Freshwater Fishing Report, August 26 Update:
The summer heat is still holding on which makes it important to concentrate fishing efforts during certain parts of the day to have the best success at catching our freshwater friends. Early morning hours will produce the most activity as cooler nights will drop water temperatures three to four degrees by sunrise. This triggers insect and baitfish activity and leads to feeding opportunities for bass, bluegills and larger crappies. Contributor Eric Packard says the bass were biting at St. Mary’s Lake this week, with a jerk bait proving to provide the bulk of the catching. Later in the week he hit Blackwater and said the snake bite was on the slow side with just a couple fish willing to hit. We also had some readers check in after spending the day there and while they also posted low numbers, their catches included some monster fish breaking the 30-inch envelope. Topwater frogs and chatter baits were the top offerings. Captain Mike of Apex Predators checked in from the Potomac to let us know that frogs on low tide and swim baits along with soft plastic critter baits on the high tides are producing bites for both snakes and bass. He has also been seeing pods of snakehead fry balls this week, so if you find one the parent swill likely be close by guarding them. Throw topwater frogs at or near the fry balls to make the parents strike out of defense. Be warned though, triggering a strike may take many casts.
Freshwater contributor Jim Gronaw checked in with some great information for our central and north-central Maryland lakes. Most of his recent efforts have been concentrated to smaller public and private waters for bass and panfish. Most of his bass have been taken on either buzz baits, hollow-body frogs, plastic frogs or various plastics such as Yum Dingers, Berkley Power Worms or various stick worms rigged on 4/0 offset hooks with 20-pound braid. Most fish have been averaging around two pounds but about every other trip he has encountered encounter fish in the four-pound class. He also reports the topwater bite with buzz baits and frogs has been enticing bass and is even successful in total darkness of pre-dawn trips. Large carp are now the headliners in some mid Maryland creeks and rivers as they hole-up during the heat and can be taken on corn, doughballs and worms. Overlooked, they provide great sport for those wanting to catch a 20-pound fish without having to travel far or spend a fortune.
Freshwater Fishing Report, August 19 Update:
The recent relief from summer heat has been just as much a relief to us as it has been to our freshwater friends. Cooler water temps should have fish more active during daylight hours, though the best bites are still coming in the mornings and evenings. Contributor Eric Packard reports that bass were biting this week in the central Maryland ponds. Wacky worms were doing the trick for enticing fish to bite. Packard also paid a visit to the upper Patuxent, where he found a few cooperative snakeheads interested in lunching on a green/blue topwater mouse. In addition to the ones he landed, he had numerous half-hearted attacks on his baits as the fish were acting more on the lethargic side. In addition to topwater lures, chatterbaits are a great choice for targeting snakeheads this time of year. If you see signs of fish in the area, be patient and keep throwing those lures at them to convince them to bite. One more thing, always finish your cast—snakes are notorious for following lures all the way to the bank or boat before striking.
We checked in with Mossy Creek to give us the latest and greatest on our area’s rivers and streams. Rain has replenished many of the trout streams that have been running low and the fishing has since picked up. Dry River has been great for those looking to target native brook trout. They report that hoppers, beetles, and ants are still the best patterns to use while blind fishing and prospecting up and down the creek. Nymph droppers off the back of a big terrestrial are picking up fish as well. Any attractor nymph in a size 14,16 on 5x tippet should take fish. The smallmouth bass fishing is still on fire as water levels and clarity have been great for months now. If conditions remain stable, expect fishing to remain good well into the fall. The topwater bite was excellent this past week and floating minnow and diving frogs were getting plenty of action as well.
Freshwater Fishing Report, August 12 Update:
The late summer heat has been keeping many fish lethargic during the better part of most days, but that shouldn’t stop us from fishing. Focus in on shaded shorelines or areas with structure as this is where most fish are currently spending their days. Freshwater correspondent Jim Gronaw has been enjoying an excellent bite on bluegill, crappie, pumpkinseed, and some bass in the central Maryland lakes, and says that Trout Magnet plastics have been working even through the heat of summer. Contributor Eric Packard made it to St. Mary’s Lake early this week and caught largemouth on a diving crankbait but noted that with surface temps now breaking 90-degrees in some areas overall it was slow, tough to fish, and the fish were holding deeper than they have been. Snakehead anglers continue to have success on topwater baits in the early morning hours. Working baits slow has been crucial for enticing these fish to hit. Reports of fish in the 20- to 30- inch range have been coming in from both sides of the Bay. Once the sun is up, tossing out a live minnow or bluegill under a bobber is a safe bet for getting the snakes to bite.
