Freshwater Fishing Reports
Freshwater Fishing Report, November 6 Update:
Late-fall bass patterns are developing across the region, with largemouth increasingly relating to deeper structure and baitfish. Crappie are beginning to school around submerged cover, while recently stocked trout are providing another option, including reports of some surprisingly large fish coming from local ponds.
Freshwater bass fishing across the DMV is settling into classic late-fall patterns, with largemouth increasingly focused on baitfish as cooling water temperatures push them toward deeper structure and nearby wintering areas. Where to find fish will vary depending on your body of water, but you will want to look for fish around creek mouths, channel edges, submerged grass, docks, and deeper points, particularly where schools of bait are present. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and lipless crankbaits are excellent choices for covering water and triggering reaction strikes, while swimbaits and underspins can be productive when bass are keyed in on schools of shad. On tougher days, slow things down with a football jig, shaky head, or Texas-rigged soft plastic worked along deeper transitions and around isolated cover. Don't overlook shallow water during warmer afternoons, either, as bass will still move up to feed when conditions are favorable. Contributor Eric Packard checked in after visiting St. Mary’s Lake with his grandson. They caught some largemouth bass and pickerel on wacky rigged urchin baits. Two of the pickerel were caught on a Rapala jerkbait.
Panfish action is a good option across the region as crappie begin schooling up around deeper structure with cooling water temperatures. St. Mary's Lake, Piney Run Reservoir, Liberty Reservoir, and the Eastern Shore millponds are all worth exploring, with anglers finding fish around submerged timber, brush piles, bridge pilings, and the deeper edges of weed beds. Try working 1/16- to 1/8-ounce jigheads paired with small two-inch tube jigs or curly-tail plastics in white, chartreuse, and red-and-white patterns. Live minnows fished beneath a slip bobber are another excellent choice, particularly when fish are suspended and reluctant to chase artificials. Bluegill and other sunfish can still provide plenty of action in smaller ponds and around shallow cover, especially during warmer afternoon hours. Light tackle and small jigs or pieces of worm under a bobber will keep the rods bending.
FishTalk contributor Adam Greenberg checked in with a report this week after targeting some trout. He and a friend went to the northern part of the state. Adam was determined to stick with the fly rod, casting elk hair caddis and nymphs, but couldn’t come tight. His friend was casting around a small black soft plastic on a spinning rod and caught two brown trout. Maryland DNR completed their fall stockings, wrapping up with locations in southern Maryland. Reports from anglers in the southern region of the state showed that the trout bite was slow, but the ones that are biting are big. One reader checked in and said they caught three from a local pond during an afternoon this week, and all were around 16”. Another reader fishing a different pond said they only caught a few fish on Berkley mouse tails, but they were big too. What worked best was rigging the mouse tails about two feet under a bobber, then casting in the vicinity of rising fish. They tried casting spinners, but the trout didn’t show any interest. There should still be plenty of trout in stocked locations across the state, providing a great freshwater angling opportunity for the next few weeks. To get the most up to date trout stocking information, make sure to visit the Virginia DWR trout stocking website and the Maryland DNR trout stocking website.
