Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update 3/1/2018:
The Salisbury ponds are on fire! This trend should continue as the weather warms, so get in on the action before the Spring SAV grows in and makes these bodies of water more difficult to fish. FishTalk production manager Zach Ditmars reported an excellent day of fishing this week on one of the millponds in Sailsbury, MD catching several chain pickerel over 20", crappie up to 12", and also some quality largemouth bass. Casting live minnows and 3-4" paddletails towards structure near the center of the lake in 3-4' water was the ticket. For more info on fishing this area, see this article on the Eastern Shore Millponds
Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update 2/23/2018:
Freshwater fishing has been hot this week, as many species seem to have awoken with the warm weather and sunny days we've had recently. Spillways in Delaware and on the DelMarVa Peninsula are producing crappie, and while the perch haven’t yet made it up into the headwaters, Captain Bones Bait & Tackle reports that they are plentiful in pre-spawn holes, especially in the upper Nanticoke, and are surely on their way to the spawning grounds any day now. Millponds have also been productive, as they warmed quickly with the recent sunny days and crappie, bass, and pickerel all went into spring feeding mode. In fact, small ponds and lakes up and down the Mid-Atlantic have provided some killer crappie fishing, even in reservoirs including Loch Raven and Liberty. Other places mentioned as crappie hotspots included the gravel pit ponds on the Eastern Shore, and Smith Mountain Lake. Most anglers have been using small minnow for bait.
Mixed in with the catch has been a staggering number of catfish, whose appetites never seem to be filled. Channel cats in rivers have been almost a nuisance, stealing minnows meant for tastier species. If you want to target big catfish in specific, however, blues are the best shot and the place to be is the upper Potomac. From Indian Head up, channel edges and holes are good spots to sink cut herring or chicken livers on 8/0 to 10/0 circle hooks and hold on tight. The Rappahannock has also been producing some nice catfish catches.
A word of caution also has to be noted about many of our area river this week, however, as high flow from all the rain has muddied many areas and also brought a ton of debris. Particularly the Susquehanna was un-fishable for periods early in the week in some areas, after the floodgates let loose. Most of this has washed out but the water was still thoroughly muddy the past few days.
In the northernmost range of our area of coverage, B & B Lures in Hanover, PA, reported that fishing in Codorus State Park has kicked into gear. Crappie are being reported in good numbers and a 47-inch muskie also was caught at Lake Marburg this week, by an angler using large plugs.
Down to the south in Lake Anna the water temps have risen significantly in the past couple of weeks, and bass are becoming more active. They’re still fairly deep, but jigs worked along drop-offs and points have been taking some fish. Reports from Gaston and Bugg’s Island are the same, with many anglers working a bit to catch bass but doing so with a fair amount of success.
For anglers in or near Maryland, it's also worth noting that this is the time of year to check where the DNR has stocked trout, as the program is in full swing.
Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update 2/15/2018:
This week's weather took a toll on Deep Creek Lake, making heading out on the (now thin) layer of ice a bit sketchy. High water levels have caused a bit of difficulty with the trout fishing in mountain streams, with Jake's reporting that water has been rushing through the streams. In addition, large amounts of runoff have created some murky conditions, making it hard for trout to spot baits.
Reader Eric Packard sent us this report:
"I have been able to take put-and-take trout in some southern Maryland ponds, but only on the few days I could cast a line. I’ve taken rainbow trout on Wooly Buggers, bead head nymphs, and dry flies while my grandson has taken a few on Power Baits. And I’ve seen trout taken on inline spinners, too.
"I did make the drive up to Savage, MD, to cast a fly line into the Little Patuxent River; the state stocked some 1100 trout on January 30th, but I had no luck there. With the rains and other runoff over the past few weeks the river was high and rather muddy. I did see others fishing the river too, but I saw no fish taken. I’ll wait for a few drier days to head back up Savage Mill area."
Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update 2/8/2018:
Deep Creek Lake fishing has slowed down, as Bill's Outdoors reports not as many people have been out on the ice this week. They're receiving less reports of walleye as the season moves on, although some good numbers of yellow perch are still turning up. Ice thickness reports were back to acceptable last week (usually at least six inches with a bit less around the edges) but a mix of warmth and rain through the weekend will put a question-mark back on things.
On the Peninsula the Eastern Shore millponds are back to ice-free. We’ve heard of a few pickerel, crappie, and bass, but mostly of slow bites. One reader reported fishing Wye Mills all day for two crappie. The better option right now seems to be up the rivers, as detailed in the Tangier and Way North & DE reports, where these same species plus perch are hitting minnow on shad darts. Down south on the Western Shore, St. Mary's Lake is a bright spot, producing pickerel crappie, and bass for anglers willing to brave the chill. Edges dropping to 20 foot depths have been ticket, according to what we heard from The Tackle Box, and we've also had reader reports of a decent bite from bass and pickerel recently.
Mossy Creek Flyfishing reported that water levels have risen a little in the past week due to rainfall, resulting in better fishing, as trout haven't been spooking as easily. Midges and nymphs are still the way to go, and fishing is expected to pick up as the season moves on and weather warms up a bit. The upper James is also reported to be a bit up and running clear, with a few smallmouth hitting up-river of Richmond.
No reports came in from the VA reservoirs this week, but water temperatures should start climbing soon and get the fish into a feeding mode. That said, we did learn that an angler went overboard and then died of hypothermia last week. Dang shame – don’t forget to take all cold-weather precautions at this time of the year.
February 2018 Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update:
Although freshwater continues to be a highlight for our region through the winter, the erratic weather has had a detrimental effect recently. Jake's Bait and Tackle reports that mountain streams haven't been particularly productive the past week, as water levels have been low and trout are spooking easily. Hopefully rain and snow we're expecting this week will raise water levels, easing the scare fish have been having from casting flies. Deep Creek Lake has also had some slightly slower fishing than reported in past weeks, with not as many walleye coming out of the ice. Deep Creek Outfitters reports that yellow perch have been biting more than most anything else, primarily on minnows. And unfortunately, the rain and warm temperatures last week have made the ice unreliable in some areas. Caution is required!
Farther east, the ice on south-Pennsylvania lakes like Marburg and Sheppard-Meyers has also become unreliable with water along much of the shore. However, our contributor Jim Gronaw checked in to let us know that the ponds and lakes in the northern Maryland/southern PA areas that have thawed are producing good panfish bites, from both crappie and bluegills. (A float & fly rig was the ticket). We've had similar reports coming in from farther south, including Calvert and St. Mary's County ponds and St. Mary's Lake, where crappie, bass, pickerel, and stocked trout have all been mentioned as active and willing to take small lures and baits.
Reports from the Virginia reservoirs are a bit off this week, with Lake Anna water levels still down and water temperatures under 40-degrees in some areas. That said, there are still some bass and stripers being caught. Buggs is also on the low side, on the chilly side, and providing a similarly slow bite. In the rivers, most of the action we've heard about is coming from blue catfish, but winter perch haunts should start producing for anglers fishing bull minnow on bottom in the deep holes of pre-spawn staging areas any day now.