Freshwater Fishing Reports

Freshwater Fishing Report, January 22 Update:

As we enter the heart of the winter season, fewer anglers are getting out to brave the cold weather for a chance to catch a fish. This week started off cold but gave us a brief warmup that melted some ice. The larger lakes and reservoirs in our region can offer decent opportunities for winter largemouth bass fishing. Slow and methodical is the name of the game this time of year. Finesse fishing with drop shot rigs, slow rolling spinnerbaits, and using glidebaits can all be effective tactics. We had one report from an angler fishing in Washington D.C. who said that bass are schooled up near deep water structures such as brush piles or wood in the main stem of the Potomac. Another angler in that region reported that some bass are hanging around the deeper marina pilings. An angler fishing on the Rappahannock north of Port Royal had a successful midweek trip, catching yellow perch and crappie at depths of 12’ to 20’. They were using drop shot rigs with artificial jigs.

Mossy Creek Fly Fishing let us know that they are looking forward to the potential winter storm this weekend which would help replenish some of the waterways. They report that streams that have been stocked in their area include Pedlar, Bullpasture, Back Creek DH, Jackson Special Reg, Passage Creek DH, North Fork Shenandoah, South River in Grottoes. Mountain streams will have some ice and will be very cold by the weekend. Any lakes or ponds in Virginia and Maryland will likely be frozen by next week as some seriously cold weather appears to be on the way. Maryland DNR has not started their trout stockings this year, and they will likely have to wait until a thaw before they can begin operations. Regardless, you can find the most up to date trout stocking information on the Maryland DNR trout stocking website and the Virginia DWR trout stocking website.

Freshwater Fishing Report, January 15 Update:

We are two weeks into the new year, and I think all of us are ready for warmer weather. There are still plenty of fishing opportunities right now, but gearing up to brave the cold usually takes a lot of convincing. A reader checked in after fishing one of the Eastern Shore millponds this week. They reported a good bite for a mix of pickerel and bass. Most of their catches were bass that were schooled up in the deeper waters of the pond. Their largest fish was a 23” fish, which is quite big by Maryland’s standards. They also mentioned that one day, the fish would only hit minnows, but the next they would only hit jerkbaits. The bite patterns can change from day to day in the winter, so it is good to have several bait options to try if the fish are stubborn.

FishTalk contributor Eric Packard checked in this week after taking a trip with a friend up to Allens Fresh last weekend. They were targeting blue catfish but were not able to locate any. Their consolation fish were two channel catfish, and two gizzard shad that were accidentally snagged. This time of year, the blue catfish usually head out to deeper channels and holes at depths of 30 feet or more. Almost all the larger Chesapeake Bay tidal rivers have large populations of blue catfish, and since they are an invasive species that has caused a lot of ecological harm, it is always a good idea to fish for them and remove them from our waters. Gizzard shads are an excellent bait for blue catfish. In the winter, small chunks of bait usually work better than throwing out large baits. Make sure to log your invasive species catches with the Great Chesapeake Invasives Count for a chance to win some great prizes courtesy of Maryland CCA.

Freshwater Fishing Report, January 8 Update:

The weather was unseasonably mild this week, which made it pleasant to get out and cast a line. Our freshwater fish aren’t as active in the winter, but warming trends like we had this week can get them active. We had a report from a reader who said the crappie and bass were feeding in D.C. this week. Drop-offs and deeper cover seem to be where most of the fish are hanging out. Down on the Pocomoke River, Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that their trips have been productive over the past week. Minnows are the ticket right now and trolling them on small jigs under a bobber or floating them along drop-offs is working well. Pickerel, largemouth bass, yellow perch, and even catfish are common bycatch in the river.

FishTalk contributor Adam Greenberg checked in after trout fishing in Montgomery County. Unfortunately, he had a rough go at it. He hiked six miles and was only able to find a few holes to fish because of how low the water was. Runs that usually have three feet of water only had about 10 inches. He didn’t catch any fish, but not for lack of trying. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing reports that mild temperatures have helped boost water temperatures and feeding activity this week. Water levels are low and clear at the moment. The higher elevation brook trout streams still have some decent flow, but the fish are spooky. They had some anglers catch brookies last weekend and even caught some on dry flies. Virginia DWR has also been out stocking several areas recently. The Maryland DNR stocking crews should be getting ready for some pre-season trout stockings at the end of this month, so keep an eye out for that. Anglers can find the latest stocking information on the Virginia DWR trout stocking website and Maryland DNR trout stocking website.

Freshwater Fishing Report, January 1 Update:

Happy New Year folks! We hope that everyone has made one of their resolutions to get out and fish more in 2026. FishTalk’s kayak sharpie, Zach Ditmars, says he launched at the Smithville millpond in search of pickerel this week, but only lasted for a few hours before turning numb. For the effort, he had three bites, resulting in one pickerel landed. In many areas, ice is likely to become a problem in the coming days, while in others anglers are waiting for it—we had our first report this week of hard water fishing from Deep Creek, where some of the protected coves (but not the larger sections of the lake) have hardened up enough to venture out. A couple of walleye and yellow perch were reportedly caught. In the central Maryland Reservoirs, largemouth bass are spending most of their time along drop-offs and deep-water cover. Bass are less active this time of year, so a slower approach is often required when targeting them. Deep diving crankbaits, football jigs, swimbaits, and glidebaits are all great lure options.

There are likely some hold over stocker trout from the fall trout stockings, especially in the larger lakes or streams. As long as the cold weather doesn’t freeze over the lakes, there should be some trout that can be caught. Fishing with Berkley Powerbait is a popular tactic. Anglers wanting a more interactive experience can opt to cast small spinners or trout magnets. These lures will also give you a good chance at catching largemouth bass and panfish too. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing reports that most of the mountain streams are still flowing, which is giving the brook trout some space to move around and feed. The spring creeks are also in good shape and the larger freestones have decent water levels for Virginia DWR to continue their stocking efforts. Anglers can view the latest trout stocking information on the Virginia DWR trout stocking website and the Maryland DNR trout stocking website.