Freshwater Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 28 Update:
The summer heat has hit us in full force with many days reaching well into the 90s. Fish are seeking relief from the heat just as we are, so planning trips during the cooler parts of the day has been for the best. Contributor Eric Packard spent a day targeting snakeheads on the Eastern Shore but drew a blank. We’ve also had reports of a spawn in progress, so hopefully that will draw to an end sooner rather than later. Now would be the time to start searching for fry balls, which the parents viciously guard, and bring your lures right back through them to trigger a defensive attack. Apex Predators guide service has been finding a great bite on the west side in Potomac tributaries for snakeheads and says that the fish are up in the thick vegetation in the form of grass and pad fields. Topwater frogs have been working excellently in these areas and there are also quite a few fry balls down their way.
The Tackle Box from southern Maryland reports that there has been a spectacular crappie bite in St. Mary’s Lake. Many anglers have been catching their limit of 15 fish per person and the bite has been so good at times that a limit can be accomplished in less than two hours. Black tube jigs on one eighth or one sixteenth ounce jigheads have done the trick. There is a lot of submerged structure in the lake, so drifting over these areas is usually productive. These tactics can be mimicked in the various other lakes and reservoirs in our region. Largemouth bass have taken up their summer pattern of feeding in the low light hours or at night while they seek shelter from the hot temperatures in the shade during the day. You can still have a productive day targeting them, but focus fishing efforts on shaded shorelines, fallen trees, and deeper waters with submerged structure. Soft plastic creature baits are working well as there are a variety of terrestrial and aquatic critters that the bass are feeding on.
Smallmouth fishing on rivers like the Susquehanna, Potomac, and Rappahannock has been excellent as flows are running low due to lack of rain. Anglers wading the rivers are sight fishing smallies and the crystal-clear water. A reader checked in after catching seven up to 17” and FishTalk intern Adam Greenberg reported “tearing them up” on topwater as the sun set, even catching two on a single plug on one cast. Topwater popper and spooks have offered a great early morning bite that has sometimes been lasting well into the day and late in the evening. Greenberg noted that the fish were holding in fast-moving water and they wanted a speedy retrieve.
Freshwater Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 21 Update:
Summer has arrived in full force with major heat setting into the region this week. Anglers are having the best luck during the cooler parts of the day in the mornings and evenings. FishTalk intern Adam Greenberg says the smallmouth bite has varied, with excellent action in the Potomac on three-inch paddletails and a white buzz-bait. He noted that on one trip this week the fish wanted suspending jerkbaits on light leaders and were finicky about hitting anything else. Adam also visited a suburban lake and found that wacky-rigged Senkos did the trick on largemouth. Contributor Eric Packard went lake fishing a few times this week but said some days the wind made fishing very difficult, with just one bass hitting one day. On a calmer morning trip the bass were biting hard, though, mostly on crankbaits in eight to 10’ of water. He noted water temperatures had shot up and were already over the 80-degree mark. Drought conditions are setting in as we have had very little rainfall this month. Several freshwater rivers like the Potomac, Susquehanna, Monocacy, and upper Patuxent are running low and clear which has made for good sight fishing opportunities. Anglers have had good luck wading into these waters and stealthily searching for fish. Smallmouth are a popular target and will be found sitting in deeper holes and along shaded shorelines once the sun gets high. An angler fishing on the Monocacy found a hot mid-morning bite catching 27 smallies on swim baits and Ned rigs.
Anglers heading for Lake Anna should note that testing last week didn't show any elevated levels of E. coli despite the cases that arose late last month. The Department of Health is still saying water from Lake Anna was "the likely source," but the latest (June 20) update says bacteria concentrations are "well below a level of public health concern." You can follow the testing results at their Surveillance and Investigation webpage.
Trout fishing is still a great option in the mountainous areas of western Maryland and the Blue Ridge section of Virginia. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing let us know that summer patterns have set up and they could use some rain to keep flows going. The lack of rain and warm temperatures means that anglers should be carrying stream thermometers with them to see if water temperatures are too hot to fish for trout. The mountain brook trout streams are still running with a decent flow, but the bite has been very technical. Dry flies in smaller sizes will be better options when fishing skinny water for these spooky fish. Standard attractor flies are still working too. Fishing will be best from daybreak until mid-morning before the heat really gets going. More beetles are popping up and Mossy Creek says that they should peak around the second week of July. Musky anglers should also be mindful of air and water temperatures as these fish are susceptible to high catch and release mortality in hot conditions. As with all fish we plan to catch and release, anglers should make sure to use proper handling techniques. Do not let them lay on dry surfaces, use wet hands when holding them, limit their time out of water if at all, and take the time to properly revive them in the water to make sure they swim off on their own power.
