Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 10 Update:
Angler in chief Lenny Rudow says the blue cat bite in the Potomac is red-red-red hot, and fishing on the Hot Lick running out of Goose Bay they had steady and sometimes downright chaotic action on perfect eating-size fish from five to 12 or so pounds. The action came on strong while anchored right on the channel edge and cut bunker and mud shad triggered the bites. Those after trophies as opposed to eating sized fish should remember that a reas of the Potomac between Fort Washington and DC are known for producing fish well over 50 pounds, and early spring is a great time to target them. Anglers in the Rappahannock are also finding a productive blue cat bite. One angler fishing near Lowery Point with fresh cut shad reeled in a 40-pound blue cat on a recent trip.
Crappie fishing is improving in the creeks off the Potomac and in the upper Rappahannock. Live minnows work best and the fish are typically schooled up close to docks or submerged structure like trees or rock piles.
The Potomac is closed to targeting rockfish this month, but the main stem of the Bay is open to catch-and-release fishing until the 31st. There seems to be a good concentration of rockfish in the middle Bay but anywhere along the shipping channel edges could have schools of fish as they head towards their spawning areas. These are pre-spawn striped bass so utmost care should be taken when releasing them. It’s also important to note that trolling can put a fair amount of stress on fish even when catching and releasing. There have been reports of some bird action in the region and anglers are having success with jigging. 10-inch BKD’s and flutter spoons offer large profiles mimicking baitfish that can get the big ones biting.
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 3 Update:
The yellow perch run has been funky in the lower Bay tributaries thus far this year. We received a couple reports from anglers who went out looking for yellow perch last weekend, one at Nanjemoy and another at Allen’s Fresh. Both blanked on the perch but catfish were eating minnows at Nanjemoy. A few other anglers fishing Nanjemoy creek for yellow perch also reported a skunk over the weekend. They did find some crappie and catfish willing to bite their minnows and kept enough for a fish fry. Contrary to our reader reports, The Tackle Box let us know that they had a few anglers check in after fishing at Allen’s Fresh, catching yellow perch and the occasional white perch earlier in the week. We also heard from shoreline anglers that they only caught a couple but kayakers headed upriver caught a mess of perch, then the next day, the guys on shore caught them by the dozen while the upriver kayakers had a tough time. As is sometimes the case with the yellow perch run it seems as though the bite is an on again, off again situation. Some days you may luck out and get on them and others they might not be willing to bite.
There were no reports of anglers targeting rockfish in the lower Bay this week but warmer water temperatures should have these fish pushing shallower and feeding on bait. The first ospreys of the year have shown up and those birds typically follow the baitfish so anglers wanting to catch and release rockfish should check out the mouth of the Potomac and main stem of the Bay for some potential action. Another way to get a B-I-G bend in your rod: March is a great month to target blue catfish in the Potomac, Rappahannock, and James. We also received a reader report of good action on blues this week, including a 40-pound whopper, in the Pamunkey. Areas around Washington, DC known for producing blue cats over 50 pounds have fish that are very active right now as well. Fishing from shore or a boat are both viable options for targeting the cats and any type of fresh cut bait works well.
Crappie fishing in the upper tribs is picking up as temperatures continue to tend milder, too. Captain Brian from Apex Predators Guide Service reported catching his first crappie of the year at a Virginia-side creek off the Potomac using small jigheads and minnows. Small soft plastic jigs work well when fished under a bobber or jigged off the bottom but minnows tend to work best to get the crappie biting.