Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - April 21st, 2018

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Today, April 21, is a big day for those who dream of catching a trophy striped bass. More than a few anglers will spend the night before checking alarm clocks just to find themselves waking up a half-hour before the alarm is set to go off anyhow.

Weather is predicted to be a little nippy in the morning but should warm up as the day progresses. It will be a wonderful day to be out on the water with family and friends.

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Before we get into this week’s fishing report, I want to remind everyone that they can submit their own fishing reports and photos to the Maryland Angler’s Log. To post a report, please email your name, hometown, photos, location and additional content for your report. All information is optional, but encouraged. 

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The striped bass spawning in the Choptank, Nanticoke, Patuxent and Potomac rivers is behind schedule due to colder than expected water temperatures, and spawning in the upper Chesapeake Bay is most likely weeks away. This week the spawning area in the Choptank River registered 56 degrees and there is a minor amount of spawning occurring. Usually spawning begins at 60 degrees and is optimal at 64.5 degrees, so many female striped bass are still holding in the spawning reaches. Based on predicted weather forecasts, it may be another week or so for water temperatures to be correct in that area.

This photo taken from a helicopter shows planer board trolling gear deployed, a situation you do not want to find yourself in when trolling. Photo by Keith Lockwood

Those out trolling Saturday will most likely be kept busy clearing lines of winter jellies which are being swept along the steep channel edges. Unfortunately these are the same locations where the most optimum trolling will take place for striped bass. Winter jellies are actually lion’s mane jellyfish which are moving down the bay as part of their life cycle.

Pre-spawn striped bass will be the most common large fish being caught and it will be a tough decision for some to keep these fish or release them. The minimum size for striped bass during the trophy season is 35 inches. Chartreuse and white bucktails and parachutes in 2-6 ounce sizes will be the most common lures used and will be set to cover a wide variety of depths when searching for fish. Trolling speeds are often about 3 knots and the trolling pattern is perpendicular to the shipping channel edges.

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report - April 25th, 2017

Via MD  DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Another Maryland spring time opening day has arrived and passed, and the fishing will only get better as the season progresses. The opening day of the spring trophy striped bass season was slow because most of the post-spawn fish have yet to exit the spawning rivers. The Maryland landscape is ablaze with flowering plants, bushes and trees which makes for very pleasant surroundings when fishing. The mosquitoes and biting flies have not yet emerged for the most part, and temperatures continue to be mild. All in all, a perfect time of the year to enjoy time outdoors; don’t let it slip by!

Don Goff happily holds up his third hickory shad this day, caught and released near the dam pool.

The lower Susquehanna River is beginning to warm up, and water clarity is slowly improving as water flows through the Conowingo Dam have decreased. As a result, water temperatures are now in the low 60s. Because the weather has been mild with no large rain events, Octoraro and Deer creeks are showing inviting water temperatures tempting hickory shad to ascend those creeks to spawn. Both hickory and American shad have been present in the lower Susquehanna for several weeks, and it is only now with warmer water that they are becoming more active. Reports of good catch-and-release fishing was reported this week at both spots. Octoraro Creek tends to run a little warmer than Deer Creek. Catch-and-release fishing has also been good near the Conowingo Dam pool this week.

Water clarity is slow to improve in the Susquehanna Flats area this week so catch and release fishing for striped bass continues to be slow. Fortunately much of the floating wood debris that blanketed the area as a result of spring tides has beached on windward shores making for safer boating in the region.

The upper bay region below the Brewerton Channel was, of course, busy with boats trolling along the shipping channel edges on Saturday as most fishermen were anxious to participate on opening day of the 2017 striped bass season. It was a slow day in regards to catching, which is not uncommon for the first week of the trophy  season, especially in the upper bay region. Fish were caught by a few lucky souls along the steep edges near Podickory Point, Love Point and around the Bay Bridge. Fishing success will improve in the coming weeks.

Luck was with Mike Fisher on opening day as he holds up a beautiful fish he caught near Love Point on an umbrella white bucktail combination.

