Freshwater Fishing Report, September 26 Update:
There’s some big news for Maryland freshwater anglers this week: this fall’s crop of stocked brown and rainbow trout will be larger than in the past. Although fewer fish will be stocked than last year, angler surveys indicated people would prefer larger fish as opposed to more. So, for fall 2024 the DNR prioritized quality over quantity and the average fish will be over one pound plus more trophy-size fish of three to four pounds will be in the mix. Fall trout stocking begins in early October, just as soon as water levels and temps are acceptable. Daily updates on stocking can be found at the MD DNR Trout Stocking webpage. Virginia will also begin its fall stocking program in early October and details can be found at the Virginia DWR Stocking Schedule webpage.
Though most folks think of snakeheads as warm-water fish, reports of some excellent bites have been coming in from around the dial, more than we were hearing about during much of the summer and mostly mixed with bass. Apex Predators reports that the snakes are feeding hard alongside the bass up the Potomac. An angler fishing the Patuxent above Selbys Landing reported catching snakes four between 18” and 28” and missing several more blow-ups while fishing frogs in heavy weeds. And FishTalk Contributor David Rudow reported good action in the Eastern Shore ponds, with bass out-biting the snakeheads but both species chomping at a yellow HOCB topwater duck. And we had a reader report from Aberdeen of an excellent bite with eight snakes in the boat. The sudden influx of snakehead reports certainly indicates that they’re eating hard with the changing weather, so now’s the time to go out and get ‘em.
Of course, this is fishing were talking about, not catching. Contributor Eric Packard reports spending a day casting big baits in Tridelphia for pike and muskie late this week, but coming up with an empty scorecard.
Editor’s Note: Our intrepid and awesome Reports Editor Dillon Waters is away on his honeymoon this week, and the reports were compiled by the staff in his absence. We send Dillon and his bride Layla our congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful future.
Freshwater Fishing Report, September 19 Update:
Freshwater fishing is getting better as temperatures cool off with the seasons changing. Contributor Eric Packard reports a good freshwater bite that’s been tough to access thanks to all the recent winds. Fishing in multiple lakes this week he enjoyed steady action on bass on bladebaits, and saw other anglers enjoy some topwater action at daybreak. He noted water levels were very low but the recent rainfall may have made up for that to some degree. Largemouth bass are responding well to the cooling trend brought on by falls’ arrival. They are still holding close to structure in the form of fallen wood along shorelines, stump fields, and grass beds. The submerged vegetation hasn’t quite started to die off yet, but it will soon and bass will be cruising the edges of them to feed on baitfish and small crustaceans. Weedless soft plastics, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and jerkbaits are all working well.
As the season changes, trout anglers are looking forward to cooler temperatures and more opportunities. Mossy Creek brings us the latest from the western trout areas. They report that the spring creeks are air-clear which has required very technical dry fly fishing. The fish have been very spooky and the streams could use some more rain to increase flows and stain the water so that streamers and dropper rigs will be on the table. The mountain brook trout are enjoying the cooler temperatures, but again, they could use some replenished flows. The larger river musky fishing has been fairly good lately with water temperatures in the safe zone for targeting them. They expect the current moon period to make musky very active which should have them chasing down baits al the way to the boat. State agencies will soon begin their fall trout fishing operations, so make sure to check into their websites once October arrives to find out where fish are being stocked near you.
Freshwater Fishing Report, September 12 Update:
Our larger freshwater rivers are running low again after extended periods with little rainfall. Smallmouth anglers on the Susquehanna, Potomac, and Rappahannock have been enjoying the low water as they can wade large sections of the river. The cooler nights have spurred a hot bite and they have been willing to eat throughout the day on everything from topwater poppers to jigs and crankbaits. Largemouth bass fishing is also good right now. Most of the largies will be holding close to structure where they can find food and cover. Grass beds, sunken wood, and rock piles are all worth checking out. Pickerel can be found in the larger lakes, reservoirs, and Eastern Shore mill ponds. The edges of grass and other SAV are prime ambush locations for these toothy fish. Pickerel fishing will continue to get better throughout the fall and should peak in the winter. Shiny lures like spinners and chatterbaits are the most popular lures to throw. Large live minnows are the best live bait and anglers often use them on a jighead under a bobber. Make sure you have fluorocarbon leader because their sharp teeth will cut through light line easily. Smaller minnow are being chewed on by crappie, which have also been spurred into action by the cool-down.
Mossy Creek Fly Fishing reports that trout fishing opportunities are becoming more limited as water levels continue to drop. We have had little rainfall over the past few weeks and could use a change in the weather to get things back in order. The spring creeks have tricos hatching in the mornings with grasshoppers, crickets, damselflies, beetles, and ants showing throughout the day. Most of the brook trout streams are getting low again and anglers should be mindful of when they are fishing for the brookies as they can be stressed easily. On the other hand, Mossy Creek also mentioned that the bass fishing has been great with low and clear conditions offering excellent topwater action. Bass have been coughing up crayfish on most trips, so mimicking them along with other baitfish patterns should produce good results. State agency trout stockings are just around the corner and will likely begin in October. This will offer abundant trout fishing opportunities throughout Maryland and Virginia in ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers. Anglers interested in taking advantage of this angling opportunity should visit the Maryland DNR trout stocking website and the Virginia DWR trout stocking website for the most up to date information.
Freshwater Fishing Report, September 5 Update:
Fall seems to be getting an early start as cool temperatures returned this week. We are even starting to see some leaves change color which is the true sign of the seasons changing. Water levels are variable across the various creeks and trout streams in the mountains. It will be beneficial to check USGS stream gauges near your fishing location to get up to date flow information. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing let us know that trout, bass, and muskie fishing is getting better as temperatures are cooling off. Overnight lows in the 40s have made it safer to target trout and there are still plenty of damselflies, dragonflies, and cicadas around for anglers to mimic. We could use some rain to bump flows, but conditions are steadily improving, and it should be a great fall for mountain angling across our region.
We had reader reports of good action from both the Potomac (near Harper’s Ferry) and the Shenandoah (near Front Royal). Although the water was running low both smallmouth and largemouth bass were biting, with white and watermelon grubs and buzzbaits doing the catching. FishTalk intern-turned-fishhead Adam Greenberg reported good action on the Potomac, too, with lower numbers of fish but excellent quality with many in the two- to three-pound range. He notes that baitfish profiles including paddletails, jerkbaits, and poppers have been effective. On the upper Rappahannock, we had a boat check in after a successful weekend targeting longnose gar. Float rigs baited with fresh cut bait provided steady action and they caught fish up to 48 inches.
Now is a great time to fish larger lakes around the region, especiallythose like Deep Creek Lake and Lake Anna, as the summertime vacationers are all but gone. Less traffic on the lakes has led to a better bite and in Deep Creek, floating docks are still holding lots of bass and pitching soft plastics will be a good tactic for finding bites. As temperatures continue to drop, fish will start to move to transition zones and rocky ledges will be a great place to throw crankbaits. Look for pike in coves and on the edges of vegetation around the lake.