Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 24 Update:
Yellow perch are starting to push into shallower areas of some western shore tidal tributaries. Anglers in the Severn and Magothy have been finding them schooled up in and around the creeks. The warm weather should have them spawning soon. We heard from an angler who targeted yellow perch in the Magothy last weekend. They found perch pushed up into some of the creeks but were schooled up in five to eight feet of water. The bite was slow for most of the afternoon but the last hour of daylight it really turned on. Their boat kept 36 yellow perch and one white perch. All fish were caught on minnows floated under a bobber or bounced along the bottom with shad darts. Their boat also caught four pickerel as bycatch while targeting the perch. Other reports from the Magothy this past week included anglers being able to locate the yellows but mostly catching undersized fish. We also had a skunk report from Beechwood. Depending on the day, it may take some hunting to find them or weeding through to find keeper sized fish.
Pickerel fishing is still in good shape and the warmer weather has them active along shorelines. Captain Tom Weaver reported that on a guided trip in the Severn this week his boat had around 10 bites, swipes, and follows. Another angler in the upper Magothy reported having success with the pickerel on jerkbaits and spinners during an afternoon outing. His two largest fish were 22 inches and 19.5 inches. There are only a few days left in the CCA Pickerel Championship so anglers looking to move up in the rankings should hit the water asap. Minnows always work well for the pickerel but with the warmer water temperatures, they aren’t a necessity. Quickly retrieving artificial lures is working well right now.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 17 Update:
Warm weather this past week has many yellow perch anglers excited for the spawn in the upper Bay tidal tributaries. For those waiting on the perch run: we had two reports from early perch-searchers (one east side, one west side) that as of midweek the fish hadn't yet left the deep holes downstream from spawning areas. That could change fast with the warm weather, which could make for a sudden burst of action - so stay tuned. Smaller live minnows almost always work best for the perch, but small shad darts can work well too. Try fishing them under a bobber or bounced along the bottom in areas where the perch are hanging.
The mild weather has also provided favorable conditions for anglers targeting pickerel early in the week but big shots of rain late this week may have muddied up the water. When the water is murky, it is usually best to throw dark natural-colored baits. Live minnows also work great and can be fished under a bobber near structure. Sunken wood, docks, and channel edges are all places that the pickerel like to hangout as they wait to ambush bait. There are less than two weeks left in the CCA Pickerel Championship so anglers looking to join the tournament or improve their standings should make sure to get out on the water. Next week’s forecast is calling for more mild temperatures which should make for some good fishing days.
Most of the rockfish action has been limited to the middle and lower Bay but we did hear from a reader trolling deep along the main channel edges just below the Bay Bridge who reported catching three rocks in the low 20s plus a 34-incher.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 10 Update:
This month has brought a roller coaster of weather from major cold fronts to unseasonably warm temperatures. This can make fishing tricky and consistent bites hard to come by. Contributor Eric Packard reports a slow bite in a Baltimore creek early in the week, with an afternoon of fishing producing just a lone 23.5-inch pickerel. Overall, however, the upper Bay pickerel fishing has been good over the past few weeks and picked up as the warm weather moved in with many readers writing in with success from the Baltimore creeks, the Severn, and the Magothy. Pickerel like to hang out in the smaller creeks on these rivers and often hold close to shoreline structure like docks or sunken wood. The warm weather this past week should have them active meaning retrieves can be sped up a little bit. Live minnows are always great choice for bait but artificial lures like jerkbaits and spinners work well too. There is still time to enter the CCA Pickerel Championship which concludes at the end of the month so make sure to check out the divisions and prizes that will be given away.
Anglers Sport Center reported that they are receiving more reports from anglers having success targeting yellow perch in the Severn and Magothy. As the weather warms up, we expect this bite to really turn on. The peak of the spring spawning run is still a few weeks away but if the warm weather continues it may make for an early spawn this year. As of now, the perch are still staging in the deeper holes within the tidal tributaries but be ready for them to push further into the tribs soon. Live minnows fished either under a bobber or on bottom rigs are providing the most success for anglers targeting the perch. White perch are still schooled up out in deeper water in the rivers and out on the main Bay. Their spring spawning run occurs after the yellow perch so look for that bite to pick up once March rolls around.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 3 Update:
Pickerel fishing in the tidal tributaries continues to be good. The Magothy and Severn both have large populations of pickerel that can be caught all winter long. Focus your efforts in the smaller creeks in the upper parts of the rivers. One angler did particularly well on the Severn last weekend. He fished through the rain and wind and caught seven pickerel ranging from 10 inches up to 24 inches. The pickerel were aggressively hitting three and a half inch paddletails and jerkbaits. He also noted that the larger fish were plump and their fins were red and tattered which may be an indication of some spawning activity. This is the last month to enter and fish the CCA Pickerel Championship which will conclude on the 28th. The top of the leaderboard is tight so good luck to those anglers fighting it out!
We haven’t received any recent reports of anglers targeting striped bass in the upper Bay but the Patapsco and Bay Bridge rock piles usually hold some year-round. Your best bet may be to head south to the CCNPP for a chance at a mid-winter rockfish.
The yellow perch are still staging in deeper holes and channels as they prepare for their spring spawn. Anglers have been catching them in the creeks of the Magothy using live minnows floated under bobbers and on shad darts bounced along the bottom. Magothy River Association volunteers have begun monitoring the upper Magothy River in preparation for the annual yellow perch spawning run. Yellow perch spawning is influenced by a combination of water temperature and hours of sunlight. Spawning usually occurs around the first week in March but varies depending on weather and other factors. Yellow perch can tolerate brackish water but for reproduction, they require slow-moving freshwater over a vegetated stream bed consisting of sand and gravel to spawn. The upper Magothy water conditions are ideal, so let’s hope it stays that way to ensure a successful spawn. Note: starting on February first through April the Upper Magothy is closed to fishing from Catherine Avenue to Lake Waterford dam.