In the middle bay region, it would seem that post-spawn striped bass are taking their time exiting spawning rivers. Although the bulk of spawning activity is past, there was still spawning going on in the upper Choptank, Patuxent and Potomac as late as yesterday. Generally speaking, the progression of spawning activity and fishing success out in the bay is on track. Traditionally, opening day tends to be slow and the best fishing usually occurs around the last week of April and the first week of May. As can be expected, Saturday’s reports told of the best success at first light and that success tapered off as the morning wore on. It seemed to be a toss-up which color of parachutes and bucktails caught the most fish. Surface water temperatures in the middle bay region are about 60°F today and water clarity is fairly good.

Jellyfish were a big problem for those trolling in the middle bay region, and mates and others were kept busy clearing fouled lines as they trolled along the steep edges of the shipping channel and the current breaks that occur there. Recently I’ve noticed vinyl skirted parachutes being used in the theory that they do not become bogged down with jellyfish goo like the nylon skirted parachutes. My friends tell me that they do also foul, to a lesser degree, but when they do they have to be hosed off rather than brushed out like the nylon ones. Who said it was going to be easy?

In the lower bay region, one would most likely describe the striped bass fishing as a very slow pick. Unfortunately, there were a lot of disappointed fishermen in charter and private boats. The lower Potomac tended to be slow and reports of good fishing in the catch-and-release area near Fort Washington supported the notion that a lot of the fish have not completed their cycle of spawning and heading down river into the areas below the Route 301 Bridge. There were reports of a few fish caught along the channel edge out in front of St. George’s Island and Piney Point. The channel edges at Cove and Cedar points were also slow. Patience can be a tough virtue for fishermen, but better fishing is just around the corner.

Aiden Reilly was lucky enough to catch this beautiful 41-inch specimen in Tangier Sound with his dad.

Catch-and-release fishing for hickory and American shad in many of the tidal rivers of the Chesapeake has been very good this week. Reports from the upper Choptank near Greensboro and the Marshyhope near Federalsburg have been good. Hickory shad tend to dominate the fishery, but there are just enough American shad to create more excitement. There is good catch-and-release fishing for hickory shad being reported in the upper Patuxent River. The upper tidal Potomac near Fletcher’s Boathouse has been extremely good this week. Maryland anglers are reminded that they’ll need to purchase a District of Columbia fishing license to fish above the Maryland line.

White perch are working their way down the spawning rivers and are beginning to spread out into their typical late spring/summer habitats. Small jigs, spinners and bottom rigs baited with bloodworms or grass shrimp are the way to catch them. Channel catfish are active in most of the state’s tidal rivers and crappie fishing has been very good. The tidal Potomac has an excellent population of crappie and everyone is enjoying wonderful fishing near structures such as sunken wood, marina piers and fallen tree tops.

Fishing for blue catfish has been very good in the tidal Potomac, and one does not have to be in a boat to fish for them. There are many access points in the Fort Washington area to fish from shore, which has a special appeal on warm sunny days.

Eight-year-old Bailey Krikstan enjoyed fishing with her dad and shows off a big blue catfish she caught on a white perch cut bait.

Fishing for largemouth bass in the tidal Potomac River has been good as largemouth nose into small tidal creeks and shallow areas along the river to spawn. Covering emerging grass in the shallower transition areas with spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, shallow running crankbaits and jerkbaits as well as soft plastics are a safe bet. Northern snakeheads will be part of the equation as well, and fishermen are finding them to be a welcome additional catch.

Trout fishing in the many stocked put-and-take management waters continues to take center stage for many fishermen this week. Often many of such areas are close to home. Stocking crews continue to work at a grueling pace to get trout placed at your favorite location. Those stockings are posted by early afternoon each day. The stockings can be viewed on the trout stocking website or by receiving notice via the email subscription service.

Largemouth bass are beginning to spawn in some of the warmer water ponds and impoundments in the southern, central and eastern regions this week or close to it. Most bass fishermen know that the possession of largemouth bass is, of course, prohibited from March 1 – June 15 in nontidal waters, so bass should be handled carefully. The tidal rivers of the Eastern Shore hold good populations, and they can be found holding near the shallower spawning flats and feeder creeks. Crappie and bluegill fishing has been very good in these same areas, and the tidal rivers of the Middle and lower Eastern Shore hold populations of northern snakeheads.

