Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 25, 2019 Update:
Fisheries across the Bay were shut down this week, with temperatures far below freezing, high winds making conditions on the open water dangerous, and a thin layer of ice on ponds and lakes. Few anglers strayed onto the waters. Those who did try their luck often came in empty handed. We had just one lonely confirmed report of some yellow perch in the Potomac, but otherwise, fishing was (ahem) “slow.” We also heard from a couple of anglers who bundled up and made an attempt, only to be stuck with a skunk. Weather for the weekend looks far more clear, with lower winds than in previous days. We expect that perch fishing in the creeks should be decent in pre-spawn areas (deep holes and bends) with bull minnow and hopefully will be able to confirm that next week. Until then, our fingers are crossed…
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 18, 2019 Update:
Fishing the Lower Bay has been slower than as in previous weeks, with little action reported recently. Heavy snowfall prevented anglers from venturing out onto the water, and those who did came back with thin reports. Although catch-and-release striper fishing was slow (we did have one report of a few 40-inch-plus monsters being caught south of Point Lookout), we have reason to be optimistic due to an uptick in the number of yellow perch being reported – local creeks and the upper reaches of the tributaries are beginning to produce, and more anglers are headed back to the docks having landed a few perch. In addition, crappie and catfish have been in the mix, particularly in the Potomac. Creeks including Mattawoman and Nanjemoy gave a couple readers enough reason to report decent action, with bull minnow being the most reliable bait. Areas exposed to the wind and those with strong current remain ice-free, though calm and still areas are getting skim-iced or filled with slush.
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 11, 2019 Update:
The lower reaches of the Chesapeake have continued to produce scattered reports of (catch and release) rockfish out of Solomons, Point Lookout, and the local warm water discharges. Most have been small but fat fish, though there are some bigger stripers mixed in here and there. Although this zone of the Bay is producing some of the only reliable reports featuring good catches of sizeable fish, we remind you that it’s not at all a sure thing - and this week we also heard from a good number of boats (the majority of boats) returning without having seen too much (or any) action. For those who are catching, mostly it’s been by running out of Point Lookout and heading south into the Smith Point zone and beyond. Fish are still along channel edges primarily holding in 35 to 45 feet of water, and are usually close to the bottom. We heard just one report of any bird action in the past week and it remains unconfirmed.
Along with the rockfish catch, crappie and white perch have been reported from the tributaries and creeks, around docks and in deeper water. The upcoming cold snap with any luck will spur the start of the yellow perch bite, which has been less productive than normal for this time of year. This is quite possibly due to the warm weather we’ve had this winter, and after the cold front passes through, we’d encourage testing the newly chilled waters. The creeks off the Potomac, including the likes of Nanjemoy and Mattawoman, often see good numbers of yellow perch move into deep holes and channels in conditions like this.
Lower Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, January 4:
Editor’s Note: We’d like to say a special thank-you to Parker Martin for compiling the fishing reports these past few months. Now he’s getting ready to study abroad, and starting this week the reports are being compiled – once again – by none other than Mollie Rudow. Parker, as we bid you adieu we rest assured in the knowledge that the FishTalk fishing reports will be in good hands moving forward!
Trolling has continued to be the name of the catch and release game for fishing the lower regions of the Chesapeake, the one zone in Maryland's waters where large rockfish are still holding - and biting. Although there have been multiple reports of monster fish being caught, some upwards of 40 inches, a large number of boats are still coming home skunked. We remind you as always, the fish are not guaranteed. Large shads on umbrella rigs have been effective, and we suggest changing the color of your rigs based on the day. Low light conditions led to the success of purple, black, or pearl, while on sunnier days, white and chartreuse rigs are pulling the majority of the action. Larger fish have been holding in deeper waters, primarily around 35 to 45 feet and deeper. Pulling large shad with inline weights close to bottom has also been a good bet, especially when trolled in tandem.
Aside from the rockfish bite, white perch have been steady in the lower tributaries of the Bay, mostly around docks. Up the rivers the action has been complemented by the occasional crappie mixed in; minnow have been a good bet for catching most species, suspended by a bobber.