Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Reports

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, March 10 Update:

Spring is almost here, and the fishing is showing signs of it down on the shore. The Pocomoke continues to produce great crappie fishing this week with many anglers able to catch their limit. Minnows fished under a bobber close to structure and two-inch chartreuse and pink grubs on small jigheads slow trolled in four to eight feet of water is working best. Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that some yellow perch are still being caught but the white perch run has really started to pick up in the Manokin and Nanticoke. The white perch are hitting good for anglers throwing out blood worms on bottom rigs. Bass and pickerel are also keeping rods bent in the rivers. On warmer days, these fish will move into shallower flat areas to feed in the afternoons after the sun has warmed the water. Spinners, lipless crankbaits, and paddletails are all good options to throw.

The mild winter might put things ahead of schedule this year in the sounds. Captain C.L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters expects the black drum to show up in the Pocomoke sound shortly and will be targeting them on the grass flats. The fish that move into the shallows are mostly males and make for great table fare. By the end of the month, we should start to see these fish in the sounds and along the beaches of the Eastern Shore. The mild winter may bring the arrival of speckled trout to the sounds early this year as well, but those fish tend to wait until water temperatures are close to 60 degrees before moving in. At the coast, tog fishing continues to be good at the nearshore wrecks and reefs. They are eager to bite baits displayed on sweeper style jigs dropped close to structure.

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, March 3 Update:

Sea Hawk Sports Center checked in to give us the latest report from the lower shore. There isn’t much action right now out in the sounds but the rivers are providing some good freshwater action. They received good reports from anglers targeting white perch in the Manokin this week and said blood worms were working best for them. Yellow perch are still being caught in the Pocomoke but that action has slowed down. While bloodworms are working for the white perch, yellow perch still prefer jigs tipped with small minnows either bounced along the bottom or fished below a bobber. Crappie fishing in the Pocomoke has picked up this week with many slabs being caught. Slow trolling minnows and using small jigs around submerged structure are both working well. Pickerel and bass are also on the table in these rivers and will be more active as we approach spring. Both species will hit spinners, jerkbaits, and live minnows so it’s always good to have a rod rigged up for them even if you are planning to target panfish.