Captain Monty Hawkins sent us this intriguing picture of a tautog peering out of its hideaway and a sea bass hovering nearby.

As the water warms in the coastal areas of Ocean City, fishing is steadily improving. Water temperatures near the Inlet are approaching 49°F this week. The first reports of tautog caught there came in over the weekend, and fishing will only improve this week. Bottom rigs baited with green crab pieces or sand fleas are the most popular baits, and slack tide is often one of the better times to fish for them. If you have a boat, it is pretty hard to beat fishing at the South Jetty. If you’re shore-bound, the bulkhead from 2nd to 4th Streets, the North Jetty or the Route 50 Bridge are good places to fish.

Surf anglers are catching a few short striped bass, and both clear-nosed skates and spiny dogfish are keeping everyone busy. In the back bay areas, there is plenty of action with striped bass that are less than 28 inches in length. Casting a variety of lures near prominent sedge islands and the Route 90 Bridge have been good places to get in on this catch-and-release action.

The tautog fishing on the offshore wreck and reef sites has been good. There are limit catches by some anglers, while others tend to scratch out only a couple of fish.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | May 12, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Last week's rain and wind did not do much to inspire many except the hardiest of souls to step outside and go fishing. There are a lot of fishing opportunities this week and with warmer sunny weather in the forecast the outdoors will be more inviting to everyone. 

The Conowingo Dam has been releasing water early in the mornings recently and ending about mid-day. Water temperatures in the lower Susquehanna have been around 60° recently but cooler in Deer Creek. Hickory shad are being caught up near the dam and at the mouth of Deer Creek but this fishery has been slow to develop into the exciting non-stop catch and release action that occurs when warm sunny weather causes a quick rise in water temperatures in Deer Creek. American shad and hickory shad are being caught near the dam pool and some very nice white perch are being caught in the river. Colorful flies and flashy small lures have been good choices for both species of shad and small jigs tipped with bloodworm or a small piece of cut minnow are an excellent way to catch some large white perch. Dennis Hertzog holds up a nice American shad he caught near Conowingo Dam before releasing it back into the river.

American Shad Photo by Dennis Hertzog

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | April 28, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

The last full week of April presents some wonderful fishing opportunities in Maryland. Water temperatures are nearly ideal for most freshwater fish. Trout are happy with good water flows and cool water temperatures. Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass are either actively spawning or getting ready to spawn. This week marks the beginning of the best two weeks of the trophy striped bass season as post-spawn striped bass pour out of the spawning rivers and enter the bay looking for something to eat before exiting the bay.

Water flows through the Conowingo Dam continue to be relatively minimal this week, and as a result water clarity has been very good in the lower river and Susquehanna Flats area. Water temperatures have also risen significantly and are now around 60° on the Susquehanna Flats. Casting silver Tony spoons or soft plastic jigs are two of the favorite lures to use. The striped bass catch and release fishery in the Susquehanna Flats area is in its zenith this week and offers the best opportunity to catch and release a large striped bass.

Warmer water temperatures in the lower Susquehanna River have the hickory shad thinking about making their annual spawning run into Deer Creek. If warmer weather prevails, that run may happen by the weekend. In the meantime, there has been good catch and release fishing for hickory shad at the mouth of Deer Creek.

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | April 21, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

All of Maryland seems to be rejoicing in the warmth that has embraced us for the past week and spring is showing signs of being back on schedule. Weather like this just beckons the soul to get out into nature and shake off any residual memories of winter. Our resident and anadromous species of fish are feeling the same urges and striped bass spawning is once again underway in the spawning rivers, hickory shad are making their spawning runs on the Eastern Shore and soon to be in the lower Susquehanna. Freshwater fish species such as largemouth bass are moving towards spawning and all other freshwater species activities are spurred on by the warming water temperatures. Trophy striped bass season opened on Saturday, April 16th, with many boats targeting these fish on a beautiful warm day. Jacob Marshall caught this 40 inch striped bass on opening day.

Striped bass photo courtesy of Jacob Marshall

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | April 07, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Mother Nature has reminded us this week to not be too hasty about packing away warm coats. Cold weather has moved in and has decided to stick around for a while. Day time temperatures are not too bad as long as the wind lies down but oh those chilly nights! 

