Maryland Fishing Report – March 18

As the days grow longer and increasingly warmer, Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay waters will continue to slowly warm up for gamefish moving up to spawn. As reported from the buoys, main Bay and river mouth surface water temperatures are holding in the mid 40s. Smaller rivers and streams temperatures are holding around 50s. However, smaller streams and downwind areas on a sunny day will warm faster and will often hold water temperatures closer to the mid 50s. Such areas in low salinity areas will be prime areas to look for yellow perch as they move up from their wintering areas in the downstream portion of rivers and prepare to spawn in the next couple of weeks in Maryland waters.

Expect average flows for most Maryland rivers and streams. Expect average clarity for most Maryland portions of the Bay and rivers. To see the latest water clarity conditions on NOAA satellite maps, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps.  There will be above average tidal currents  all week as a result of the March 18 new moon.

For more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast.

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Upper Chesapeake Bay

Anglers in the lower Susquehanna River and nearby Bay waters are seeing stained water conditions and large amounts of floating wood debris in the area. The water releases from the Conowingo Dam have diminished but these conditions will prevail for a time. If you are targeting yellow perch, better options for now include the North East, the upper Bush, Sassafras, Chester, and Magothy rivers. Warmer water temperatures at the 50-degree mark, have the yellow perch moving up to their spawning areas and the white perch are not far behind. 

Lip-hooked small minnows are the most popular bait for yellow perch. They can be worked close to the bottom with a split shot in shallow waters and a bottom rig with a sinker heavy enough to hold bottom in deeper and stronger current waters. In the spawning areas casting small jigs and shad darts with some scent or a small minnow work well. Grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworms make the best baits to entice white perch. 

Fishing for blue catfish is getting better every day as warming water temperatures spur the catfish into increased activity. Channel catfish will also be in the mix. Gizzard shad is the most preferred bait, but any cut fish or scented baits will do the job. Blue catfish can be found in every tidal river in the upper bay and out in the bay but the mouth of the Susquehanna and the middle section of the Chester River offer some of the best opportunities. 

Anglers will be looking for catch-and-release action for striped bass in the Susquehanna Flats, lower Susquehanna River, and Northeast River areas until April 1, at which time the area will be closed through April 30. During that time, anglers should not fish above the line from the state boat ramp at Lapidum to Twin Rocks to Tomes Wharf in Port Deposit. Be advised the Natural Resources Police watch this line carefully. The lower boundary is a line from Turkey Point to Sandy Point. 

Specifically the boundaries are: Susquehanna Flats, upstream of a line from Sandy Point to Turkey Point and the Susquehanna River downstream from a line connecting the Susquehanna State Park boat ramp at Lapidum (defined by Lat. 39°35.86′ N and Long. 76°07.67′ W) to Twin Rocks (defined by Lat. 39°36.17′ N and Long. 76°07.56′ W) to Tomes Wharf in Port Deposit (defined by Lat. 39°36.23′ N and Long. 76°06.99′ W); and the Northeast River. Note: The “Tomes Wharf” coordinate is closest to Lee’s Landing Dock Bar.

Below these areas, catch-and-release continues until April 30.

Middle Bay

Many of the anglers in the middle Bay are focused on the spawning runs of yellow perch and white perch this week. A fair portion of the yellow perch spawned in the Hillsboro area of the Tuckahoe and the Choptank River above Greensboro last week. Water temperatures in both areas were about 50 degrees. Anglers in the Denton area of the Choptank River were catching the vanguard of the white perch run. Most of the white perch that were caught were small males, anglers also caught large numbers of 10-inch blue catfish. Bloodworms were the most popular bait being used by shore-based anglers. Those fishing from boats and kayaks tended to use shad dart type small jigs with added scent or lip hooked small minnows.

Warming water temperatures are causing blue catfish to become more active in the Choptank River. The section of the river from the Dover Bridge area to Denton hold some of the best opportunities to catch them. They are generally holding in the deeper portions of the channels. Non-offset circle hooks with a sliding sinker rig provide one of the best setups for blue catfish; an 8/0 circle hook is a good size to use. Gizzard shad is one of the best baits to use if you can obtain it, while cut white perch and menhaden also make good baits. If you can keep it on the hook, chicken liver is a good bait, scented chicken breast works well.

