Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, March 31 Update:
We are finally getting some stable weather as we head into April. Warming water temperatures are making fish more active and we have seen fishing action pick up across the region. Captain C. L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters reported the first official black drum catch of the year. His fish was caught on crab chunks while fishing in the Pocomoke Sound. More of these fish should be showing up in the Bay and along the coast over the coming weeks.
Water temperatures in the sounds are in the mid-50s and quickly approaching the magic 60-degree mark. Once we do hit 60, we should see more fish such as rockfish and speckled trout move into the shallows. Remember that targeting rockfish in Maryland waters during the month of April is prohibited but catch and release is still allowed in Virginia waters. Up in the rivers like the Pocomoke, Nanticoke, and Wicomico, the white perch are still running and biting good on blood worms. There are still some post-spawn yellow perch moving through those same areas. In the Pocomoke, crappie are still providing a steady bite with many anglers catching their limit. Trolling small jigheads with spinners or tipped with live minnows has been working great. There are plenty of fishing opportunities as we progress into spring, so make sure to grab a pole and enjoy the longer days and warmer weather.
More reports of flounder are coming in from the seaside bays and channels. We have confirmed reports of flounder from Wachapreague, Chincoteague, and Ocean City. Sea Hawk Sports Center recommends fishing the back half of the ebb tide to take advantage of the warm water draining off the solar heated mud flats.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, March 24 Update:
We had a skunk report from an angler working the Tangier near the mouth of the Nanticoke in hopes of fishing a big striper before the April closure, and some of the area anglers are undoubtedly heading east to take advantage of the early flounder bite in the coastal bays. But the biggest news from this corner of the world this week was an uptick in the activity level of Eastern Shore snakeheads. A total of four reports of success came in, ranging from one to four fish up to 29 inches in the box. White flukes and jerkbaits were specified as effective so the bites we heard of were all on subsurface baits.
Contributor Eric Packard also checked in after a foray to the Shore early this week. The Pocomoke in the Snow Hill zone provided steady action on largemouth bass, plus some pickerel. Red/orange crankbaits were what got ‘em biting. A shot at Kiptopeke ISO some early tog proved unsuccessful.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, March 17 Update:
Fishing conditions have been tough this week and we didn’t receive many reports coming out of the Tangier area. Before the wind and cold weather blew in, crappie fishing in the Pocomoke was great. Many anglers have been able to catch their limit within a few hours work. Minnows fished under a bobber or slow trolled on shad darts work great to get the crappie biting. White perch fishing has also been good in the Nanticoke and Wicomico rivers as the perch make their way to spawning areas. Grass shrimp and bloodworms are popular baits that can be fished on small jigs or bottom rigs. If possible, it’s always a good idea to have both baits handy in case the perch are preferring one over the other. Pickerel and bass are also biting in the upriver areas and are likely to be in the mix.
We are nearing the start of the annual black drum run along the coast and in the sounds. These fish typically start showing up towards the end of the month and fishing for them peaks in April. Don’t be surprised if they start running a little earlier this year because of the mild winter we had. Smaller male black drum can be caught in some shallower areas of the Pocomoke Sound near grass beds and deeper cuts. Other popular areas on the lower shore to target them include the Cabbage Patch, Concrete Ships, and near the high rise of the CBBT.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, March 10 Update:
Spring is almost here, and the fishing is showing signs of it down on the shore. The Pocomoke continues to produce great crappie fishing this week with many anglers able to catch their limit. Minnows fished under a bobber close to structure and two-inch chartreuse and pink grubs on small jigheads slow trolled in four to eight feet of water is working best. Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that some yellow perch are still being caught but the white perch run has really started to pick up in the Manokin and Nanticoke. The white perch are hitting good for anglers throwing out blood worms on bottom rigs. Bass and pickerel are also keeping rods bent in the rivers. On warmer days, these fish will move into shallower flat areas to feed in the afternoons after the sun has warmed the water. Spinners, lipless crankbaits, and paddletails are all good options to throw.
The mild winter might put things ahead of schedule this year in the sounds. Captain C.L. Marshall of Tangier Sound Charters expects the black drum to show up in the Pocomoke sound shortly and will be targeting them on the grass flats. The fish that move into the shallows are mostly males and make for great table fare. By the end of the month, we should start to see these fish in the sounds and along the beaches of the Eastern Shore. The mild winter may bring the arrival of speckled trout to the sounds early this year as well, but those fish tend to wait until water temperatures are close to 60 degrees before moving in. At the coast, tog fishing continues to be good at the nearshore wrecks and reefs. They are eager to bite baits displayed on sweeper style jigs dropped close to structure.
Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, March 3 Update:
Sea Hawk Sports Center checked in to give us the latest report from the lower shore. There isn’t much action right now out in the sounds but the rivers are providing some good freshwater action. They received good reports from anglers targeting white perch in the Manokin this week and said blood worms were working best for them. Yellow perch are still being caught in the Pocomoke but that action has slowed down. While bloodworms are working for the white perch, yellow perch still prefer jigs tipped with small minnows either bounced along the bottom or fished below a bobber. Crappie fishing in the Pocomoke has picked up this week with many slabs being caught. Slow trolling minnows and using small jigs around submerged structure are both working well. Pickerel and bass are also on the table in these rivers and will be more active as we approach spring. Both species will hit spinners, jerkbaits, and live minnows so it’s always good to have a rod rigged up for them even if you are planning to target panfish.
