Maryland Fishing Reports sponsored by Solomon's Charter Captain's Association and Tri State Marine.
Yellow perch action has been slow to develop. Most of the fish caught have been small, although some nicer specimens to 13 inches have been reported, including fat perch that had eaten a crab and a frog! Susquehanna River anglers at Peach Bottom have caught a few walleye and hybrid stripers, including a hefty 14-pound hybrid caught last week
Freshwater anglers on the Pocomoke River have hooked feisty cold-water pickerel and crappie. A few of the pickerel have been huge 6-pound torpedoes with teeth!
The calendar has turned to February, which means the catch-and-release striped bass on Susquehanna Flats opens in less than a month! However, chances are the water will still be too cold in early March. Expect stripers to show up and start biting on the flats in mid-March. Then, in early April, when the water warms to 48 to 50 degrees, it will be time for explosive big-game action with trophy stripers of 35 to more than 50 pounds!
(Tidal Fish member Aesiegel went kayak fishing with Tidal Fisher JA Veil in a western shore Chesapeake Bay tributary and had some good luck with some winter Pickerel. Check out his video in his kayak fishing report here.)
Fishing shows, Fishing Seminars, and other Fishing Events
FEBRUARY 16
MSSA Dorchester Chapter
American Legion Post 91
7:30 p.m.
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 23
Greater Washington Chapter of Maryland CCA 13th Annual Banquet and Auction
Women’s Club of Chevy Chase
301.587.4792 / frankngeri@erols.com
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
February 25
Tie Fest, Kent Narrows Chapter of CCA of Maryland
visit www.CCAMD.org
March 3rd
MSSA Carroll County Chapter Bull Roast
WCVFD Social Hall
$40 per person
6pm - 11pm
March 11
37th Annual National Capital Angling Show
Georgetown Prep School field house, Rockville Pike in Bethesda
visit www.NCC-TU.org
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 Eleanore at Herb’s said yellow Perch fishing is great. That is, if you like to catch fish and don't care if they are small. They are catching them on just about every cast but they are mostly small. You will catch about one legal fish for every 10 fish you catch, with an occasional 12 or 13 incher. Fish are being caught on minnows and small plastic lures on top-and-bottom rigs. In deeper water, you can catch them by jigging your rig, and in shallower water it usually works better if you cast out and slowly retrieve it. These fish are being caught in all of the five rivers from the Sassafras to the Northeast. It is our opinion that the salt line is probably down around Rock Hall and yellow perch are spread out over a larger area this year and the larger females have not really schooled up yet. Not much else going on, but I am sure you can catch some largemouth if you want to fish for them.
Chesapeake Crabbing Supplies in Bel Air provides this report:
Believe it or not there are good fishing reports to be made! Yellow perch fishing in the Susquehanna River and Grey's Run is slowly starting to materialize. Best guesses are that it should get hot in the next week or so, weather permitting. Meanwhile, at Peach Bottom on the Susquehanna River, walleye and hybrid striped bass are beginning to bite. One of our regular customers reported catching a 14-pound hybrid just days ago. While fishing for yellow perch in the Susquehanna River, a number of fishermen have caught walleye, largemouth, and smallmouth bass- go figure! Crappie fishing at Joppatown has remained fair to good all winter, and live minnows on small darts have been the ticket! We are praying for a dry spring so that the constant flow of water from Conowingo Dam will subside to normal levels. Maximum amounts of water have been discharged all winter! The bay doesn't need any additional freshwater for now. Fishing should only get better and better over the next several weeks. Minnows are the bait of choice, and we carry live minnows all winter long. One final note, we expect crabbing to start off well this year, especially because of the mild winter we have experienced. Customers are already starting to trickle in, preparing for the upcoming season. Good luck and good fishing!
