Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 28, 2019 Update:
Perch anglers are still pulling some whites out of the usual spring spots on the Eastern Shore, but it seems that many of the larger fish came and did their thing, then left town. Most anglers are reporting small males making up the bulk of the catch, on grass shrimp and bloodworms. Yellows have become few and far between. On the bright side, there’s been the first report of shad caught up in the headwaters of the Choptank (one picture-verified catch so far). And the snakehead bite is wide-open in the blackwater complex; see the Freshwater Report for more on that action. Anglers on the Western Shore, meanwhile, have had a much tougher row to hoe, with wash-out conditions in many areas along the Patuxent ruining last weekend and muddied waters persisting into the week. We heard from three different readers who tried for ‘em in and around Upper Marlboro last weekend… and skunked. Hopefully, by the weekend the waters will have cleared a bit and a bite will develop.
One of the more reliable bites throughout the area has been for catfish, which aren’t disturbed much by turbid waters. In virtually all the perching areas they’re a possibility if you put a minnow or cut bait on bottom, and perhaps even more interesting, this week we also received several reports of lure-caught catfish in the main-stem Bay (ranging from the Bay Bridge clear down to the Patuxent!) Salinity is still well below average, and the cats seem to be taking full advantage of it.
The pre-season rockfish action happening further north hasn’t seemed to provide as much action in the Middle Bay – anglers hoping to get in on the catch and release bite may want to consider heading north of the Magothy. Despite plenty of reports of some fish being caught, a fair number of boats are coming back without having seen a single fish. Reports from the CCNPP are better, but still well below historical norms. Anglers are reporting mostly small fish, not a whole lot of ‘em, and a few big cows here and there. As the weather warms up, we should expect to see more trophies move up the Bay – and be able to bring them home for dinner starting on April 20!
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 22, 2019 Update:
The perch run was on this week, with recent warmer weather setting off the bite. Anglers Sport Center reported that Denton and Greensboro have been hot, as well as deep holes in the tributaries. Anglers also noted that the Chester has been seeing a fair amount of action. Fish are being caught there in deeper water, often between eight and 12 feet, making fishing difficult for anglers casting from shore. In addition, getting on top of the fish has taken some time and many anglers have found themselves switching spots before finding a school to stick with. Slightly to the south, reports of solid yellow and white perch catches have been abundant, with fish in the 10- to 12-inch range not uncommon. Angler in Chief Lenny Rudow reports that the bite in the Tuckahoe was difficult at times, with some anglers filling a stringer and others struggling to find keepers, as the yellow perch seemed to go from pre-spawn to post-spawn overnight and the whites moved up quickly on their heels. Whites were visible spawning all along the shore from the old railroad bridge up, and anglers who were in boats or were willing to hike the shoreline to keep trying different spots did the best. He also said grass shrimp were working best for the whites, while they caught more yellows on the minnow. Yesterday's rainfall make have muddied up some areas and disturbed the bite, but since it's blowing like the devil today we don't expect to get an update on that situation for another day or two.
On the western side, meanwhile, many anglers going to Wayson’s Corner have been meeting with disappointment lately. Some people are catching fish, but the past week they were here today and gone tomorrow making for a wide range of success rates.
Although we’re excited to hear that the perch run is in full swing, what’s making our week is the reports we’ve had from anglers pre-season catch and release fishing for rockfish this week. Alltackle in Annapolis reported that guys fishing the mouths of the Magothy, the Severn, and out in the channels have had success catching on 10-inch BKDs, and while trolling. Kayak anglers trolling lipped swimming plugs along the Western Shore have also reported lots of success. The bite at Calvert Cliffs has improved as well, though we’re still hearing mostly about 20- and 30-somethings as opposed to 40-somethings (and most anglers heading there remain tight-lipped).
3/16/2019 Perch Run Update: Get out there and get ‘em quick, people!! Tuesday the yellow perch still had roe but today they were spawned out, and whites were visible spawning along the shoreline of the Tuckahoe from the railroad bridge up. It looks like the weather may have created conditions conducive to a rapid spawning run, so get out there fast!
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 15, 2019 Update:
PERCH ALERT: Although held back up until now by cool water temps, the yellow perch are finally beginning to run for real. It’s not quite yet in wide-open mode, with some shore-bound anglers reporting skunks in the historic yellow perch haunts, but those with the ability to seek out the fish doing much better. Angler in Chief Lenny Rudow reports a 20-fish multi-person limit on yellows between 10 and 12 inches, caught in about two and a half hours earlier this week in the Tuckahoe. Frisky minnow (thank you, Angler’s Sport Center!) fished on shad darts (pink was hot, orange and white worked too), very slow and low right on bottom, did the trick. Grass shrimp did get a fish or two but were much less effective, as is sometimes the case when the fish haven’t yet gone into spawning mode. Key variable: locating a deep spot that dropped to eight feet and had structure in it. Anglers fishing from the bank at Hillsboro, where there isn’t such a hole, had much slower action. We also spoke with some kayakers who had headed up-river from the ramp, and they had similarly slow fishing. However, water temperature was 44 to 45 degrees and we’ve had a couple of sunny, warm days since then – it’s quite likely that by this weekend the perch kick into high gear and for the next couple of weeks, the annually hot spots like Hillsboro, Greensboro, Red Bridges, Denton, etcetera should all catch on fire. Last minute update – we just had a report from Red Bridges of a nice mixed stringer of yellow and whites, fishing minnow from shore!