Freshwater Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 14 Update:
The Angler in Chief reports having travelled to western Maryland last weekend and hitting the Savage River, and says he caught one creek chub and had a near miss on a crayfish. And spooked approximately 3,642 brook trout. He reiterates that fly fishing for trout simply isn’t his forte. He did notice, however, that the river was running clear and fairly high for this time of year, and competent fly casters should be able to score right about now. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing reports that brook trout fishing is good in the mountains of Virginia. Their water levels are starting to get thin as it has been a while since a good rain has come through. Fish haven’t been picky and most attractor flies in size 14 and 16 are picking up fish. Beetles will begin emerging and fish will really start to key in on those insects around the end of June and early July. Hoppers are also working well and more are popping up every day. As it gets hot, they recommend targeting the early morning and evening hours or any overcast day for the best trout fishing action.
Contributor Eric Packard reports a good bass bite in local ponds with white Wacky Worms working wonders. Bass will be up shallow this time of year hanging out close to any structure that can give them cover. As we start to see more days approaching 90 degrees, shaded shorelines and coves will be good places to fish as bass will seek out cooler water. Topwater lures including frogs, poppers, and buzzbaits will be great lures to throw in low light hours as bass are usually very active during that time of day. Soft plastic creature baits should work well once the sun gets up. Packard reported finding plenty of smallmouth this week too, on a trip to the upper Potomac. Square-bill plugs, half-ounce jigs with four-inch plastics, and Ned Rigs with a crayfish pattern were all effective.
The snakehead bite has been up and down as the fish start to move into spawning mode. The first fry balls of the year are starting to pop up which will make for more sight fishing opportunities. Snakehead parents will guard their fry and with enough pestering, you can usually get them to strike a lure in defense of their babies. Topwater frogs and soft plastic flukes are great lures to throw in this situation. Down on the Potomac River Captain Mike from Apex Predators guide service is still reporting solid snakehead action and his clients have reeled in some very nice fish this week. Areas with thick vegetation have been productive with Potomac Creek being noted as a hotspot. The rivers and tributaries in the Blackwater zone are seeing a similar pattern with anglers reported mixed results as the fish have love on the brain.
Freshwater Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report, June 7 Update:
Sweet summer is right around the corner as we welcome warm weather, longer days, and bass have moved into the shallows after their spawn and are now into their summertime patterns. FishTalk correspondent David Rudow visited a lake in southern Maryland with our reports editor and the two had a spectacular day catching bass up to five pounds. The fish were eager to hit topwater frogs and soft plastic flukes fished throughout the day. A five-inch white Z-Man fluke was the hot bait of the day that caught most of the fish. Green pumpkin colored creature baits also worked but did not get nearly as many bites. The fish were holding tight to sunken wood and overhanging vegetation along shorelines. snakehead fishing has been hit or miss as the fish are getting into the thick of their spawn on both shores of the Bay. Fish can still be caught, but you may run into fish that are just not willing to bite as they have something else on their mind. Nonetheless, major zones like the Potomac River, Patuxent River, Upper Bay tidal rivers, and Blackwater have been productive for those targeting them. Patience and persistence are just required. Topwater frogs are working well in areas with thick vegetation and along shallow marsh shorelines. Get ready to start seeing fry balls pop up which will offer exciting sight fishing opportunities.
FishTalk Intern Adam Greenberg reports that water levels have finally fallen on the upper Potomac to a reasonable point for wade fishing, and that the action has correspondingly picked up. On a recent three-hour trip he picked up nine smallmouth including a three-pounder, and noticed that crawfish patterns and Ned rigs weren’t activating the fish while a swimbait did get them chewing. Just down river, the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C. has been a hotspot to catch a wide range of fish. It is a scenic spot within the confines of the monuments and concreate jungle of the city, but a very productive location to fish. An angler fishing last week had a few exceptional trips catching over a dozen different species while using a small twisty tail jig on a one-eighth ounce jighead. His catches included largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, white perch, yellow perch, white crappie, black crappie, green sunfish, bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, and gizzard shad. It offers one of the most diverse fisheries in our region right in the heart of our nation’s capital.
Reservoirs are also in good form right now, with bass in a post-spawn fatten-up mode and multiple species hitting strong. On a recent trip to Tridelphia Contributor Eric Packard found a nice mix of fish willing to bite including mostly bass but also pike, crappie, and even a couple freshwater stripers. Most of the fish were in six to 10 feet of water around flooded timber, and they were hitting spinners, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, and square-bill crankbaits. He also noted that although some areas had stained water mostly the clarity was good despite the recent rains. We should have a few weeks of prime action before the reservoirs heat up and the fish hunker down for summer, so right now's a prime opportunity to hit these bodies of water throughout our region.