Striped bass anglers can enjoy some catch-and-release action in the main part of the bay this month. Anglers are urged to handle the fish as little as possible and preferably do not remove them from the water. It is understood that everyone wants a picture to brag about, but these large female striped bass hold the future of our fishery. Have a plan before you put a line in the water. Someone should be ready to take a picture, use a rubber landing net and cradle the fish horizontally with rubber gloves. Make it quick and get the fish back in the water. The catch-and-release boundaries after April 1 will be: Chesapeake Bay downstream from a line between Abbey Point and Worton Point to the Virginia line including Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds.

For catch-and-release fishing, jigging is a good option for you and the fish. When trolling all hooks on lures must be barbless when trolling, so flatten those barbs, no stinger hooks and no more than six lines can be trolled at any time. The DNR website offers some tips on proper catch-and-release techniques.

Anglers in the lower Bay are seeing yellow perch holding in the spawning reaches of Mattawoman Creek at Mason’s Branch, Wayson’s Corner on the Patuxent, and the Marshyhope Creek off the Nanticoke River. The yellow perch have already spawned in some of these locations so the opportunity to catch post-spawn yellow perch is available now. Lip-hooked minnows are a popular bait choice, but small jigs and shad darts tipped with a piece of minnow or a dose of fish attractant is a fun ultra-light tackle way to fish for them. 

White perch are moving into these same areas and can also be encountered on the Eastern Shore’s Wicomico and Pocomoke rivers. Bottom rigs and small jig heads tipped with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm are excellent ways to fish for the white perch. The vanguard of the white perch runs often are made up of smaller males. The larger female white perch will soon follow. 

Fishing for blue catfish is good in the tidal Potomac, Patuxent, and Nanticoke rivers this week. The blue catfish are beginning to stir from their somewhat inactive winter behavior as water temperatures warm. They can be found holding in the channels. 

Anglers seeking catch-and-release action for striped bass will find the largest fish along steep channel edges as they migrate up the bay and head into the spawning rivers. Jigging and trolling will be the most common ways to fish for them. The main stem of the Potomac River is also open to catch and release fishing, but all other tidal rivers in the lower Bay are closed to targeting striped bass.

Freshwater Fishing

Saturday, March 21 will be a big day for parents and mentors of our young anglers under the age of 16. The youth trout fishing day commences at 6:30 a.m. in all the closure 1 trout management waters for our young anglers. They will be allowed to keep two stocked trout. The following Saturday, March 28, will be the traditional opening day for all trout management waters, and all closure 1 waters will be stocked for the big event.

March is an excellent time to fish for crappie in nontidal and tidal waters across Maryland. During the early spring months crappie stick to submerged structure like glue. Sunken brush, fallen treetops, sunken wood, and marina docks all provide inviting places for crappie to school up. A small minnow under a slip bobber is the most popular way to fish for them but marabou jigs suspended under a bobber can also work. 

Anglers targeting crappie often use what are called “spider rigs”, which are an array of rod holders that enable anglers to fish numerous outfits as they slowly drift near structure. This method of fishing is very effective in tidal waters. The tidal Potomac near the Wilson Bridge, the Nanticoke, Wicomico, and Pocomoke rivers are excellent places to fish for crappie.

Grass beds in tidal and nontidal waters are beginning to emerge but have a way to go, so chain pickerel are still holding near sunken wood and the most advanced submerged vegetation. Largemouth bass are becoming very active and are prowling areas between the shallowest waters and the deepest in search of food.

Chesapeake Channa (northern snakeheads) are also starting to become active and often can be found in the shallow and sunny side of tidal rivers during the afternoon hours. Large minnows under a bobber are a popular way to fish for them this time of the year when water temperatures are marginal for them.

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays

The waters around Ocean City remain close to 40 degrees this week. There is not much happening in the surf except spiny dogfish and clearnose skates. Inside the inlet there are reports of some catch and release fishing for striped bass near the Route 90 Bridge. Most of the fish being caught do not meet the minimum length of 28 inches but are providing plenty of fun. 

Outside the inlet at the offshore wreck and reef sites it is all about fishing for tautog. Anglers are bringing some hefty fish over the rails of party boats. Many of the tautog being caught are in the double-digit category. The daily creel limit for tautog will remain four per day at a minimum length of 16 inches through May 15.