Maryland Fishing Report – Early Winter – maryland.gov
Photo by Matt Sell
Winter is knocking and those who can dress warm have many fishing opportunities to indulge in through the season. The preseason stocking of trout is occurring, and fishing for tautog off Ocean City is good.
Many other species are available in waters across our state – check the online Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website for more information.
Forecast Summary: December 2022 – January 2023:
With water temperatures in the middle 40s, most Chesapeake Bay fish are now in winter holding areas. With plenty of cool waters and oxygen from surface to bottom, look for concentrations of fish in some of the remaining warm water areas. In the main Bay, warmer bottom waters – below 50 feet – are generally located from the Bay Bridge south to near the state line, in areas with good structure and protection from strong current such as underwater points, channel edges, and bridge pilings with nearby oyster bottom and reefs. The other areas to consider are near the water discharges of your local power plants.
We will begin our weekly Bay fishing conditions forecasts again in March. However, for those hearty cold water anglers, all water conditions maps, plots and satellite pics will be continuously updated and posted. So for detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, continue to check out Click Before You Cast.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
Photo by John Horgan
At the Conowingo Dam pool flathead catfish are providing plenty of action in the wash below the power generation turbines. Anglers are suited up in waders and casting fresh cut baits of gizzard shad, menhaden, suckers, or bluegills into the current with large surf fishing outfits. Many of these flatheads will weigh 30 pounds or more.
Blue catfish can be found in the lower Susquehanna River and as the waters become colder. The deep hole just below the Railroad Bridge will be one of the best spots to find them. They will also be found in the deeper channels in the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers. The Chester River has some of the largest blue catfish populations in the upper Bay..
Channel catfish will be found in the deeper channels in the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers. White perch will also be found in these same deep waters. Yellow perch will be staging in some of the deeper holes …….