In lowland MD, ice isn’t guaranteed. Some years the water just gets really cold, and others it’s hard enough to walk on. Either way, I don’t fish for bass much past November. I pass the time by targeting native brook trout from November-April. This year I’ll try for pickerel.
 

As the water warms up, my set list changes. My smallmouth season usually starts around late May (ending in late September), but I want to fish lakes and catch bigger fish this year so I’ll start around March. March-May is crappie time for me. May-June is going to be striper time. June-September is largemouth, but I spend most of it catching smallies anyways.

1 hour ago, redmeansdistortion said:

No waiting for ice out for trout around these parts.  The fishing is still great.  

 

I wish I had access to something like that around me. The closest open water trout for me are probably 300 miles each way.

3 hours ago, redmeansdistortion said:

No waiting for ice out for trout around these parts.  The fishing is still great.

I have a friend who is an avid stream trout angler. He always catches his biggest fish on a warm day in January when the catch and release season opens here.

 

Once the keeper season opens in April, the crowd of meat hunters shows up and the fishing success nose dives.

3 hours ago, Buzzbaiter said:

In lowland MD, ice isn’t guaranteed. Some years the water just gets really cold, and others it’s hard enough to walk on. Either way, I don’t fish for bass much past November. I pass the time by targeting native brook trout from November-April. This year I’ll try for pickerel.
 

As the water warms up, my set list changes. My smallmouth season usually starts around late May (ending in late September), but I want to fish lakes and catch bigger fish this year so I’ll start around March. March-May is crappie time for me. May-June is going to be striper time. June-September is largemouth, but I spend most of it catching smallies anyways.

I was out on small water in PG county, and I actually walked out on the ice a couple of days ago. It cleared up enough to fish a little a couple of days later, and the pickerel were biting.

58 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I have a friend who is an avid stream trout angler. He always catches his biggest fish on a warm day in January when the catch and release season opens here.

 

Once the keeper season opens in April, the crowd of meat hunters shows up and the fishing success nose dives.

In Michigan most of the designated trout streams close from the end of September through the end of April, the only ones opens are those that connect directly to the Great Lakes while their headwaters remain closed.  This river connects right to Lake St Clair and is an excellent smallmouth river during summer.

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I have a friend who is an avid stream trout angler. He always catches his biggest fish on a warm day in January when the catch and release season opens here.

He's gotta fish in SE MN, cause that's the only area with the Trout C&R open during that time.

 

Though if he fished for Rainbows on iced over lakes, he'd be fine

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

He's gotta fish in SE MN, cause that's the only area with the Trout C&R open during that time.

Yep, that's exactly where he fishes.  He also fishes the Kinnikinnic in western WI but that isn't until spring/summer time.

Ice out for me means no more Margaritas.

I try for bass, catfish, and sunfish around here.  The stocked trout lakes are usually packed full of people, and some of the old crappie locations have seen some very heavy pressure.

After ice out I'll see bluegills in the shallows but they won't bite till May when spawning. I'll be fishing SM in the river about the same time. I don't go for trout anymore. It's a zoo around opening day.

I always target bass, but after ice out the pike target my lures! ?

12 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I always target bass, but after ice out the pike target my lures! ?

That's the truth!

I'm lucky to live near enough to Cape Cod that I've had open water the last four years.  If I do get locked out, I hunt for smallmouth first, but will take anything, when waters open up.

It's bass for me, but if I had perch here I'd be after them. 

Catfish, Crappie, and white perch. Mostly cats 

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

It's bass for me, but if I had perch here I'd be after them. 

The perch thing surprises me. They don't exactly fight hard and you don't eat fish.

12 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

The perch thing surprises me. They don't exactly fight hard and you don't eat fish.

If I had perch by me, I'd eat fish occasionally. Something about them is just enjoyable to fish for also. 

7 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

If I had perch by me, I'd eat fish occasionally. Something about them is just enjoyable to fish for also. 

Early season perch are great - not surprising since their close cousin is the walleye.

7 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

If I had perch by me, I'd eat fish occasionally. Something about them is just enjoyable to fish for also. 

Agree...I'm not sure what it is about them but I like targeting them. And they are easily one of the best eating freshwater fish.

Crappie is the first fish I target in early spring.

They are a lot of fun to catch and are abundant around here.

Even in the warmer months I'll take a break from Bass fishing and target Bluegill and Crappie.