We shot a how-to perch fishing video earlier this week on the Tuckahoe; tune in if you need a start-to-finish perch fishing refresher course.
Meanwhile back on the western side, perch reports from the upper Patuxent (Wayson’s Corner) were of poor to no action, and high muddied waters was reported Monday and again on Wednesday. Again, we want to point out that we’ve had several days of great weather since then and as long as we don’t get a sudden wash-out, things look good for a serious up-tick in the action by the weekend.
If you want to feel a heavier bend in the rod, stop off at Alltackle and grab some 10-inch Boss BKDs because catch and release striper action on the Bay and in the tribs picked up this week, with a number of school-sized rockfish up to 26 inches being reported in the Severn. Using large plastics and fairly heavy (1.5- to two-ounce) heads has been the way to get them biting. Kayak trollers pulling lipped crankbaits have also reported some success. If you want an even bigger fish on the line you can give the CCNPP a shot, though the reports coming from there have been pretty thin. The flow has been low and bites few and far between — but if you’re willing to put in time for that one big fish, this spot probably offers the best chances. Don’t forget to check out Catch and Release Striped Bass All Winter Long to get the low-down on the ins and outs of fishing here. Also be sure to see Dos and Don’ts of Catch and Release Fishing, and be sure to handle those stripers with a healthy dose of TLC.
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 8, 2019 Update:
Cold weather has kept the yellow perch bite largely the same, and in the next week we’re hoping to see some warm weather that should bring them out of the depths and trigger a run. The fish have still mostly been in pre-spawn holes and river-bends, but this could change literally any day now. (Sunday’s predicted to break 60-degrees… that could trigger a real change in the fish’s attitude, folks!) Most anglers have been sticking to the traditional tactics of getting them in the boat or bucket, staying with bottom rigs and minnow. As we wait for the warm-up, many other area fishermen have been sticking with upper-tributary and freshwater areas, where the crappie and pickerel bite has remained steady.
As you wait for the perch fishing to pick up, don't forget to check out our Three Top Spring Perch Run Hotspots article, which includes a classic Middle Chesapeake perch zone. Meanwhile, a few die-hards have been heading out onto the Bay and trolling the channel edges, where a few pre-season rockfish are being caught (catch-and-release, of course - don't forget to crimp your barbs). Although if you’re a member of any Facebook fishing group it may look as though a large number of fish are being caught, most of the reports we got this week indicated that the majority of anglers leaving the dock to pre-season fish are coming home without having seen any stripers first-hand. Reports from Calvert Cliffs are of low numbers or complete skunks with a few lucky anglers hooking into a big fish now and again. We didn’t hear a peep from Branden Shores, nor the bridge this week.
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 1, 2019 Update:
This past weekend I was driving over the South River Bridge and as my gaze shot from the road to the river, I was met with the sight of expansive and lonely blue-grey water. As I transversed the bridge, I found myself longing for the time of year where my distraction could be justified by the captivating and relentlessly beautiful sight of skiffs, fishing boats, and even (sigh) sailboats filling up the river, trailing into white specks atop the water. Of course, when that time of year comes, I hope not to be one looking out from atop the bridge, but rather on one of the little white specks at the mouth of the South, hopefully catching fish. Unfortunately, as I called around this week, I didn’t hear of very many fish being caught in the rivers, save for the yellow perch that have been hanging around for the past few weeks. I did, however, hear reports of dedicated catch and release fishers heading out on the Bay and also to the warm water discharges in hopes of quelling an ever-bubbling desire to fight and see rockfish.
Although many (most, from what we’ve heard) have not been successful in locating any rockfish willing to bite, those of us being held over until spring by fishing the tributaries and ponds understand the fervent desire to fight fish bigger than yellow perch and get a glimpse of rockfish. Here’s the run-down: On the open Bay we heard of one 20-ish inch fish caught; same for Baltimore Harbor; tight lips abound from the CCNPP but one angler told us he caught “one big fish” on a recent trip there, but it was the only bite of the day. If you’re one of those catch-and-release rockfishers, we applaud your dedication. (And please let us know if you catch!!!)
In other news, the yellow perch fishing has gone largely unchanged as we haven't yet had a few days in a row of the warm weather needed to trigger the run in a big way. The tributaries, creeks, and ponds are all productive to some degree. The Choptank has been a hotspot, with perch holding in deep water pre-spawn areas. As usual, a minnow on a bottom rig or shad dart should do the trick. And if it’s not happening where you start out, don’t hesitate to head a little deeper and hunt for the fish. Holes where the yellows are holding are varying, and yesterdays’ spot might not be the same as tomorrow. Many anglers are choosing to hit freshwater areas until the perch kick into high gear; see the Freshwater Report for more details.