Freshwater Fishing Reports

Freshwater Fishing Report, November 7 Update:

Temperatures are dropping, and it officially feels like trout season, especially in the western zones where temperatures have fallen below freezing at times. Mossy Creek Fly Fishing reports that the mountain brook trout are still spawning, so anglers should leave them be for the time being. They mentioned that the larger stocked waters have better flows and that Passage, Rapidan, Rose, Robinson, and east slope park streams are moving again. Anglers can expect them to be low and clear but have some flow for another week or so. Mossy Creek recommends anglers look for blue wing olive hatches in the afternoon hours and rising fish throughout the winter months for some fun sight fishing opportunities. Largemouth bass are transitioning to wood and other hard cover now that aquatic grasses have mostly died off for the year. Anglers fishing lakes, ponds, and rivers should seek out fallen trees, brush piles, rock piles, and other cover. Crankbaits, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits are excellent fall lures to throw for bass.

A reader hitting the Eastern Shore millponds reported a great bite recently, including a 20” largemouth and a citation-sized pickerel. A Z-Man chatterbait with a 4” paddletail trailer was the hot bait. He also noted good afternoon snakehead action off the Blackwater, casting swimbaits with underspins. Another reader fishing at a central Maryland pond reported that the lily pads are dying off, and the pickerel are very aggressive. They caught several fish between 16” and 18” while throwing spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. The annual Pickerel Championship hosted by Maryland CCA has also kicked off, so anglers should start logging their catches if they want a chance at some great prizes and bragging rights. The tournament runs through February 2026, so there is plenty of time to climb the leaderboards. The mill ponds around the Salisbury area of the lower Eastern Shore are known for producing big pickerel. Other notable pickerel locations include St. Mary’s Lake, Severn River, Magothy River, and Pocomoke River.