Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 25 Update:
Angler in Chief Lenny Rudow reports a good-to-epic bite on white perch in the upper Pax near Jug Bay over the weekend and then again mid-week, with catches of 50-plus fish both trips with mostly small males but a couple dozen keeper-sized whites per trip and a dozen or so in the 12-plus-inch range. The fish were in three to five feet of water on high tide and transitioned into the holes of eight-plus feet as water levels got low. Grass shrimp fished on shad darts bumped along bottom on ultralight gear did the trick, and he noted that plenty of channel cats in the three- to five-pound range slammed a bait now and again, adding the excitement of drag-screaming runs. Switching to minnow on the darts reduced the perch numbers, but definitely led to larger average sizes. Small twister tails were effective as well, though less so. The AIC also said that the anglers fishing from the pier at the boat ramp were doing well, and reported plenty of perch in their buckets. Anglers Sport Center also reported that white perch were a common buzz this week, with good catches from the upper areas of tidal rivers.
A couple of kayak anglers trolling the shallows and points on the main-stem Bay reported catching a half-dozen or so rockfish on catch-and-release outings. No pics of huge fish were sent in, with the bulk of the catches in the 18- to 26-inch range. Anglers reported that the power plant and mouth of the Potomac are the most promising places right now for larger catch-and-release stripers before the season totally shuts down April 1st. If you’re looking for a little catch and release action and don’t mind the schoolies, Alltackle let us know that some boats have been heading to the bridge to try at and around the pilings in a variety of ways. Right now the pickings in that area are slim, but just getting out on the water makes it well worthwhile. Generally, the fish that are there have been holding in deeper water and close to the bottom.
Catfish remained a target for anglers throughout the week, consistently reporting solid blue cat bites in… well, just about any trib you sink a bait down deep.
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 18 Update:
Most anglers have had their attention firmly on perch for the past several weeks, with the bite this season solidly “meh.” This week, many anglers additionally struggled to get out thanks to wind, rain, and cold weather, and only a couple of days this week were fishable. Anglers Sport Center reported that Red Bridges has been a hot spot on the Eastern Shore. Yellow perch with roe are turning up there, taking live minnows and shad darts. We also had one reader report of success with a limit of yellows on the Tuckahoe just below Hillsboro, and it was noted that several large fish had very empty bellies and when cleaned were confirmed post-spawn. Overall, though, the yellow perch have been making a very inconsistent showing this season. The Maryland DNR commented on it this week, stating that their yellow perch experts “believe the fish may have spawned below their traditional spawning areas due to cold water surges.” They additionally commented upon the poor water conditions in the Tuckahoe and Choptank, suggesting that the “lack of visibility may have a lot to do with the generally poor perch fishing lately.” With the weather fouling up the water and impacting temps, we’re hoping things even out with warmer, more stable weather as spring officially kicks off this Sunday!
Those diverting their attention from perch are most commonly targeting blue cats, which can be found throughout the tidal rivers and Bay. Cut bait menhaden or liver best for them, but they aren’t being picky. On another note, however, Contributor Eric Packard hit Lake Collison this week and was rewarded with a serious fight, courtesy of a 31-inch rockfish that meandered in from the Bay. We didn’t get other striper reports this week, but if you want to fight ‘em before the season starts remember that catch-and-release becomes a no-no in less than two weeks.
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 11 Update:
With weather swinging back and forth between spring-like and chilly over the past week, those harbingers of spring, perch, have been the main target of many anglers throughout the region. Reports from virtually all locations have been swinging as wildly as the temperatures, with banner catches reported one day and a slump in the action the next. We receiver photo-documented reports ranging from catches of up to 50 yellow perch (on a mix of grass shrimp and minnow fished on shad darts bounced along bottom) to total skunks. As a general rule of thumb, the outgoing tide has been much better than high or incoming tides. Interestingly, white perch are already present in some locations as well even as yellow perch appear absent.
Many anglers have focused like a laser on the perch run and that includes AIC Lenny Rudow, who visited the Patuxent near Waysons Corner over the weekend and reports a decent white perch bite with several dozen throwbacks and nine keeper-sized fish in the bucket. The perch were holding in four to six feet of water during the falling tide and shifted to 10 feet on the low, hitting grass shrimp bounced over bottom on tiny shad darts. He said minnow and bare lures didn’t produce any perch bites whatsoever, although catfish and a couple of bass did grab ahold of ‘em. Surprisingly there were zero yellow perch in the mix there. He also noted that the bites were exceptionally light and delicate, and it required complete attention to feel the gentle nips and set the hook even while using ultralight gear.
On the east side, catches were radically different from day to day with a reader checking in after catching between 50 yellows in the Tuckahoe, then in the next few days Contributor Eric Packard and FishTalk’s own Zach Ditmars hitting the same waters and discovering little more than some pickerel and a few skinny yellow perch. The Nanticoke has been reported by several sources including Angler’s as being more reliable up to now. We also had readers checking in from the Marshyhope with solid catfish catches.
Middle Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, March 4 Update:
Reports from anglers seeking the early-bird yellow perch have been on the mixed side, with some great stories of success but also plenty of anglers striking out. Yellow perch are always a bit of a hit-or-miss fishery, and that was certainly the case this week. We had a handful of readers check in after hitting the Eastern Shore haunts, with solid success on the Choptank and the Tuckahoe. We also heard from two who struck out in these same rivers. Using minnow was a key factor but so was being there during a falling tide or early in the morning. The AIC reports testing the waters of the upper Patuxent in the Wayson’s Corner area and reports seeing a couple of anglers with a few white perch and catfish caught early in the day in deep channels and holes, but was told the bite ended with the incoming tide and his catch consisted of a lone largemouth bass.
For those interested in catching and releasing stripers before the option shuts down next month, we did hear from an angler who attempted a power plant trip and reported some action but a relatively slow bite, with a handful of fish in the low- to mid-20s hitting BKDs and two fish in the mid-30s. No reports from the bridge this week, but that should also be a good C & R option as previously we’d been hearing about fish caught here and there on jigs in the 40- to 50-foot depths.