Although recent cold weather will knock back spawning activities of striped bass, hickory shad and American shad around the Susquehanna Flats and lower Susquehanna River; the fish are there and will present some catch and release opportunities this week. Before this cold snap, water temperatures at the Susquehanna Flats were about 53°. Large pre-spawn striped bass are being caught and released around the flats on soft plastic jigs and spoons. The shad are in the lower Susquehanna and a few have been caught near the dam lately. The flows out of the dam have been minimal lately and combined with very strong northwesterly winds, tides have been very low in the bay and lower Susquehanna River for the past few days. The Fisheries Service shad restoration team has begun collecting hickory and American shad brood stock in the lower Susquehanna River and other shad spawning rivers with their electro-fishing boat last week. The crew attempted to launch their boat yesterday morning at the Lapidum boat ramp and this was the scene they were presented with; a very low tide and exposed river bottom. 

Lapidum ramp, photo courtesy of Chuck Stence

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | March 31, 2016

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

As Maryland enters into the second week of spring, all types of fishing are swinging into high gear. This is one of the most wonderful times of the year to take the young ones fishing since the weather is usually mild and there are plenty of fish to catch. One of the best things the Maryland Fisheries Service offers young anglers is the stocking of trout in special areas that are for children under the age of 16. These are called youth and blind areas on the state's stocking list. Young anglers need plenty of action to keep them focused on fishing and these areas offer a unique opportunity for parents and young anglers. The Maryland Fisheries Service is also offering a 50% discount on a young angler's first fishing license if they are going to turn 16 during 2016. To find out more about the youth trout areas be sure to check out the trout stocking schedule and sign up for the email subscriber list to get up to date trout stocking notification at our trout stocking website.

Photo courtesy of Raymond Drayer

Happy Easter from TLTFF

Happy Easter y'all, have a blessed day!

Boom...Morgan

9th Annual PHWFF 2-Fly Tournament - Day 1

This was my second year doing media coverage for PHWFF at their annual 2-Fly Tournament. I had the dates to this year's event down on my calendar the day I left Rose River Farm last April. For those of you unfamiliar with Project Healing Waters, it is an organization "dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings." It is one of the most touching and rewarding organizations I've ever been involved with. 2-Fly, the flagship event of PHWFF, as you'll read, makes for one of my favorite weekends out of the year...

I want to write this up the same way I did last year, breaking two individual posts down by day. To read about last year's event, click here for Day 1 and here for Day 2.

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | May 07, 2015

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

The signs of spring are everywhere this week with a surge of 80° plus weather and many things are shifting into high gear as if to catch up with the calendar. It seems like every plant and tree is pollinating this week and every surface is covered with pollen including car windshields, boats and allergy sufferer's eyes and nasal passages. Many species of fish are in spawning high gear this week and much of the striped bass spawning looks like it might have peaked this past weekend. Frogs are croaking, birds are singing and I even heard my first whippoorwill of the season recently. Male ospreys can be seen sitting near nests while mates incubate eggs and I happened to notice this past weekend one male wood duck either swimming back and forth near a nest site or walking along the water's edge much like any expectant father waiting for the notice of birth. Nature is in full gear all around us; please get out and enjoy it with family and friends.

Warmer spring time weather and decreased flows from the Conowingo Dam have done much to spur the spawning activities of hickory shad, American shad, river herring, white perch and striped bass in the Susquehanna/Elk River complex. The water releases from the dam were barely anything on this past Sunday and Tuesday. Hickory shad catch and release fishing at Deer Creek has been about as good as it gets. Our fish passage fisheries biologist Jim Thompson shot this short underwater video of hickory shad and blueback herring which is a delight to view, just click on the link and sit back and relax. 

8th Annual PHWFF 2-Fly Tournament - Day 2

An apology is due first and foremost for not having this post up sooner, but unfortunately TLTFF crashed and all of my drafts were deleted, including this post, Day 2 of the PHWFF 2-Fly Tournament. But no worries, its here, and better than my previous draft!

Click here to get caught up or re-read Day 1...

