9/29/2017 Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update:
Mountain stream conditions are very low, making it difficult to catch trout without them spooking. The same applies to spring creeks. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing reports that the Shenandoah is holding bass, and many are subsurface hiding down in their holes. As water temperatures continue to cool, fish will move into their late season patterns of behavior and subsurface fishing will be the most productive method. Western shore tributaries including the Potomac are still providing plenty of action but floating grass is making life difficult as the grass beds break up. That's not a problem for catfish anglers, however, who continue to score big on blue and some channel cats while dropping cut fish and chicken livers into holes and channels. All the rivers mentioned below from last week remain in good shape and are good bets for the catfish. There are also still some snakeheads hitting rubber frogs and topwater in the creeks of the Potomac, but the bite isn't as hot as it was when the water was warmer.
On the DelMarVa Peninsula the millponds have all cooled off, and are providing good action on crappie and bass. Crappie have moved up into brushpiles and deadfall and two-inch tubes or small minnow jigged right next to the wood will get them biting.
Reservoir fishing remains strong throughout the region, from southern PA right on down through VA. Deep Creek remains an excellent option if you want to target walleye, with large shiners fished along rocky drops providing the best action. Anglers casting live shiner weighted down with a split-shot to the rock faces in Liberty reservoir have also caught a few 'eyes. If you want to go after land-locked striped bass, the fish have schooled up in Lake Anna, Smith Mountain Lake, and Buggs Island, and can be found suspended in 20 to 25 foot depths. Dropping a live shiner right in front of their noses is the most effective tactic but trollers are catching fish, too.
We've also had reader reports from Piney Run and Centennial lakes, saying that the crappie bite is strong around standing timber and brush piles.
9/22/2017 Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update:
Reports from all around the region are looking up, thanks to a fall cool-down combined with (finally!) some more stable weather than we had earlier this year. Up-river tributaries including the Potomac, Rappahannock, and James are running clear and producing plenty of bass for anglers casting topwater at dawn, plastic worms, and spinnerbaits. The biggest challenge right now is keeping your hooks weed-free, as grassbeds are breaking up and floating around. When this becomes an issue, switching over to weedless frogs can be a good move. The blue catfish bite is still going strong in these rivers as well as the Pamunky, Mattaponi, and Chickahominy. Cut fish or chicken livers fished on bottom remain the top baits.
Reservoir fishing is in full swing, and we've had a number of readers send in reports and pictures of both bass and crappie.
The Virginia and Baltimore-area reservoirs are all producing plenty of fish along shoreline structure including docks and timber, and out at Deep Creek, the walleye also shows an improvement for anglers fishing large shiners, diving plugs, and soft plastics along drop-offs where weedbeds end and rocky slopes begin. Land-locked stripers have begin schooling in Lake Anna, Smith Mountain Lake, and Buggs Island, and can be found suspended in 20 to 25 foot depths. Trolling crankbaits works, but drifting live jumbo shiner is working better.
Thanks to the stable weather trout fishing has been good in the western areas of our region, but the Maryland DNR reminds us that they have some fall stockings coming up that should make it even better. The exact timing hasn't been announced yet but it should take place in two or three weeks, and you can stay up to date by visiting the trout stocking page on the DNR web site.
9/14/2017 Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update:
Generally speaking the freshwater bite is looking better and better, thanks to cooling water temperatures in all parts of the Mid-Atlantic region. Deep Creek Outfitters reports that with cooler temperatures, there has been far less boat traffic on the lake. Large and small mouth bass have been hanging around the floating docks, and in the early morning and late afternoon, or on days with cloud cover, are taking topwater lures popped close to the structure.
The Baltimore reservoirs including Loch Raven, Liberty, and Pretty Boy have all continued to have some good bass fishing, and there have been a few reports of crappie in the mix. The eastern shore millponds have also benefitted from cooling temps, with bass and crappie fishing picking up (this week a six-pound largemouth bass was caught in Wye Mills).
Rivers feeding the Bay including the Potomac, the James, and the Rappahannock are all producing blue catfish for anglers soaking cut bait and chicken livers on bottom in channels and holes. Thanks to mostly stable weather through the week up-river areas are now running clean in most places, and smallmouth anglers are finding good numbers of fish willing to strike. Largemouth bass anglers are also prowling the rivers and and tossing spinnerbaits and plastic worms to the edges of weedbeds.
Reports in from Lake Anna are that the bass are still hitting best at daybreak and then moving to structure in relatively deep water during the day, but as temperatures cool down, the amount of time they stay shallow is increasing and the amount of time you need to work harder and deeper is shrinking. Stripers are also biting fairly well, and although they haven't just yet hit their fall stride, the bite should only get better and better in the next few weeks.
9/7/2017 Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report Update:
Pretty much everyone we spoke with this week who's focused on rivers grumbled about poor conditions. That said, things are looking up for reservoir anglers as water temperatures cool off and the fish begin to go into fall feeding mode. Topwater and spinnerbaits are the hot lures at Deep Creek, where casting to the docks remains a top tactic for largemouth. As of last weekend the summer rush is over, and the drop in boat traffic is expected to make a significant difference for the better. Walleye and perch are also getting a bit more active with large shiner fished at or near bottom along sharp drop-offs being effective.
Crappie have turned on in reservoirs up and down the region, thanks to the chilly nights we've had recently. In Lake Anna and Smith Mountain Lake reports are good for anglers using minnow on marabou jigs and/or jigging tube jigs near bridge pilings, docks, brush piles, and pretty much any structure in eight to 20 feet of water. The folks at Set's did note that the reservoirs are also the best bet for Baltimore area anglers looking to score in freshwater.
The Potomac and the James continue to produce good numbers of catfish in the same areas as last week (see below). Anglers interested in snakeheads may want to head for the Eastern Shore, as this week we had several reports of them becoming active in the Toddville, Blackwater, and Linkwood areas.
9/1/2017 Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report:
The folks at Set's Sport Shop are reporting good perch and walleye fishing in the (Baltimore) area reservoirs, plus some smallmouth. Leeches and minnow have been the most effective baits. Largemouth bass fishing is also improving, thanks to the cooling temperatures. Our FishTalk contributor Jim Gronaw notes good smallmouth action in central Maryland and southern PA streams for those wading or kayaking. Expect more mid-day action as the days shorten and sunlight diminishes during the fall. Smaller crankbaits and buzzbaits will get the attention of adult-sized stream bass and the occasional big channel cat as well. Thanks to the rain, however, you do need to avoid high, muddy conditions in the smaller streams and try to dodge the storms and rain events for safe and productive fishing adventures. Jim also mentioned that it's time to look for crappies to pick up in all lakes , especially Piney Run, Marburg, Long Arm, Pinchot, Cunningham Falls, Liberty, and Loch Raven as the waters cools.
The catfish bite remains excellent in western shore rivers, especially the Potomac from Fletcher's down to Alexandria, and the James near Richmond and down through Hopewell. As expected, cut fish on bottom works best. Bass fishing in the Virginia reservoirs, meanwhile, has improved as the waters begin to cool. Topwater is a good bet at daybreak, and once the sun is high in the sky switching to a plastic worm is a good bet.
Trout streams and creeks in our western territories remain productive, but you need to find areas which haven't been swollen with rain lately. One local angler reported experiencing some of the best trout fishing he could remember recently, in the upper Gunpowder.