October Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report 10/27/2017:
With the change in weather, many freshwater species are beginning to come alive. Bass in most local creeks, rivers, ponds, and streams have become significantly more active, and are active later in the day. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing has reported an increase in the number of trout biting in Virginia's mountain streams, and fall stocking has now taken place in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Specifics for each state are available on the state fisheries and/or DNR web pages.
Largemouth bass are on a rampage everywhere they're found in the region, as they fatten up for winter. The recent cold has pushed them a bit deeper, to the edges of drop-offs and points where they have access to both shallow and deep areas. Topwater is still productive at daybreak and more so at sunset, when the water's a bit warmer, but much of the day working plastics and swimbaits gets more attention. The Potomac bass bite is in full swing with fish here also staging in areas where they have access to both shallow and deep water, and spinnerbaits are producing as well as the aforementioned baits.
The Potomac is also producing plenty of blue catfish, along with the James and upper Rappahannock. The Patuxent north of the 231 bridge has also been producing blue cats lately, though the whoppers found in those other rivers don't seem to be present. Catfish of the channel persuasion have been biting cut fish in the Susquehanna and also in the C & D canal. (Hey, it's almost freshwater).
Deep Creek Outfitters reports a dramatic increase in the number of not only bass, but walleye and perch being caught on the lake. Most anglers are targeting bass with plastic worms, diving plugs, and topwater at sunset, but for the walleye and perch large shiners can't be beat.
Freshwater stripers continue to be a good bet in the Virginia reservoirs, with live shad and shiners being the best baits but many anglers trolling lipped plugs and plastic shad with success.
One interesting freshwater report that came in from a reader this week was of a stellar crappie bite in a private eastern shore pond. Beetle Spins were doing the damage and although the pond was private, this is an indication of what's going on in ponds up and down the shore - crappie are feeding hard as the water temperatures cool off. Remember that the millponds are quite shallow and as a result, their water temperatures can swing in a matter of days. The cool weather as of late has kicked them into high gear and now is an ideal time to go after them with lures like the Beetle Spins, two-inch tube jigs, Road Runners, and the old stand-by minnow under a bobber.
October Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report 10/20/2017:
The upper western shore rivers especially the Potomac (from Fort Washington up) and the James (all the way up near Richmond) have a seemingly endless supply of blue cats biting right now. The bulk are in the 10 to 15 pound range but larger ones do show up for anglers putting in some time. They've been biting best in holes with structure, on cut mud shad, herring, and pretty much any cut fish on 8/0 to 10/0 circle hooks. Flatheads are also biting well in the James, but farther up river in deep spots past the rapids.
Deep Creek Outfitters reports that fishing on the lake has taken off this week, and more walleye, yellow perch, and bass are being caught. Most are still in shallow water around rockier edges, however some walleye have been hanging in deep pockets around the lake. Try fishing live shiners, with as little weight as possible to get them down on bottom. The other regional reservoirs are enjoying the expected strong fall bite. Now that we've had a few chilly evenings the fish are kicking into high gear and whether you're headed for the Baltimore-area watersheds or the Virginia reservoirs, fishing for everything from bass to landlocked stripers to crappie can be summed up as red hot. Lake Gaston, Buggs Island, and Lake Anna were all reported as good for freshwater stripers this week. The fish are striking topwater at dawn and dusk, and once the sun is up, submerging large shiners or shad or trolling diving crankbaits are the top options. A reader checked in to give us an (unconfirmed) report that walleye fishing in Liberty reservoir was excellent during the days we had recently with heavy cloud-cover, casting live jumbo shiners weighted with a split shot to steep drop-offs adjacent to rock slides. There are also a lot of stripers being caught in Liberty by anglers casting chicken livers (yes, chicken livers).
In both Delaware (in White Clay Creek in New Castle County, only) and Maryland (see the DNR stocking schedule for exact locations) fall trout stocking is underway and the put-and-take fishery is strong. You can catch these fish on lures but Berkley Trout Powerbait will be very difficult to top, for these hatchery-reared fish. Meanwhile, in Virginia's mountain streams water levels are beginning to return to normal in after lasts weeks rain but are still on the low side. Trout are continuing to hit flies, however, they are spooking slightly more easily than usual with the low water levels. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing also reported a decent largemouth bass bite for anglers travelling up to the Conowingo Dam Pool, but notes that fish are willing to bite in most local creeks.