Up on the Susquehanna, the catfishing all along the river continues to provide anglers with steady action. Whether fishing from the bank or by boat, casting out fresh cut bait has been producing nice sized channels, blue, and flatheads. Those targeting smallies on the river have had luck throwing Whopper Ploppers in the early morning, making for some exciting action. Mossy Creek reports that lately the bug bite has been turning on in the late afternoon for our area’s western creeks and streams. They recommend stocking up on 0-3x leaders, fluorocarbon tippet, and your favorite smallmouth flies for the next two months of hot action. Trout fishing is very weather dependent this time of year but matching the hatch will greatly increase angler success. Trico’s will continue to hatch into the fall and Mossy Creek has confirmed some Hex’s hatching as well. Grasshoppers are getting big now and fish are starting to tune into them. Hopper Droppers should be the go- to for afternoon fishing throughout August.
Freshwater Fishing Report, August 5 Update:
We have a new Fishing Reports editor, folks! FishTalk welcomes Dillon Waters to the team, an angler who has sent in reader photos in the past that have made us thoroughly jealous — stripers, specks, and reds that any of us would be thrilled to catch. Dillon says:
“I’m a lifelong resident of Maryland. What an awesome state for fishing, right? I’m an avid outdoorsman and my main hobbies include fishing, hunting, and photography. If I have any free time, you will either find me on the water or in the woods! I graduated from St. Mary's College of Maryland in 2021 with a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies and currently have a full-time position with the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service working as a wildlife response technician. My favorite freshwater fish to catch is crappie (St. Mary's Lake has been very reliable) and my favorite saltwater fish to catch are speckled trout (the Tangier Sound is a beautiful place to target them). One of my other big interests is baseball — go O's! I look forward to being able to provide detailed and accurate reports to FishTalk’s readers moving forward.”
Welcome aboard, Dillon!
Just as we are doing most of our outdoor work in the morning or evening hours, most freshwater fish are doing the same. The intense late summer heat has many fish feeding at night and loafing in shaded areas during the better part of the day. Contributor Eric Packard reports that the bass are still biting strong at St. Mary’s Lake, however, he also encountered bunches of an odd bluish-greenish algae that has sprouted up in the lake. Later in the week Packard hit the Little Patuxent near Savage with a chartreuse/red plastic worm rigged wacky style and a Rooster Tail spinner, which produced a great smallmouth bite plus sunfish and a fall fish during an afternoon of walking the banks.
Bass and snakehead fishing has been best EARLY in the morning with poppers, buzz baits, and frogs getting blowups over grass and lily pads. Anglers targeting snakeheads in the tidal Potomac, Patuxent, and lower Dorchester County have had plenty of catches this week with some reports of 30” fish. Topwater baits early followed by white paddle tails as the sun comes up are safe bets to throw. Fishbones reports the snakehead bite has picked up in the rivers of the Mid to Upper Bay but bow fishermen have been very active in targeting them at night.
Most of the area rivers are running at base flow and the mid-summer fishing has been great. Mossy Creek reports that all flies are in play while bass fishing. Starting off with baitfish, crayfish, hellgrammite, or frog patterns early then moving to popping bus once the insects are out in full force has provided steady catches of smallies. Carp are also moving up into the shallows to feed. Brook trout fishing is for the most part on hold until there is a decent pulse of rain up in the mountains.
D & B sport shop at Deep Creek Lake reports slow fishing due to the amount of summertime vacationers on the water. Fishing the early morning hours before the boat traffic and mid-day heat set in has been essential for giving anglers the best chance at hooking up. Coves off the main stem of the lake have been providing sunfish, perch, and pickerel. Some walleye have been being caught in deeper water around the bridges on live minnows. Again, the first and last hour of daylight will provide the best chances for hook ups! These patterns will persist at our larger destination lakes throughout the dog days of summer.