I found that the disadvantage to having no cell service and a broken power button on my iPhone, is that your phone dies quick trying to find service and therefore your alarm doesn't go off. But, thats why I brought Rob along. About 2 minutes prior to when my alarm should have gone off, I heard a deep "Morgan, you up" which abruptly had me out of my mummy bag and packing my tent faster than green grass through a goose. Literally within 15 minutes of waking up, I was changed, the (10'x8') tent was packed, and car was loaded.

8th Annual PHWFF 2-Fly Tournament - Day 1

I first became involved with Project Healing Waters through friend and fellow fisherman, Rob Snowhite. I started to follow them via social media a few months ago and through that I received my PHWFF pin and stickers to slap on my YETI, car, fly boxes and pack. Not only to I fully support and believe in what PHWFF does, but it means a lot to me when healing is involved. As someone who has worked in the medical field for the last 5 years and someone who truly believes that our returning troops and vets need healing, I really am enthused about Project Healing Waters.

So when I met Dan Morgan (PHWFF's social media guru) at the Fly Fishing Show in Somerset this year, the ball started to roll. When PHWFF invited me to my first event, their 2-Fly Tournament down at Rose River Farm in VA, I think the word "yes" came out of my mouth before I finished reading Dan's invite email.

Packed up for the weekend.

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | May 15, 2014

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Maryland fishermen were treated to a taste of summer weather this past weekend and the balmy temperatures did much to raise water temperatures in freshwater and marine waters. For those fishermen fortunate enough to schedule Chesapeake Bay fishing trips for Striped Bass during the past 6 days they could not have picked a better time. Post-spawn Striped Bass came pouring out of spawning rivers such as the Choptank, Nanticoke, Patuxent and Potomac and were eager to strike trolled parachutes and bucktails. Fishermen and captains were happy and award centers helping fishermen register their Striped Bass for the Maryland Fishing Challenge did a brisk business registering Striped Bass over 40" in length. The good fishing should continue this week and the Susquehanna Flats/ Elk River area Striped Bass should be spawning at this time; providing additional post-spawn fish moving down the bay. Ryan Messoria got to go fishing recently with his family and bested everyone with this whopping 44.5" Striped Bass.

Photo Courtesy of Ryan Messoria

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | May 2, 2014

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood:

"When it rains it pours"; most everyone remembers those words on the container of Morton's salt. Well we sure did get a lot of rain last night and today, which is causing many of our rivers to rise to flood stage and placing recent spawning of several important species of fish in peril. Time will tell what effect this will have on our recent spring spawners as we all keep our fingers crossed.

Recently catch and release Hickory Shad fishermen have been finding rather disappointing fishing at the mouth of Deer Creek due to cool water temperatures. Fisheries biologists collecting Hickory Shad brood stock reported yesterday that the Hickory Shad are holding in the channel area of the lower Susquehanna, just out of casting distance for shoreline fishermen. Warmer temperatures that are predicted for the end of the week and the weekend may kick this fishery back into high gear. The water release flows at the Conowingo Dam have been reduced this week but predicted rainfall in the upper Susquehanna watershed may change that by the weekend. White Perch have moved into the lower Susquehanna River in large numbers this week and can offer some great fishing for fishermen using bloodworms on bottom rigs. Fishermen hoping to catch and release a big Striped Bass in the Susquehanna Flats area continue to find tough fishing conditions this week. Cool weather and rain have not made for the best fishing conditions but fishermen are catching a few fish on crankbaits and bait. Perhaps the warmer weather in the forecast will spur this fishery into gear by the weekend. Fisheries biologist Jim Thompson runs the fish passage program at the Fisheries Service and is responsible for fish passage devices that are commonly called fish ladders. Jim has sent us a really cool video he made of a fish eye view of the workings of a fish ladder. The video is 3-minutes long but I'm sure you will find it very entertaining, enjoy.

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | April 23, 2014

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

Maryland fishermen enjoyed a great opening day for the Spring Trophy Striped Bass season with light winds, relatively warm temperatures and cooperative fish. Fishing success will quickly improve even more as warmer weather urges spawning Striped Bass to get the job done and exit the spawning rivers and head out into the bay, eventually exit the bay and head north along the Atlantic Coast. The welcoming conditions on the bay made for near perfect conditions for some of our younger fishermen and the Tucker brothers got to go fishing with dad and they reeled in this nice Striped Bass together on opening day near Breezy Point.

