Way North Fishing Reports
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 24 Update:
The bass bite is on in the Way North Region. Reports Editor Dillon Waters took a trip up to the Susquehanna Flats to fish with local anglers Rich Leadbeater and Shane Muller for largemouth bass. Many anglers may not know that this area of the Chesapeake Bay is one of the best tidal bass fisheries on the East Coast. They started their day fishing on the middle of the flats where milfoil grass beds were expansive. The bass were eager to bite for most of the day, and between the three of them, there were close to 50 largemouth bass caught. A five-pound channel catfish and a 14-inch white perch were also mixed in. Chatterbaits were the hot lures working them just over the grass beds. White, light blue, and green colored soft plastic trailers all worked well throughout the day. A few fish were also caught on white swim jigs and dark blue swim worms. It was a busy day on the flats as they encountered over 50 other boats throughout the day, but there seemed to be plenty of fish to go around as several other boats were landing fish around them. Rich caught the big fish of the day that weighed five pounds six ounces. Most of the bass were in the two-to-three-pound range. This bite should remain good through the end of the month. More aquatic grasses will continue to grow on the Susquehanna Flats through the spring, so the bass patterns will be shifting as the cover changes. We also had a reader report that the bass and crappie were active in the Elk River, catching both species while fishing at Crystal Beach Marina.
While the shallows are alive with bass, the catfish bite has been very good in the slightly deeper waters near the lower Susquehanna River. The shad runs are still going on, and more white perch are starting to show up in the river, so catfish are looking to feed heavily on the abundance of baitfish right now. The mouths of the tidal rivers, including the Susky, Elk, and Sassafras are good locations to try for these invasive fish. Fresh cut gizzard shad has been working very well. As water temperatures continue to warm, better numbers of white perch are starting to show up in this region. One angler reported catching a few keeper-sized ones on the southeast side of the flats in around five feet of water. The areas from Lapidum down to Perry Point should also be good locations. River flows on the lower Susquehanna are running low and clearer due to lack of rainfall this spring. This has made for decent conditions for shad anglers searching the waters below the Conowingo Dam, near Deer Creek, and Octoraro Creek. Darts and spoons in various colors and combinations have been working. Just make sure to have an assortment to fish with as the shad can be picky on their preferences from day to day. Up at the Conowingo Dam, anglers are reporting that gizzard shad are thick, and they are accidentally snagging them at times.
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 17 Update:
The water clarity has been fairly dirty this spring on the Flats, but the submerged aquatic vegetation is starting to grow back, which is helping clear things up. Once the grass mats mature on the flats for the year, water clarity will greatly improve, pending any big rain events. The Flats will be a hotspot for spring bass fishing over the next few weeks. Largemouth will be cruising along the edges of these grass beds searching for baitfish, so baits such as spinners, chatterbaits, and swimbaits will be top choices. Northern snakehead will also become more active now that water temperatures are warming up. Hotspots in the Way North region are the Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna Flats, and areas around the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. On warm days in the spring, the topwater bite can turn on in the afternoon, so it is not too early to try throwing topwater frogs, especially with the warm weather we have been blessed with. Striped bass are still off limits in the Way North region of the Chesapeake Bay. The Susquehanna Flats and surrounding areas are closed until June 1st. This is to protect the spawning fish and allow them to do their business, then migrate south out of the Bay and up the coast.
The shad run is in full swing on the lower Susquehanna River. Large numbers of hickory shad have moved into the river near Deer Creek, Octoraro Creek, and just below the Conowingo Dam. Shad anglers have been finding success on white, chartreuse, and red shad darts. Gold and silver spoons have also been effective, especially in deeper waters and faster flows. We have not heard of any American shad being caught, but based on previous years, there should be some around the area. White perch should also be arriving in the lower Susquehanna River soon. We don’t have any reports yet, but late April is usually when anglers start finding better numbers of these fish. Bottom rigs tipped with grass shrimp, bloodworms, or Fishbites are usually all you need to start catching them once they are in the area. The arrival of shad and perch to the area has turned the blue catfish bite on in the tidal rivers. These fish are feeding on shallow flats and near ledges where the shallows transition to deeper water. The lower Susquehanna near Port Deposit and Havre De Grace has been a hotspot for these tidal blue catfish behemoths. The mouth of the Elk River is another great area to fish this time of year. Fresh cut gizzard shad has been working very well across the northern Chesapeake Bay. Expect this bite to remain good for several more weeks.