On the Eastern Shore millpond fishing is going full-swing. Leonard's Pond in Salisbury has crappie biting anywhere there's structure, and in the upper Wicomico crappie and bass are biting around docks and pilings. A small bull minnow two to four feet under a bobber is the best bait and two inch twister tails cast on ultralight gear is the top lure of choice. In Delaware same goes in the upper Nanticoke, though Captain Bones has been reporting that grass shrimp is the top bait, in that neck of the woods.
October Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report 10/12/2017:
FishTalk Contributor Jim Gronaw checked in to let us know that the record high temperatures well into October in many areas of the readersip have seen summer patterns hang on, with topwaters taking largemouth bass in many lakes and impoundments. Buzz baits, chatterbaits, Whopper Plopper 110 and 130's along with the classic Jitterbug have remained top lure choices well into the fall. Look for topwater action to decrease as water temperatures dip below 58 degrees.
The panfish bite has been tremendous, with both bluegills and crappies remaining strong in many reservoirs and ponds throughout central Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. Loch Raven, Liberty and Piney Run should sport a strong autumn crappie bite. Use shad darts and jigs from 1/64 to 1/16 oz. for gills and crappies. We have been doing well with Bobby Garland Baby Shad plastics on a 1/32nd oz. jig head fished in and around cover and flooded vegetation.
The Potomac River has been producing high numbers of five to 15 pound blue catfish with chances for much larger fish as the waters cool. This is a year round gig on the tidal Potomac with winter often producing fish of the trophy 50-pound class and larger. Any fresh cut baitfish will catch them, with gizzard shad being the favorite. But as the water drops down below 50 the shad become harder to get. Cut bluegills, crappies or store-bought baits like mackerel or other oily fish will produce - even cut pieces of hot dogs! Channel edges, sun-warmed flats and bridge piers in and around Washington DC hold plenty of cats.
Mossy Creek Fly Fishing reports that high water levels in mountain streams and creeks is allowing for some good trout fishing, and they aren't spooking as easily as they were earlier this fall. Most are moving into their fall patterns of behavior, and casting topwater and using flies has been most successful.
Captain Bones reports that the Nanticoke is still a hotspot, giving up many crappie this past week.
Keep reading below, in last week's reports. Much of what we heard this week was identical - largemouth fishing is good at the Susquehanna flats and the Conowingo pool plus in the reservoirs and upper tidal rivers; crappie are biting strong throughout the region; catfish are more or less all over the place and feeding hard; and ponds through the Mid-Atlantic region are shedding their summer growth allowing for easier fishing. The rain and cooler temperatures that hit recently should help flush grass and algae out of the system and freshwater fishing should only improve in the immediate future.
October Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Fishing Report 10/6/2017:
Freshwater fishing is in full swing for fall, with a slew of good options. Rivers along the Western Shore have been productive for largemouth anglers. The Tackle Box reports that largemouth bass fishing in the Potomac has begun to turn on as we move into fall. Throwing topwater, using spinner baits, and using crankbaits have been the best ways to the target bass. Grass is still an issue at times, but if you work around it you'll likely be rewarded with a solid bite. The upper James and Rappahannock have also been good; with relatively low flow its a good idea to look for holes and deep areas especially after the sun is up. Farther west in the mountain streams and creeks, largemouth and smallmouth bass and trout are moving into their fall patterns of behavior. Many fish are staying active longer, and aren’t spooking as easily. Anglers focused on smallmouth may want to target either the Shenandoah or the Harper's Ferry area, both of which have been productive for anglers casting small craw-pattern crankbaits and pumpkinseed tube jigs. Check out Jim Gronaw's Smallmouth Bass: Small Streams = Big Fun to check out some of the tackle and tactics that will get the smallmouth biting.
In all of these rivers and also the pool at Conowingo, catfish are still biting strong on cut bait set on bottom.
Largemouth are also active in the reservoirs, from all the way out west in Deep Creek (though docks are coming out here, which can make locating shoreline structure a bit more difficult) down south through the region to Kerr and Smith Mountain. The landlocked stripers have also been schooled and active in the reservoirs they're present in, with live shiner being the best way to get them but trollers also taking their fair share. St. Mary’s lake and Bushwood have had significant numbers of largemouth bass biting and crappie as well. Largemouth are active in the northern tributaries, too, with Herb's reporting that Senkos are generating a lot of bites on the flats and near structure in the rivers and creeks.
Anglers targeting a stringer of crappie can head for any of the Baltimore-area reservoirs and find success, and the Eastern Shore millponds have lost a lot of their summer weed and are becoming easier to fish and more productive. Captain Bones mentioned that the upper Nanticoke is also good, with scattered crappie and also some perch hitting grass shrimp and small lures.