Western Region:
Fishermen at Deep Creek Lake are continuing to enjoy good walleye fishing around the lake and this winter weather has everyone talking about ice. Local fishermen and those who travel distances to ice fish at Deep Creek Lake just can’t seem to wait for some good ice to appear. Word has it that they pulled the floating dock out at the state park boat ramp in anticipation of just such an ice event.
Despite a little bit of rain the regions rivers and streams continue to be a little on the low water side. Fishermen are reporting good trout fishing and that sight casting has added a new thrill to trout fishing recently. Perhaps today’s snow will help with better flow condition in the near future. John Mullican sent in this report from the upper Potomac River. Last weekends rains have done little to increase flows on the upper Potomac. The river remains low and clear and the fishing tough. Walleyes are the best bet right now and the most consistent action is in the vicinity of the deeper pools and behind ledges. Long casts with light jigs on light line has been the way.
Central/Southern Region:
As water temperatures continue to fall some fisheries are beginning to slow down such as largemouth bass fishing but others are excelling. Walleye fishing in the Susquehanna River below the Conowingo
Dam has been excellent recently as well as the smallmouth bass fishing. Fishermen are employing soft plastic jigs and tubes to catch both species. The walleye and smallmouth bass fishing has been very good at Liberty Reservoir recently. Frank Harbin called in to report catching a mix of walleyes and large white perch on shiners and striped bass on chicken liver while fishing from the shoreline. Largemouth bass fishermen are beginning to think slow and small now in regards to their lure presentations and selections as largemouth bass begin to slow down with cooler water temperatures. Slow rolling spinnerbaits across the bottom, small crankbaits and retrieving everything slowly in now the name of the game. Other species such as crappie continue to school up near deep structure and can offer some fishing fun and tasty dinner fare. Hoyt Cox caught this nice pair of slabs while jigging in little Seneca Reservoir.
Eastern Region:
It’s starting to become pretty cold for freshwater fishing in the eastern region but fishermen will pick those days where a warm front brings in some relatively balmy weather. Largemouth bass can still be caught in any of the tidal rivers that hold them or certainly any of the many lakes and ponds that dot the landscape. This is the time of the year that bass fishermen begin to think small, slow and deep. The largemouth bass are holding deep; usually close to sunken structure or at the mouth of a creek. They are not very active so it takes some prodding to get them to strike and when they do strike it is usually just a light pickup. Small offerings such as soft plastic worms that are whacky rigged or at least allowed to settle to the bottom. Soft bodied jigs should be worked the same way also and if one chooses to use a crankbait go small and slow.
Crappie should be holding deep near some kind of structure and live shiners or small jigs dressed with a shiner are a great way to catch them. Channel catfish are still active in the deeper channel areas of many of the tidal rivers and offer a great fishing opportunity to have a seat and watch the river flow by.
Click here to view recent bay satellite images at mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/NASAimagery/EyesInTheSky.cfm
Reservoir Bathymetry information:
The Maryland Geological
Survey has bathymetry maps on their website:
Links to freshwater flows:
Latest real time stream flow for
Gunpowder Falls near Parkton.
Latest real time stream flow for
Gunpowder Falls At Glencoe.
Latest real time stream flows on
the
Potomac at Paw Paw, WV