From Captain Walt on the Pocomoke River
Still "smacking" crappie, yellow perch and pickerel in the sweetwater of the Pocomoke River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Some of the pickerel have been monsters with a few at the 6-pound mark. Now that's a big pickerel! Yellow perch are getting bigger with egg-laden females now making a showing. Crappie action has stayed consistent. We've even taken a handful of largemouth bass; although not big at about 2 pounds. We'll continue to launch out of the town of Snow Hill right through mid-March. Trips are inexpensive and open dates are available. This fishery remains good even in the coldest of temps.
Kevin Josenhans at Josenhans Fly Fishing reports:
While crappie fishing on the Pocomoke, Tom Hylden and friends were pleasantly surprised by the good number of pickerel that ate our jig/minnow combinations. This should bode well for fly fishermen who seek to do battle with this aggressive member of the pike family. CCA MD is holding a Tidal Pickerel Championship and I believe the Pocomoke is as good a spot as any to take home the trophy. This is a “no bait” tournament, so if you would like to give the Pocomoke a shot give me a call and I’ll toss the minnows and concentrate on putting you on some good pickerel grounds. We also landed maybe 30 or so crappie to 12 inches, along with a few bass to 16. Our final pickerel tally was maybe 10, not too bad considering our crappie gear. It was a fun mid-winter day on a beautiful tidal river.
Tyler’s Tackle in Chesapeake Beach reports:
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.:
White perch are on their way. At Fletcher's, smallmouth and largemouth bass are showing up in the creels of fishermen using live minnows. Channel catfish are taking cut winter shad, fished on the bottom. Small yellow perch may be found on the flat behind Roosevelt Island, taking small plastic grubs and live minnows. Bass are feeding heavily on slow-moving, minnow-imitating lures, throughout the city. Most productive lures seem to be three-inch, dark-colored plastic grubs rigged on 1/8-ounce leadhead jigs, and dark-colored jig 'n pigs. Chrome Rat-L-Traps, in the quarter-ounce size, and small, wide-wobbling crankbaits are also taking some good bass. These baits should be fished on shallow flats, adjacent to drop-offs. Slow to moderate retrieves will produce best. Catfish and carp are still congregated at the discharge of the Alexandria power plant and Blue Plains. Nightcrawlers, cut bait, doughballs, and live minnows are taking the fish. Bass are also available at Blue Plains on Silver Buddies and Carolina-rigged lizards. Crappie are schooled up and biting well. Try the underwater brushpiles in Belle Haven Cove and The Spoils. Nice crappie are also available around the docks in Washington Sailing Marina. Live minnows and small crappie jigs are the tickets. Yellow perch are taking live minnows, small Hopkins spoons and Roadrunners on gravel points and coves in the Woodrow Wilson bridge area. The island in the back of the Spoils holds a large number of these tasty little fish. Check the discharge from the Pentagon heating system in Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary for walleye. There are nice fish reported on the bottom at the exit pipe under G.W. Parkway. The mouth of Four Mile Run is giving up large numbers of bass and carp to anglers fishing under the bridges.
POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE:
Some good bass are being taken by concentrating on drop-offs into 15 to 20 feet of water. Small grubs and jig 'n pigs are producing fish. Most of the fish are in the 1 to 3-pound range, but an occasional 5 pounder finds its way into the stringers. Crappie schools are roaming the drop-offs and brushpiles in most of the tidal creeks and may be taken on live minnows or small crappie jigs. The best areas are adjacent to wood structure that is close to deeper water. Yellow perch have invaded the river, but have not been in great supply in the creeks. Live minnows are the best bait, although yellow 1/8-ounce Blakemore Roadrunners, fished very slowly on the bottom, will take fish. Catfish are taking cut bait, preferably winter shad, fished on the bottom in the main creek channels. Crappie are still schooled in Mattawoman and Aquia Creeks.
Ocean City, Maryland, Fishing Reports:
Captain Monty Hawkins said windy weather this week kept the Morning Star at the dock in Ocean City. Captain Monty is running tog trips when weather conditions allow.
Sue Foster from Oyster Bay Tackle in Ocean City reported: 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.
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