Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, December 25 Update:
The Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia has been a hot zone for winter striped bass fishing. Cold water temperatures have a lot of the bait staged near the main shipping channel in depths of 50’ to 100’. Schools of rockfish have been found close to the concentrations of bait and are often suspended in the water column feeding. Anglers fishing on the Eastern Shore of Virginia are having luck by trolling the main ledge or live lining eels near the ledges. Eeling has been very effective, and there were reports this week of trophy-sized fish landed anywhere from Cape Charles up to Saxis. Light tackle anglers are also running around chasing the schools of fish. Boats equipped with advanced electronics have the biggest advantage right now as there has not been much bird action to guide anglers to the fish. We did hear from a few boats that mentioned scanning in the area of birds sitting on the water helped them locate some schools of rockfish, so even if birds aren’t actively feeding, it is worth checking the area if you spot any congregations of them.
Guide C.L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters reported that he has been running just north of the Pocomoke Sound for his fish, but the runs have been worth it as his crews have landed some jumbo stripers recently. One day this week, they caught a pile of fish up to 35” before making a move thanks to some on the water intel that produced a dozen fish over 40” and the largest stretching the tape to 48”. If the weather keeps you off the main stem of the Bay, or if you want to fish for other species, the Pocomoke River is an excellent place for winter fishing. The crappie bite has been good for anglers floating or trolling live minnows under bobbers. Some days it takes longer to find them than others, but working the steeper ledges and holes throughout the river is usually effective. Largemouth bass, pickerel, and yellow perch are also common catches in the river.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, December 19 Update:
FishTalk’s Zach Ditmars says the bite was slow in the upper Pocomoke River last weekend, and only a handful of pickerel plus one bass were willing to hit on a recent trip. Minnow got the most bites. He noted that at one point he did find a school of fish on the meter (which would likely be either crappie or yellow perch) but the fish refused to eat. The Eastern Shore mill ponds had some ice on them with the latest cold snap, but they should be thawing now that temperatures are warming back up. This will put them back on the table as a prime location for winter pickerel fishing. Live minnows are a great bait choice, but if you are planning to throw artificial lures, suspending jerkbaits, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits are all top choices.
The migratory striped bass are moving up the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and the bite has been good on most days. We are getting reports from Kiptopeke up to the area of Saxis from anglers catching the big fish. C.L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters has been spending some time chasing these fish, but had to switch tactics and throw out the trolling gear to land some this week. Trolling and eeling appear to be the two most productive methods in this area of the Bay right now. C.L. mentioned that a boat using live eels near them went 11 for 17 on bites from big fish. The latest cold snap seems to be keeping the majority of the striped bass action in Virginia waters, as water temperatures are much colder than average for this time of year. The bite should remain good through the end of the year, and anglers fishing in Virginia can still keep fish until December 31st. Now is the time to get out on the water for a chance at trophy fish folks.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, December 11 Update:
The big news from the Tangier region is that migratory striped bass are starting to move up the Eastern Shore. We had a few reports of big fish from the Exmore area, and we heard rumors of a few in the open Bay near the Tangier and Pocomoke Sound. Light tackle guide C.L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters reported that rock fishing is red hot right now. Some days it may take some running around to find them, but C.L. and crew caught over 50 fish on a recent trip, and the fish seem to be getting bigger by the day. We are not sure how many big fish will show up or how long they will be around, but the next few weeks will likely be the best chance to get on them. The best way to find them is to search for actively feeding birds where stripers are likely to be close by, or live line with eels along main channels and ledges where bait should be holding this time of year. If you don’t want to head out on the big water, the protected waters of the Pocomoke River is an excellent option to fish for several species in the winter. Crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, and pickerel are the popular targets. Fishing with live minnows is the best way to get them biting. Most anglers fish them under bobbers, or slow troll them behind the boat along the channel ledges of the river.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, December 5 Update:
It is time to bundle up while heading out on the water. The cold weather is here, but there are plenty of reasons to still get out and fish. Anglers in the Tangier region have an excellent winter fishery right in their backyards, the Pocomoke River. The Pocomoke has been fishing very well for crappie and several other species in recent weeks, including largemouth bass, yellow perch, and pickerel. Crappie have been enticed by minnows tipped onto panfish jigs and either trolled behind the boat or suspended under a bobber. The daily angler creel limit for crappie is 15 fish, so if you get on a hot bite, you can have plenty of meat for a fish fry.
FishTalk’s Zach Ditmars spent some of the holiday weekend hitting the ponds dotting the Delaware section of the Eastern Shore, but he said the pickerel bite was tepid, and the weather made fishing tough. Only a handful of fish, up into the low 20-inch range, were willing to hit. A reader reported similar results in a millpond on the Shore's southern reaches, where the pickerel bite had shut down cold with the sudden chill in the air. However, he did pick up a nice largemouth on a chatterbait. Migratory striped bass are starting to move up the Bay. Most of the action will be out on the main stem of the Bay and along the deeper channels running through the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. Bird shows have been popping up in several regions of the Bay, so it will be a good idea to have a pair of binoculars while searching for stripers. Birds are usually a good indication that there is bait and fish in the area.