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SALTWATER FISHING: Where-To How-To Tips for Upper Chesapeake Bay Yellow Perch Fishing

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SALTWATER FISHING: Where-To How-To Tips for Upper Chesapeake Bay Yellow Perch Fishing



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by Tim Campbell. The Upper Bay yellow perch bite has been hot this winter! For the third consecutive year the yellow perch fishing has been phenomenal especially at the mouth of the Susquehanna River.

In 2010 the bite started about a week before Christmas due largely to an early cold snap. Last year it was closer to Thanksgiving when the yellow perch turned on and the bite didnÂ’t fade until after the spawn in early to mid-March. Patterns can change and every year is different but so far 2011 is turning into another banner year for Upper Bay yellow perch enthusiasts. The limit is 10 fish per person per day with a minimum measurement of 9 inches.

Finding yellow perch willing to bite is not as tricky now that the fish are back in numbers. Many anglers opt to fish from the floating docks at Owens Landing in Perryville. Stanley, the dock-master charges $25.00 for anglers to fish from the docks. In the winter, itÂ’s not unusual to see several anglers including parents with children catching perch from the piers.
Another local place to find fish from shore is the Perryville Community Pier next to the grounds of the VA Hospital. It is free and open to the public. There may not be the numbers of yellows one finds at Owens but they are usually bigger. Cast your line and let it sink. You will be in 12’ to 20’ of water with a grassy bottom. This is where you want your lure to be rigged 18” to 24” off the bottom to help keep it above the grass. Gradually reel it back while keeping the line taut. If you don’t get bit try again. There are usually fish here. Sometimes the perch want the lure standing still while other times they seem to bite when you give it a little action.

The North East River in the town of North East is yet another excellent area to find perch without a boat. There is a good stretch of shoreline and a big pier. If the river is iced in donÂ’t worry, many yellow perch are caught through the ice. In addition to tackle, the hard water angler will need an axe to chop holes in the ice. Walking around and making several holes in the ice is the way to find them. Take a bucket for something to sit on, carry your gear and hold your catch.

There is an added element of danger fishing in the wintertime whether from boat, shore or on the ice. If somebody falls in hypothermia can overcome a person in less than ten minutes. Pairing up with a fishing buddy is especially important this time of year. Be mindful of the risk and prepare accordingly.

Fishing from shore can be fun however fishing from a boat usually yields more and bigger fish. Anglers with boats can access the Susquehanna River by one of four nearby ramps. The Owens Landing Marina and Cecil County ramps in Perryville put fishermen right where the action is. The ramp fee is $7.00 at Owens but the Cecil County ramp requires a pass. The Jean Roberts Memorial ramp under the Amtrak bridge or the ramp at Tydings Memorial Park in Havre De Grace both have honor boxes and cost $5.00 and $8.00 respectively.

Look for depths of 15Â’ to 30Â’ to start drifting. Yellow perch caught much deeper can make their stomachs become distended. ItÂ’s called barotrauma and it can cause organ damage to the fish. The thing to do is either keep the fish as one of your limit or if itÂ’s short let it go and relocate. Venting doesnÂ’t help because the perchÂ’s organs are so compacted. Some fish will swim back down and be alright while others will float and not survive. Conservative fishing is key to the future of yellow perch.
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The tackle is simple and easy to use. Light or ultra-light rods with matching spinning reels spooled with 10 lb test braid is recommended. The braided line lets the angler feel a delicate bite much better than with monofilament line. Lures of first choice are little one- or two-inch plastic grubs and small sassy shads weighted with a one ounce sinker. Try experimenting with different colored lures to see what the fish prefer that day. Some productive colors are green, purple and white. Minnows or worms can also be used instead of artificial lures but lures will often out-fish live bait. If all youÂ’re catching are small fish, consider relocating a short distance to find bigger perch. The large schools are made up of the similar size fish that swim together.

The preferred rig is a drop shot style. ItÂ’s easy to tie and can be modified to any variation. Use 25 to 30 lb test quality mono for the rig. Tie a small surgeonÂ’s knot at the top to connect to the main line and a larger one on the bottom for a sinker. Dropper loops or surgeonÂ’s knots can be used with #4 hooks. DonÂ’t fret if the rig doesnÂ’t come out perfect the first time, yellow perch are not leader shy. Some people add beads, hair or Mylar. The yellow perch are back, go get some!

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    sweetwater slim

    - 02-21-2011, 06:23 PM

    Nice article Tim... You have learned well, grasshopper...





  1. https://www.tidalfish.com/forums/content.php/member.php/125-Timbo

    Timbo

    - 02-21-2011, 10:05 PM

    Special thanks to TFer and Upper Bay angler JERRY NORRIS for providing the diagram for the yellow perch rig.





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    bwbucktail

    - 02-23-2011, 01:18 PM

    Well done Tim - some of it was new to me, so I appeciate the tips!





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    Boatdog

    - 02-25-2011, 06:51 PM

    Did I read that correctly, $25.00 to fish at Owen's Landing? Very informative, hopefully they will still be there in a couple days.

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