Way North Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report, April 2022

North Chesapeake Fishing Report, April 29 Update:

With the weather settling down a bit the shad bite showed some improvement early in the week. We didn’t hear words like “red hot” or “gangbusters,” but some decent catches have been made below the dam, Deer Creek, and Octoraro Creek. A reader fishing Octoraro reported a dozen or so fish on a spoon/dart tandem.

shad
If you want to enjoy some shad action, casting tandem rigs with a spoon and dart is the move.

While the perch run may be done for the spring, whites remain in the river and can be targeted with bottom rigs or tandems tipped with grass shrimp. Their numbers haven’t been fantastic though, and the best catch we heard about this week was seven keepers. The other option to be pursued is, of course, Mr. Reliable: catfish. Anchor within sight of the 95 bridge, drop down cut bait, and hang on. We might normally suggest doing much the same in the vicinity of the Flats but with this area shut down to striper anglers and a fair likelihood of one taking cut fish baits, it may be advisable to choose another destination. The DNR has been clear that any stripers you may accidentally tie into must be released while they’re still in the water (don’t pull them out even for a quick pic), and if you’re catching one after the next, it’s time to change spots.


North Chesapeake Fishing Report, April 22 Update:

Perch and cats are in the neighborhood and biting, and we heard from a reader fishing off Swan Harbor last weekend who reported a great mixed bite for both species. These two continue to dominate the bite up north, and in general, across the Bay. The white perch bite on the Susquehanna remains so-so. Water clarity reportedly isn’t great, and so many anglers are opting to use bait. Herb’s reported that bloodworms or grass shrimp on bottom rigs are common, but some anglers are using jigs tipped with either bait as well. Finding clear water has been the ticket for many anglers reporting good days, in tune with last week’s reports.

perch and catfish
Issac got into a nice mix, in the northern reaches of the Bay.

For the catfish, things haven’t changed too much since last week either. The cats remain heavy across the Flats, as well as up the Susquehanna and other northern tribs. Using cut bait for them is most productive, and so most common. Fresh menhaden, chicken livers, or clam snouts are all great things to have on the end of your line if you’re looking to bring in a big blue cat. And bringing in the big blues is what has many anglers fishing — with striped bass shut down until April 30th, they’re a favorite for anglers looking to put some bend in their rods. A couple of hefty catches were reported by anglers fishing with cut bait near the mouth of the Bush and Elk rivers this week, too. Cats in the 20-pound range, and many stretching nicely over the 20-inch mark, aren’t a rarity for patient anglers.

Snakehead are also showing some signs of life on warmer days, although the cold snap we had late in the week slowed them up. One angler checked in after a skunk day mid-week.


North Chesapeake Fishing Report, April 15 Update:

Stripers are still shut down for catch-and-release, and so many anglers have turned their attention elsewhere before their season comes back in. Blue catfish remained a frequent target throughout the week, and are giving plenty of action to anglers fishing for them from the shoreline and by boat. Herb’s reported that they’re taking cut baits, including alewife. Clam snouts and chicken livers are also classics for them.

panfish in the northeast river
Finding clear water has been important recently, as Kenny can attest to after catching up a nice mix of species.

Panfish are another a favorite to fish for right now, a mix of perch and crappie. Finding clear water by running up into areas like the Northeast has been important as the inflow settles out and throughout the area anglers have been contending with water clarity issues due to the Conowingo Dam outflow throughout the week, although conditions are expected to improve. Some anglers who checked in from the lower Susquehanna reported more consistent white perch catches than we’ve seen over the past several weeks. For the most part, anglers are opting to use shad darts or bottom rigs with blood worms or grass shrimp.

Reports of hickory shad around in the lower Susquehanna around from Lapidum to Deer Creek were varied this week, with water quality playing a large role in the bite. Anglers using spoons and shad darts reported that they were catching some, but others who encountered poor water quality noted that it really put a damper on hits.


North Chesapeake Fishing Report, April 7 Update:

This week we checked in with Captain Bones and Herbs, who were quick to let us know that despite the poor weather, there was plenty going on. White perch are around the Susquehanna, accessible from shore or by boat. Herb’s and Captain Bone’s both recommended using bloodworms — while some anglers have been using minnows, the bloodworms are taking the cake as top-producer. Captain Bones did caution, though, that some anglers are finding striped bass on the end of their line while fishing for the perch there. The fish are moving upriver to spawn—and are currently off-limits for catch-and-release fishing. If you get into a pocket of stripers, best to move on. Herb’s also identified the Turkey Point shoreline as a good spot for white perch this week, and mentioned that there’s a great catfish bite pretty much everywhere. They mentioned that cut bunker was a good bait. BLUE CAT ANGLER ALERT: Don’t forget to sign up for the FREE CCA-MD Invasives Species Count. Just take a pic of the blue cats you catch, upload them on iAngler, and you’ll be entered to win uber-cool angling prizes!! (Plus, fisheries scientists will then get access to the population data you help to accumulate).

ugly catfish in muddy water
Yep, blue cats have become ol' Mr. Reliable... even when the waters are a bit churned.

A solid two weeks behind southern areas, we finally have word of shad showing up in the northern end of the Bay. Tochterman’s reported that shad are starting below Conowingo, Deer Creek, and at Lapidum, and that they’re hoping to see more of a turn on this week. Hopefully, the recent rainfall won’t muck things up too much; there are reports of floodgate openings in the next couple of days, so... well, fingers are crossed.


North Chesapeake Fishing Report, April 1 Update:

White perch and catfish are providing most of the action up north, with a good bite from both species. White perch are generally around the upper and middle sections of tidal rivers right now and can be located in pockets of deep water and holes. A few readers who checked in mentioned that the 10-to-15-foot range was productive for them. Herb’s Tackle Shop reported that many anglers have been headed to the Susquehanna River and that there’s been chatter of them at Elk Neck State Park, as well. Otherwise, local anglers are managing to find nearby perch pockets in their tidal rivers and close by spots. The perch have been taking small jigs tipped with grass shrimp or minnow. If you can get ahold of some bloodworms, they’ve been effective on a bottom rig, too.

carp caught in the river
Seth found the carp willing to bite in the Susquehanna this week.

Catfish remain a key player on the scene for their abundance and size — there are tons of large blues and channel cats around the Susquehanna and the Dam, and pretty much everywhere else. Cut alewife and menhaden, clam snouts, and chicken liver are all doing the trick for catfish. One angler who fished the Susquehanna from shoreline this week photo-confirmed that they had a slow but worthwhile night-time bite for catfish, landing a single blue north of 32-inches on a fresh, juicy piece of menhaden. We also heard from a reader hunting for carp on the Susquehanna that this species has woken up for the spring for sure, and have been hitting hard on bottom rigs baited with worms.

Striper closed for catch-and-release today. In other news, crabbing season officially opens today in Maryland. We don’t expect to see them on trot lines for a while, but in the meantime the potters will go to work and soon a supply should hit the streets.