Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, December 30 Update:
Strong winds and an arctic blast made fishing difficult last week throughout most of the region. Rockfish season is closed and will close on the 31st of the month in the Potomac. Catch and release fishing is still an option for rockfish, but the recent cold front pushed many schools of fish further south into the lower Bay. The Patapsco River and rock piles at the Bay Bridge will hold some fish throughout the winter months but it is difficult to get them to bite. Blue catfish are abundant and active in the upper Bay in the winter and can be caught in the deeper holes and along channel edges in the rivers. Fresh cut bait is always best for the cats so throw out menhaden, shad, or chicken liver to attract them.
Another option for Upper Bay anglers is to target pickerel in the tidal rivers. Fishbones says The Severn and Magothy are known for their great winter pickerel fishery, but these fish can also be caught in the Bodkin and Stony Creek. Unfortunately, the recent cold weather has frozen over many of the creeks and coves on our tidal rivers, but a warmup is on the way and should melt most of the ice by this weekend. Once the ice clears it will be much easier to target the pickerel. Jerkbaits with flash, spinners, and bladed jigs all work great since these fish are attracted to shiny, bright colored baits. This time of year, the fish prefer a slow and steady retrieve with some pauses to entice the bite. They will be hanging close to transition zones and structure. Fallen trees, jetty walls, rock piles, and docks all provide great structure for the pickerel to hide around as they wait to ambush bait. If you haven’t already, check out the CCA Pickerel Championship which runs until the end of February. There are plenty of divisions for anglers to enter along with some great prizes.
It has been a great year of fishing with lots of cherished memories made along the way. As we enter the new year let’s hope 2023 brings plenty of catches, new PBs, and exciting adventures.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, December 23 Update:
Winter has officially started with the passing of the solstice this Wednesday, and it looks like old man winter isn’t wasting any time bringing on the season as our region is expected to get a blast of arctic air starting Friday and continuing into the weekend. Strong winds and bitter temperatures will make fishing difficult, and with rockfish season closed, anglers are limited on their fishing options in the upper Bay.
Although rockfish season is closed, there are still some catch and release opportunities in the upper Bay. The Patapsco River and the rock piles at the Bay Bridge should be holding fish still. The colder water temperatures may have them unwilling to bite but hardcore anglers can give them a try. The fish will be holding deep close to bottom which may require using heavy jigheads depending on the wind and current. Luckily, there is a more consistent fishery for anglers this time of year. The tidal rivers and creeks like the Magothy and Bodkin Creek supply great winter pickerel fishing. The recent rain will likely make waters murky but that should clear by next week. Dark, natural-colored lures work well for the pickerel in muddy water. Flashy lures like spinners and jerkbaits work well in clearer water. Live minnows fished under a bobber work great in almost all scenarios. The pickerel will be holding close to shoreline structure like fallen trees, rock jetties, and docks. The upper extents of the tidal creeks in the rivers will be holding the most pickerel, so focus in on those areas. The CCA Pickerel Championship is currently taking place and is a great incentive for anglers to get out and target these fish in the winter. There are some great prizes so make sure to sign up.
Santa is coming to town this weekend so let’s hope for lots of new fishing gear under the tree to try out in the new year. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from all of us at FishTalk Magazine!
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, December 16 Update:
Rockfish season has officially closed in Maryland waters and won’t open back up until May 1 for trophy season. Anyone targeting rockfish from now until then should be practicing catch and release, making sure to handle the fish with care. Most of the larger schools of rockfish have continued to push further south this week and are now in the area of Dares Beach and south. There may still be some fish hanging at the mouths of the rivers in the upper Bay, channel edges, and at the rock piles or pilings at the Bay Bridge but anglers looking to target them will have better luck the farther south they go.
Although rockfish season is closed, the pickerel fishery in the rivers of the upper Bay is great right now. Anglers Sports Center says that the highest concentrations of these toothy fish can be found in the Magothy, Bodkin, and the Severn. Unfortunately, with all the rain we just recently got, water clarity could become an issue over the next few days. In murky water, Anglers recommends using dark, natural colors and bladed jigheads that make vibrations to get the fishes attention. Live minnows fished under a bobber also works great for the pickerel. Target these fish in the upper reaches of the creeks in the rivers and focus on shoreline structure where they will be waiting to ambush bait. Blue catfish are also active this time of year and are plentiful in the upper Bay. The deeper holes and channel edges in the rivers will be where these fish are spending most of their time during the colder months. Fresh cut gizzard shad or menhaden is their preferred bait. Most fish will be in the three-to-five-pound range but there is always the chance to hook into a 20-plus pound fish.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, December 9 Update:
The larger schools of rockfish that were in the upper Bay for the majority of summer and early fall have finally pushed to the south towards Chesapeake Beach. That isn’t to say that there aren’t fish to be caught north of the bridge up to the 10th, the final day of the season, but it may take some searching and close attention to the meter to locate them. Anglers have been finding rockfish at the mouth of the Patapsco and Chester rivers holding deep in 30 to 40 feet of water. Fishbones Bait and Tackle reported that the deeper channel edges near Podickory Point are occasionally holding schools of fish as well. They recommend jigging with soft plastic jigs and to bulk up the profile of your baits by using a plastic like Bust ‘Em Baits, Fat Boys, or adding a skirt. Trolling is also an effective method this time of year. Since the fish are holding deep, it will take jigheads up to two ounces for LTJ and heavy inline weights for trollers to get baits down to where the fish are.
White perch can be found in deep water, usually in 30 to 40 foot of water along channel edges or oyster bars. The schools of perch can typically be found by watching the meter closely while motoring around. Small metal jigs or bottom rigs baited with bloodworms will work best and the action can be great, but there is no guarantee the fish will be willing to bite in the cold water temperatures.
The tidal rivers in the upper Bay have been producing a great pickerel bite and are known for their winter fisheries. The Severn, Magothy, and Bodkin Creek all have plenty of pickerel that can be caught in the upper reaches where water is fresher. Bright colored baits or spinners work great to get the pickerel’s attention and live minnows under a bobber work well just about all the time. The pickerel like to hang close to structure like fallen trees, rocky shorelines, and docks so focus in on these areas while targeting them.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, December 1 Update:
Water temperatures in the upper Bay are dropping quickly as we enter December. Most areas in this section of the Bay have water in the mid to upper 40s which is pushing rockfish into deeper water. Most fish are now being found in 20 to 40 feet of water and sometimes even deeper than that. The larger schools are being found along the shipping channel in the main stem and along other deep water drop offs. Bird action has been spotty this week and cruising around to find them on the depth finder has been a must.
Surprisingly, it appears that anglers are still using live eels to target rockfish in the upper Bay. Edgemere Bait and Tackle reported selling lots of eels again this past week. They said that most boats are fishing near Pooles Island, the Key Bridge, and the mouth of the Patapsco. Any channels leading from the major rivers to the main stem of the Bay should have some schools of rockfish. Trolling is a very popular option to target them this time of year, it just takes some heavy inline weights to get baits down deep. Umbrella rigs with small shad baits or tandem rigs will get the job done. Water clarity is high right now so white and chartreuse sassy shads and bucktails are popular because of their high visibility in the water. One reader fishing the Patapsco inside of the Key Bridge confirmed that the rockfish were running in deeper water. He was able to find thick schools of aggressive fish that were crushing his blade bait while jigging. A lot of fish were schoolie-sized but there were also fish into the low 20’s mixed in. The Patapsco holds a good number of rockfish year-round, it just may take some searching to find them during the colder months. Even when you do find schools of rockfish during winter, remember that lockjaw can keep you from getting a bite.