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Thaw Out & First Casts

The thick ice is receding. Thin ice persists. But the middle Chesapeake Bay region is beginning to thaw out. After freezing temperatures and, at times, sub-zero Farenheit readings hampered the region for the better part of January, we’ve arrived to a week and change of a warming trend. And it feels good to hit 30 degrees, up to 40 some days. Nearly all snow has melted. And the ice blanketing our creeks and rivers is next. This leads the angling mind to wander into first casts for the new year and which species to target.

Reviewing my fishing log of Januarys and Februarys of yesteryears reveals a few things about my angling habits and what was biting. The data will steer my upcoming angling. To start, there is little doubt about what species are possible to pursue right now, so long as you have access. For large, migratory striped bass that are presently chilling—quite literally—in deep channel depths of the middle Bay, or blue catfish at the many deep river mouths, you’ll need a quality vessel and electronics to locate the fish. I recommend a charter guide if you’re unfamiliar with this pursuit and the deep water jigging and chunking methods it takes to entice a bite. Similarly, white perch are likely to be found in deep water, especially around structure. But, these won’t be my first targets of the new year.

Last January, early February my first outings took me trout stocked creeks/rivers in Central Maryland to pursue rainbows and browns on the fly. Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ winter/spring trout stocking program begins in late-January and extends into April. This year, stocking began on January 17th in Western Maryland waters before 1,800 rainbows and goldens were stocked in Upper Gunpowder Falls a week later. With the ice melt, more water will become accessible for stocking.

Stocker trout caught in the Little Pax on 2/1 with a black woolly bugger.

Closer to my home, the Little Patuxent River near Savage, Maryland, will likely be stocked within the first two weeks of February. There are three effective approaches to catching trout in the shallow, running creekwaters that are riddled with small boulders and stones: (1) tiny streamers, buggers, or worms on 3–5wt fly rods, (2) tiny inline spinners on light spinning gear, or (3) trout bait pinched onto small #8 or #10 octopus hooks fished with a pinch of lead under a bobber. I opt for fly fishing—a good opportunity to flex those muscles.

Another target species in these waters, and many other shallow Central Maryland riversheds during ice melt, is fallfish. Absolutely underrated by many anglers, the fallfish is a tough, albeit little, fighter. The aforementioned techniques will catch them, but if I’m targeting them—and I have a couple times in winters past—I’m likely to try either (A) small 1/16oz jigs tipped with 1–2″ plastic stingers on light spinning gear or (B) drifting tiny gulp minnow near bottom under a pencil bobber rig in the current from upstream to down. I have caught healthy, frisky, and somewhat sizable specimens with both methods in seemingly unlikely, shallow waters and their adjacent holes.

Panfish will become popular February through March with the yellow and white perch runs. Crappie can also come into play. Traditionally, the first taget species of the year for many anglers, yellow perch will begin their spawning runs as soon as the water approaches 50 degrees. Today, January 31st, temperatures across the region in the upper reaches of many rivers/creeks are hovering between 33 to 40 degrees, according to USGS monitored water conditions. We’re inching closer to the runs. On the heels of the yellow perch spawn, the white perch do their thing, often in the same waters. Salt ponds that dot the region are also prime waters to find white perch. My most consistently caught species during mid-February to early-March of the past three years were white perch. I favor small underspins (stumpjumpers), shad darts/spoon combos, and jig/stingers, all fished on light spinning setups, to catch them up.

If I’m fishing my home river, the Severn River, by boat, which I do as often as conditions allow possible from thaw out onward, I’m likely to target chain pickerel. The Reel Chesapeake archive of chain pickerel reports from past winters reveals several techniques, lures, and conditions to fish for this species at this time of year. On a sunny winter day with temps above 35 and little wind, I’ll be on the boat trying for chains, likely with a medium setup and jerkbaits on the end of the line. Hopefully I can catch a high tide.

In the month(s) ahead, I’ll be lining up tackle for a variety of species and planning outings to suit my style of fishing. I’m also planning a few new pursuits (common carp) and looking forward to spring fishing for the shad runs (coming in late-March). Until then, winter fishing is opening up and there will be plenty of opportunities to bend a rod.

See y’all on the water again, real soon!