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 10 Update:
Striped bass fishing is off limits in the Way North region of the Chesapeake Bay, so anglers will have to focus on other species. The good news is that as water temperatures are warming, more species are offering opportunities. Hickory shad have arrived in the lower Susquehanna River where they are being caught around Deer Creek and Octoraro Creek. Water clarity in these areas was dirty earlier in the week, but should be cleaning up as there has not been any recent rainfall. However, releases from Conowingo Dam can affect water conditions. The preferred colors of shad darts and spoons can vary from day to day based on weather conditions, so make sure to bring several options to try. These fish can also be caught just below the Conowingo Dam, but anglers will want to check the spill conditions before heading to the dam to fish. Depending on how many gates are open and how high the water is, the walkway at Conowingo Fisherman’s Park occasionally gets closed.
Big blue catfish are roaming around the lower Susquehanna River near Port Deposit and Havre De Grace. These behemoths are known to get over 40 pounds. The next few weeks will be an excellent time to fish for them as they feed heavily before they spawn later in the spring. There is no shortage of these fish in the area, and they can be caught both from shore and from boats. Fresh cut bait, especially gizzard shad, works very well this time of year. Warming water temperatures will also start to bring back the aquatic vegetation on the Susquehanna Flats, which means bass and snakehead will become more active in this area. Temperatures are forecasted to get into the 70s and possibly even the 80s next week. If this forecast holds true, there will definitely be opportunities for snakehead fishing. Swimbaits, spinners, and chatterbaits are all excellent early-season bass and snakehead lures, but topwater frogs are not out of the question either. Emerging grass beds, pad fields, and other shallow areas of vegetation will likely offer opportunities for both species.
Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 3 Update:
April has arrived, which means that the no-targeting closure for striped bass is now in effect for the Way North region of the Chesapeake Bay. Anglers will be prohibited from targeting stripers from now until June 1st. While they are off limits, there are several other species to fish for. As the grasses emerge on the Susquehanna Flats, the bass fishing will heat up. Fish are in pre-spawn mode right now and should be pushing into shallow water on flats and into creeks as they get ready to make their beds. Now is a great time to throw rat-l-traps, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits. Northern snakehead will also start to become more active. Your best chance to catch an early-season snakehead is during a warm sunny day when these fish will become active during the midday and afternoon hours. You can even catch them on topwater this early, but swimbaits and spinners work very well too.
Shad have made their appearance in northern areas, with readers reporting catches of up to a dozen or so hickories in Deer Creek. Tiny gold spoons and red/white and green/yellow shad dart tandem rigs were triggering the strikes early this week when the sun was shining. These fish should also be available to catch at the Conowingo Dam and Octoraro Creek. The color and lure preferences of shad can change from day to day, so it is best to bring a variety of options with you in your tackle box. We cover all the basics you need to know in our Spring Shad Fishing article. White perch usually move into the lower Susquehanna River sometime around mid-April through mid-May. There are some around now, but the large schools of fish looking to run up the river to spawn are not quite there yet.
Another species that we highly encourage anglers to fish for is blue catfish. The Way North region is a hotspot for tidal blue catfish, and there are some giants in the area. Now through the rest of spring is one of the best times to catch a trophy blue cat in the 40-to-50-pound range. We have a few reports from anglers catching good-sized fish from the shoreline around Perryville. If you can get out on the water, anchoring up at the mouths of the Way North tidal rivers will put you in a good location to catch blue catfish with cut bait. Fresh gizzard shad works extremely well for these fish. If you catch a blue catfish, you should enter it into CCA Maryland’s Great Chesapeake Invasives Count. All you have to do is log your invasive species catch, and you are entered to win monthly prizes. The data collected helps fisheries managers track the spread of invasive fish in our waterways.
