Tangier and Lower Shore Fishing Reports

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 15 Update: 

The weather has been all over the place since the start of the new year. This can make it difficult to pattern fish, but there are a few reliable bites to count on. 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.

The warm up last week made for some nice weather to get out and chase down some Pocomoke panfish. Sea Hawk Sports Center reported that the warmer weather provided a good bite for crappie, yellow perch, and largemouth bass. Minnows are the ticket this time of year and floating them under a bobber near submerged structures and deep channels close to the bank is a great way to get bites. We want to remind anglers that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources just announced that the yellow perch creel limit has been reduced from 10 fish per person per day to five fish per person per day. This is due to poor spawning recruitment over the last several years. You can find more information from the public notice announced last week.

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore Fishing Report, January 8 Update: 

Fishing was quiet through the first week of the New Year. Temperatures were on the mild side, which gave us some pleasant days to get out on the water. There are still some migratory striped bass being caught along the main channel on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The fish are scattered but are closely following bait balls. Trolling is very effective right now as the fish are very scattered. Light tackle anglers are marking them on their fish finders, but dropping a jig right in front of a fish suspended in the water column is no easy task.

An easier and more accessible fishery is on the Pocomoke River. The warm weather has turned on the crappie bite, and 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. The stretch winding from Snow Hill to Pocomoke City is the more productive area of the river. Anglers can launch at the Pocomoke City Boat Ramp and head upriver, but they will need to call the operator at the Pocomoke Drawbridge ahead of time to make sure they can get through. The phone number for the drawbridge is 410-957-2980.

Tangier, Pocomoke, and Lower Shore 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. Anglers willing to brave the cold can get an early start on this year’s fishing season, but it won’t be easy. The wind has been relentless, and the cold temperatures have made it downright brutal to be on the water this week. Fishing for Pocomoke River panfish is an excellent option during the winter, and most of the river is fishable even on windy days. Sea Hawk Sports Center reports that the bite on the Pocomoke was steady this week. The water temperatures are cold right now, which has made the bites light and the catching a little tougher than normal. Crappie were the main catch while fishing with minnows under bobbers. Pickerel also made an appearance, and anglers can expect an occasional bite from largemouth bass and yellow perch while fishing with minnows. The crappie school up near the deeper holes and channels of the river, especially where there is structure.

Migratory striped bass fishing has been hit or miss for anglers fishing near the Tangier region. Trollers seem to be doing the best with those live-lining eels also landing some giants near the main channel along the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The main factor for locating schools of stripers has been to find bait, specifically menhaden. The bite changes from day to day, but the most consistent pattern has been that the fish are around bait balls. Sometimes the fish are in 100 feet of water, and other times they could be as shallow as 10 feet of water. Light tackle anglers have to rely on their electronics to locate them. Side scan is a huge help for covering water while searching for bait and fish. Bird shows have been minimal, but it is always worth keeping an eye out for any bird action as it could lead you right to the fish. Reminder that striped bass season is now closed in all waters of the Chesapeake Bay, so fishing is strictly catch and release now.