Fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye has been good – cooler water temperatures always get these two fisheries going and they should last through much of the winter. Deep Creek Lake, Prettyboy Reservoir, and the upper Potomac and lower Susquehanna rivers are excellent places to fish for smallmouth bass. Deep Creek Lake, the upper Potomac and the lower Susquehanna hold good populations of walleye. Most anglers like to use root beer-colored tubes and a mix of soft plastic swimbaits, and crankbaits for smallmouth bass; and soft plastic jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and small crankbaits for walleye.
Trout fishing in many of the specialized trout management waters is very good this week for those who enjoy catch-and-release and fly fishing. The preseason stocking of trout will begin soon, so trout anglers should start checking the DNR trout stocking website.
Largemouth bass are beginning to feel the effects of colder water temperatures and are generally holding in depths of six feet or more. with moving even deeper. Structure is a key item to focus on this time of the year. Sunken wood, steep drop-offs, bridge piers, and rocks are all worthy of extra attention when largemouth bass fishing.
Small, slow, and close to the bottom is your mantra when fishing for sluggish largemouth bass in colder waters. Wacky rigged worms worked slow and deliberate near structure is a proven tactic, pickups by largemouth bass will be subtle. Blade lures are a good lure to use in the deepest waters; slow-rolling a spinnerbait across the bottom can also work well. Craw jigs and small crankbaits worked very slowly along the bottom is another good tactic.
Fishing for crappie is good this week, and they can be found schooled up near deep structure. Sunken brush, bridge piers, marina docks, and fallen treetops all fit the bill. Slowly working a small minnow or marabou jig under a slip bobber near the structure usually works well.
The cold winter months and fishing for chain pickerel go hand-in-hand. Anglers are having fun targeting the fish along shoreline sunken wood or deeper wood such as tree stumps in flooded reservoirs. The upper sections of the Bay’s tidal rivers is a great place to find chain pickerel, often near docks, pilings and fallen trees.
Anglers fishing with small minnows and Beetle-Spins will start to encounter yellow perch in the middle to upper sections of the Bay’s tidal rivers and creek. The fish tend to wander farther up the waterways when water temperatures are as cool as they are. When water temperatures dip below 40 degrees they will travel down river to deep holes and channels where they will hold until warming spring temperatures bring on the urge to head upriver to spawn.
for more information in other areas Maryland Fishing Report – December 6
