Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 2022

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 28 Update:

The folks at Sea Hawk are saying that some areas of the tributaries were rewarding anglers who managed to get out during the days where weather allowed for some semi-decent conditions. Pickerel, yellow perch, bass, and crappie all can be found far up the rivers. The Pocomoke is holding good numbers of crappie and yellow perch — anglers targeting them with minnows are enjoying steady bites, and pickerel are occasionally in the mix. They recommended using curly tail 1/16 oz jigs tipped with a small minnow, in six to 12 feet of water during the first of the flood tide. Fishing the jigs deep seems to be producing better results. Crappie this season have been most common, while we’re just seeing the beginnings of this year’s yellow perch action. The pickerel and bass bites have been alright, although not as lively.

crappie on ruler
This pic is from last year, but there are some chunky crappie willing to bite up the tribs.

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 20 Update:

While harsh conditions have many other parts of DelMarVa shut down, anglers prowling around far up the tributaries of the Sounds are finding that crappie, pickerel, and the occasional yellow perch are willing to bite. Around Snow Hill, all three species have been present. Fishing them under a bobber is favorite for pickerel, although those using flashy spinners are also reporting bites. Crappie and yellow perch have been hitting shad darts tipped with minnows. The crappie bite is great this season, with plenty of large ones reported, but yellows have been slower starting up.

winter pickerel in tangier tributaries
Suspending minnow under a bobber is always a good bet for pickerel!

With the weather so abrasive and a fishing report this thin, it’s time for our yearly reminder that if you decide to head out on a boat keep in mind that wearing a life jacket and paying attention to boating safety have an increased level of importance during the winter. Additionally, always go fishing with a buddy and make sure that someone is aware of your plan for the day. In low-40-degree water temperatures, individuals who fall in generally have only 10 to 20 minutes depending on their age, gender, weight, and submersion level before losing all coordination and muscle strength. Stay safe out there — and we're hoping you'll find some fish.


Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 14 Update:

Reports this week were thin folks, we’re afraid we don’t have much news for you. Anglers (well, at least one anyway) navigating the tribs of the Pocomoke and Tangier this week were able to score some panfish. Braving the cold produced crappie on shad darts tipped with minnow far up the Pocomoke, alongside pickerel and bass in the Snow Hill area. Although some other areas have seen some ice formation and Contributor Eric Packard reports he encountered some hard water in the southern millponds not far from here, thanks to strong tidal currents in this section the Pocomoke has a better chance of staying open and accessible.

frozen pond
Partial ice had formed on the millponds as of last weekend, so finding areas exposed to the wind or with strong currents may be necessary in the coming days. Photo courtesy of Eric Packard

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 7 Update:

Welcome to 2022 anglers! With cool weather (finally) moving in for real, the tribs are holding good numbers of panfish and crappie have become the target. Between the fronts a reader reported a dozen-plus keeper-sized fish plus throwbacks and a few bass while fishing minnow on darts and marabou jigs in the Pocomoke, and Sea Hawk is also reporting solid crappie action in the area rivers. Diehard winter anglers in the area are also heading for the sea-side, to get in on the rather awesome rockfish action that blew up in the recent past; see the Coastal Report for more on that option.

vadim with a crappie
Flashback shot: Here's Vadim with a Pocomoke crappie. These feisty little guys should bite right on through the winter.