Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 28 Update:
Pickerel fishing has been good as anglers start to get back out on the water with the nicer weather. Readers reported a bite on some nice pickerel in the Baltimore area creeks this week, including a 26.5” from Stoney. However, FishTalk’s Zach Ditmars said he went there over the weekend and found the kayak launch iced up. So, he headed for Smithville, which was also iced up. Eventually he found a launch that wasn’t iced over at one of the Delaware millponds, where he said the bite was slow with just three fish in the 18” to 20” range willing to bite. Luckily, the weather took a turn for the better in the latter half of the week with temperatures reaching the 60-degree mark. After the brutally cold winter we have had, we shouldn’t get out hopes up as this is usually what we call “false spring” as the cold weather is likely to return at some point. Now through spring is an excellent time to target pickerel in the upper Bay tidal tributaries as they will be very active. They are often found hanging in the creeks on the upper reaches of the tribs near docks, rip-rap, and fallen trees. Jerkbaits, chatterbaits, and spinners are all top producing baits when it comes to pickerel.
Perch reports have been slow to roll in this year and we aren’t sure if it’s because the run is starting later or if anglers are tight lipped about the run starting. We did heard from an angler who said he has been finding some success for yellow perch in the upper creeks of the Magothy near Beechwood, but said the bite hasn’t been on fire. Live minnows under a bobber are working best right now and a few recent outings have produced a handful of perch one time and a skunk on another. Water temperatures still need to rise quite a bit before white perch start their spawning run, which typically takes place from mid-March through April. This is also the time that blue catfish become very active and March is known to be a great time for catching them in the Upper Bay tidal rivers and along the bayfront at Sandy Point and Gibson Island. Commercial catfishermen are already catching a lot of fish in the Rock Hall area. As days get longer and temperatures trend upward, the bite for several species should pick up.
Striped Bass Closure Update: Starting Saturday, March 1st, many of the Chesapeake Bay tidal rivers and parts of the Upper Bay will be closed for targeting striped bass. Other sections of the Bay will remain open for the month of March before the entirety of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland governed waters closes from April 1st to May 15th. Anglers can view an interactive Striped Bass Regulation Map on the Maryland DNR website to see when and where closures take place.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 21 Update:
Pickerel and perch are what Upper Bay anglers have to look forward to in the coming weeks. FishTalk’s Zach Ditmars reports a decent if not fast pickerel bite in the creeks near Baltimore, with four fish hitting in Stoney one day last weekend. They were quality fish with a 24” in the mix, and he noted that long stretches of water were sparse, and the fish were tightly grouped in one spot. We also had a reader report of a 26.5” pickerel caught in the area. Another reader fishing the Magothy reported a slow, but somewhat steady pickerel bite despite the cold this week catching a handful of fish on jerkbaits. Pickerel will remain a reliable target for Upper Bay anglers well into spring.
We are getting very close to the yellow perch run kicking off and with warm temperatures forecasted next week, we might see an uptick in action. The Magothy River hosts a robust yellow perch run and this time of year is when anglers usually start catching them in the smaller creeks in the upper reaches of the river. Minnows and grass shrimp are the two more effective baits when targeting them. Depths of six to 10 feet are usually where they hangout, especially around docks. The perch will still be schooled up tightly, so covering water and checking different areas may be required. Once you find them it is usually steady action. The minimum size for yellow perch is nine inches with a creel limit of 10 fish per day.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 14 Update:
Winter has not been forgiving to anglers fishing the Upper Bay. It has been a constant battle between cold temperatures, wind, and ice. Weather has been slightly milder recently and allowed for some fishing opportunities. Contributor Eric Packard spent some time recently battling the winds in the creeks near Baltimore and says the pickerel fishing has been a bright spot there with good numbers and some very nice fish (up to 25.5”) hitting lures cast in six to eight feet of water. A three-inch electric shad paddletail on a quarter-ounce head and a Rapala jerkbait both got them biting. Pickerel should continue to be a reliable target during the late winter and spring in the Upper Bay tributaries. As long as the tidal creeks and rivers don’t freeze over again, they can be caught in the Magothy River and all the Baltimore area creeks. Yellow perch will also be a hot topic soon as they typically start moving up the tidal tributaries by the end of February. Anglers fishing the upper creeks on the Magothy have historically found good numbers of yellow perch and a few white perch this time of year schooled up near docks in six to 10 feet of water. Live minnows rigged on a small jighead under a bobber is usually the best setup. You can also ditch the bobber and either use a jig tipped with a minnow or use bottom rigs. We will likely need a bit of a warm-up to trigger the perch spawn, so let's hope for warmer weather soon.
Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, February 6 Update:
The Upper Bay is finally free of ice for the most part, but the fishing is still on the slower side. The good news is that we can start looking forward to the spring spawning runs that should start kicking off here at the end of the month. Yellow perch will begin to move into their spawning tributaries and the more productive rivers are the Magothy and Chester. Anglers in the Magothy have been catching some yellows this winter, but the larger schools have yet to push into the smaller tidal creeks in big numbers. In the deeper waters of the Patapsco River white perch and resident striped bass will be lurking around depths of 40’ to 60’. It can be a challenge to get them to bite, but fishing on warming trends can give you a decent chance to find more active fish. Metal jigs and blade baits work very well for fish in deeper depths of this cold water. Another fishery that is usually reliable this time of year are chain pickerel. The Magothy River and Baltimore area creeks have an abundance of these fish that stay active in the winter months. They are typically found near docks and shorelines with structure. A tip for fishing in late winter and spring is to fish along southern facing shorelines that will be getting the most sun exposure. The waters in these areas are typically a bit warmer and pickerel will move into these areas for that reason. There is a lot to look forward to in the coming months, so gear up and get ready.
