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COASTAL FISHING FORECAST
April is a fun month along the coast! By now there will be some flounder passing through the inlets and prowling the bays for sure, so look for clean water draining down from warm flats and start tossing your minnow and jigs. In the surf the black drum should show up at some point this month, followed by bluefish and redfish, and remember that last season good numbers of serious chopper blues in the 12- to 15-pound range made for some very exciting battles in late April—hopefully they’ll be back, so stay tuned to those fishing reports. Meanwhile, if you need a refresher on April surf fishing check out our Spring Surf Fishing Extravaganza.
FRESHWATER FISHING FORECAST
Spawning time has arrived and the fish are hungry. Shad will be coming up the rivers this month, bass and crappie will be feeding hard, and stocked trout should be in prime form as well. One species that’s had lockjaw up to now but should be busting loose in April is the snakehead, so be on the lookout for warming trends lasting for a few sunny days, then head out for the afternoon bite and hang on tight.
WAY NORTH CHESAPEAKE FISHING FORECAST
Rockfish are closed this month on the Flats, but there’s still plenty of opportunity for Way North anglers to enjoy some action. White perch should still be around, shad will be running (though a few weeks behind the runs in southern rivers), and you all know about those river monsters, right? Last April saw catches of truly huge blue catfish (particularly from the North East, near Turkey Point in the Bay, and the Port Deposit area), and you can bet they’re out there right now. Let’s all just hope the rain is slow and steady instead of falling in torrents this year so we don’t have to deal with a wash-out.
UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY FISHING FORECAST
We’re sure to see some white perch in the tribs this month but with rockfish shut down, if you want to feel something B-I-G on the end of your line it’s time to put some cut bait on bottom and wait for the blue catfish to bite your baited circle hooks. Sandy Point to the mouth of the Patapsco was red hot last April, but don’t hesitate to try somewhere else because those whiskered warriors can be found just about anywhere north of the Bridge.
MIDDLE BAY FORECAST
Let’s hope the white perch are still running this month, but as with the Upper Bay, blue cats will remain the target for those interested in a serious tug of war. They may not be as numerous as they are to the north in the main-stem Bay, but all of the tribs will be holding them and cut fish sitting on bottom should draw plenty of strikes. If casting artificials is more your speed consider targeting pickerel. They should be hitting hard right about now, but remember that they must be released in tidal waters up until May 1.
LOWER BAY FORECAST
There are lots of options blooming for Lower Bay anglers this month: shad will be running in the rivers, white perch should still make their presence known, blue catfish will be chewing in the tribs, and in the fresher areas snakeheads will be waking up as well. But the bigger news is likely to come late in the month from areas like the lower Rap and the Piankatank. Before April ended last year both puppy drum and speckled trout were being caught, and although last winter was far milder than this year was, if we enjoy a fast warmup that action could happen again.
TANGIER, POCOMOKE, AND LOWER SHORE FORECAST
Most area anglers in this neck of the woods will be starting April in the tribs, where white perch will be running and fresher species like crappie, bass, and pickerel will be biting. Or, go for catfish if you want the fastest action possible. By the end of the month, however, attention will be turning to the Sounds and the Bay’s lower shore areas. Black drum should begin to appear, and the early run fish are often big monsters. Some bull reds may well pop up in April, too, and all the way down the peninsula it should be possible to find some slots as well.
WAY SOUTH AND VA FORECAST
Hopefully the chill of this winter won’t hamper the speckled trout, which should be biting by now if they didn’t succumb to the cold. Slot reds should be getting more and more active, too, and note that last April the Elizabeth and the inlets provided plenty of action for both species. By the end of the month some big black drum should be prowling around, too. Many anglers, however, will be focused on tautog at the CBBT and similar structures. This month is often the peak of the action for those who drop crab baits on sweeper jigs, so watch for the weather windows and get those boats de-winterized ASAP.
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