Upper Bay Fishing Reports

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.