Photo Courtesy of John Tucker

Fishermen always look forward to catching bragging size fish and the Spring Trophy season often gives local and visiting fishermen the chance to catch a Striped Bass of a lifetime. There are award centers scattered throughout the state to accommodate fishermen wishing to obtain a lasting memento of their catch as either a catch and keep or catch and release award certificate for Striped Bass over 40" in length. Award centers are clustered near many of the popular charter boat docks and fishermen can find a complete list of award center locations as well as minimum sizes for other species of fish at the Fishing Challenge website. Qualifying fishermen can also see if their luck can continue when a series of large prizes are given in a drawing at the Fishing Challenge award ceremony in September at Sandy Point State Park.

Live Feed from the C&O Canal and Potomac

We decided to give you a live feed via our Instagram account today while we're down in DC fishing the C&O Canal as well as the shad run in the Potomac...

Enjoy...

And if your down here, don't forget to hit us up! You can reach us at tightlinedtalesofaflyfisherman@gmail.com and we'll hit you back to see if we can link up and cast a line! You can also see more live content via our Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Boom...The TLTFF Crew

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | March 26, 2014

Via MD DNR:

By: Keith Lockwood

This Saturday is the big one for put and take trout fishermen; for outdoorsmen whether they be a hunter or fisherman or both there is nothing that tugs at the child inside of us as much as the thought of opening day. Many will find it hard to sleep the night before and there will be plenty of glances at the bedside alarm clock during the night. For those with young anglers in the house, enjoy and bath yourself in all the excitement and anticipation and for those older, find comfort in spending time with your old fishing buddy. Fishermen have been checking out their gear and tackle shop shelves for weeks now and it all comes to fruition this coming Saturday. Parking and the best streamside fishing spots will be at a premium as will dry feet and the rest of you unless you dress properly because the weatherman is telling us there is a 70% chance of rain.

Despite a late start due to ice conditions at the trout holding facilities the stocking crews have been very busy making sure all areas that are due to be stocked for this Saturday's opener have a generous supply of trout. John Mullican sent in these pictures of stocking trout during yesterday's snow storm; all in a day's work of being a fisheries biologist.

Courtesy of John Mullican

Most likely wherever you decide to fish you may hear some whoops, hollers and excitement at some point when someone catches one of the trophy sized breeder trout that are placed at every trout management area. May luck be on your side and you are the person who manages to heft one of these beasts up onto the bank. If you do catch a Rainbow Trout over 20- inches visit one of our award centers and register your trophy to receive a certificate and entry into the Maryland Fishing Challenge. Entrants are eligible to win several large prizes including a boat, motor and trailer donated by Bass Pro Shops. To find out about the Maryland Fishing Challenge and how to enter, be sure to check out the website.

Freshwater fishermen have had other types of fishing on their minds as well as trout for the last few weeks and have been testing out their favorite fishing holes for a mix of species. If you check the angler's logs you will see a wide variety of fishing opportunities even though it has been cold.

Chain Pickerel are a fun target for fishermen when the water is cold and ponds normally clogged with vegetation in the summer months are open and near snag free. Spinners, swimming minnow lures and spoons are all good early spring choices for Chain Pickerel. Bank and small boat fishermen have been enjoying good fishing for Channel Catfish in the tidal rivers. Crappie can be found holding near structure near deep edges and Largemouth Bass are being found in transition areas looking for a little warmth. A small jig or minnow under a bobber works great for crappie and Largemouth Bass will strike a variety of soft plastic jigs and crankbaits this time of the year. Although the upper Potomac has been running a bit high and cloudy lately, fishermen have been enjoying some good fishing for Walleye and Smallmouth Bass. The best fishing tends to be in the eddy areas where fish are holding out of the strong currents. Small jigs, tubes and sassy shad type lures have been good choices for fishing close to the bottom. Benjamin Powell was fishing from the shoreline when he caught this nice Walleye and others on the upper Potomac recently.

Courtesy of Benjamin Powell

It has been quite a spring so far as cold water temperatures have caused expected spawning runs to be delayed and fast paced when a day or two of relative warm and sunny days causes spawning to bust loose. The Yellow Perch spawning runs are over for the most part now and fishermen saw White Perch arriving at traditional spawning areas over the past weekend. Yesterday's snow and cold temperatures put the skids on most spawning activity but predicted warmer weather for the next week will put White Perch spawning into high gear. There may be a little lag time as water temperatures are slow to change and melting snow will also be bringing an influx of cold water into the spawning reaches of the tidal rivers. Fishermen may find that the top of the flood tide might bring in the warmest water temperatures and therefore cause the White Perch to be the most active. A small chartreuse grub, crappie jig or shad dart tipped with a piece of bloodworm or grass shrimp and under a bobber is hard to beat when fishing in close quarters for White Perch.

Water temperatures today are hovering around the 43-degree mark in the lower Susquehanna River and the Conowingo Dam has been releasing water as much as twice per day. Snow melt is not going to be helpful for elevating water temperatures so it will take a few days at best for the White Perch fishery to begin to show some signs of life. Despite cold water temperatures there are Striped Bass in the Susquehanna Flats area and most likely many of them will be males. It will take some warmer water temperatures to put any of them in a feeding mood.

Fishermen looking to shake the cobwebs out of their fishing gear and boats with a little Striped Bass catch and release fishing out in the bay may find it hard to find ready and willing fish; water temperatures are still in the high 30's on top and the bottom for most of the bay. There has been very little activity reported at the Calvert Cliffs Power Plant discharge by drift and jig fishermen. There were reports of some Striped Bass action in the lower Potomac River but were not large migrant fish coming into the bay but smaller resident fish. It would be safe to assume that when things do warm up a bit any large Striped Bass moving up the bay will be near the warmer surface water.

Most Ocean City area fishermen have been sitting it out for the most part. Most captains still feel the water is too cold for a good Tautog bit on the inshore and offshore wreck sites and the Black Sea Bass season doesn't open until May 19th. There was some talk among locals of some large Speckled Trout caught recently in the coastal bays.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'Chasing Waters, In the Rings' - IF4 Trailer

"Chasing Waters, In the Rings" (Trailer) - Official Selection, IF4 2014 from IF4 on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Maryland Weekly Fishing Report Overview | May 22, 2013

Via MD DNR:

For some of us it seems hard to realize that we will be heralding in Memorial Day weekend this week and the start of what most consider the summer season. Some families will be on the move this week to vacation spots within Maryland or perhaps choosing to stay at home and enjoy more local fun. Whatever your choice may be, choose it to spend some times with family and friends and make a few casts for those who sacrificed so that we may have the freedom to do things such as fishing.

As one would expect the Hickory Shad action in the lower Susquehanna River and Deer Creek is winding down; fishermen do report this week of catching a few Hickory Shad late in the day during water releases from the Conowingo Dam. Fishermen in the lower Susquehanna are not at a loss for action though, as the river seems to be packed from bank to bank with White Perch which can be caught on shad darts and small jigs. In the Susquehanna Flats area, Striped Bass in the 22" size range are being caught by fishermen casting swim shads and soft plastic jigs. There are also plenty of hungry Channel Catfish in the area also and often they will chase down a soft plastic jig that is being worked close to the bottom.

Striped Bass action in the upper bay has slowed down quite a bit for fishermen trolling for the big ones this week. The majority of the large spawning fish have moved through the area for the most part but fishermen are finding a few fish over 28" in the area by trolling, jigging or chumming. Chumming or chunking at Podickory and Love Points are producing a few of the larger fish and there are also smaller Striped Bass. Jigging near traditional locations such as the sewer pipe on the northeast side of the Bay Bridge as well as the bridge piers and rock piles are producing some fish. Large Striped Bass such as this whopper held up by Brandon Clemens are going to be harder to find as June approaches.

Photo Courtesy of Brandon Clemens

Lefty's Tie Fest 2013

Back in March we attended the CCA's Lefty Kreh's Tie Fest, formerly known as the Kent Island Tie Fest, an awesome event known for its ridiculously low prices on tying materials and great show of fly tying celebs. This year we not only had the privilege of meeting up with a good bit of you all, our followers, but some great tiers and fisherman including Lefty Kreh, Brad Bohen, Brad Buzzi, and Blane Chocklett.