Hit Widewater this afternoon and got no bites on a Spro BBZ-1 slow sinking shad. Water wasn't too muddy, just a little stained, but it's up from where it was this summer/fall, but not back to the full water height. Basically it's still about 2 feet under the water line on the far rocks, but most of the structure along the trail is submerged again. I'm not sure if that was due to the rain we got or if it's a function of the lock management. Hopefully it stays like this and pre-spawn will be a good bite.

Been awhile since I’ve posted. Managed to put at Black Hills yesterday and threw a swim jig with a Fat Impact trailer and got one. Thinking things will get going with this week of warm weather.

Hey Guys, 

 

Just wondering if the lakes are closed ? or I can vendor out and fish

3 hours ago, Burke said:

Hey Guys, 

 

Just wondering if the lakes are closed ? or I can vendor out and fish

Spoke with a DNR officer the other day, he said that as far as he has been told, MDDNR has no plans to close anything unless they are ordered too.  Obviously localities might close stuff that they own independent of DNR. 
 

Spots are packed though, with a lot of people out of work and with kids home there are a lot more weekday fishers out. 

Good news, got my first hit on a frog last evening! Bad news, lost my first frog fish last evening 

 

Gotta venture out tomorrow, I'm starting to have some cabin fevers  

Baltimore reservoirs were closed Friday.  Heard Piney Run reservoir closed as well.  Hoping they dont close Rocky Gorge or Triadelphia.  I've been out to the little lakes in Columbia and caught some dinks but not exactly the size im looking for... lol.

I’m new to this site so 1st I want to say Hi!

 

And now I have a question lol, I caught my 1st spotted bass in Alabama in the beginning of March and now I really wanna catch 1st smallmouth! I’m live on the Shore close to OC and have been try to figure out the closest place to catch one lol, if anybody could give me a couple places to try that would be great! I’ll be using a kayak if that makes any places easier 

6 minutes ago, David Burt said:

I’m new to this site so 1st I want to say Hi!

 

And now I have a question lol, I caught my 1st spotted bass in Alabama in the beginning of March and now I really wanna catch 1st smallmouth! I’m live on the Shore close to OC and have been try to figure out the closest place to catch one lol, if anybody could give me a couple places to try that would be great! I’ll be using a kayak if that makes any places easier 

Welcome! Don't have any advice on smallmouth out that way but if you just like catching fun fighting fish, I'd look into catching some snakehead. Should be plentiful around your way. Good luck!

Has anyone had any luck with smallies yet this year? I've hit a few creeks and tribs of the susky and only had success back in February with a 1.5 lb stud in skinny water. Water temps are in the 50s so Im surprised I haven't gotten into them yet as they should be active, especially with this early spring we have. 

56 minutes ago, David Burt said:

I’m new to this site so 1st I want to say Hi!

 

And now I have a question lol, I caught my 1st spotted bass in Alabama in the beginning of March and now I really wanna catch 1st smallmouth! I’m live on the Shore close to OC and have been try to figure out the closest place to catch one lol, if anybody could give me a couple places to try that would be great! I’ll be using a kayak if that makes any places easier 

Your best bet is either the susquehannah or go into VA from the bay bridge, but both of those are a bit of a drive from OC. Only smallmouth on the Delmarva are up at the top of it where Im at. 

1st time posting, just stumbled across the site as I searched for boat launch info.  Piney Run is closed (found out the hard way Fri night with boat in tow).  Got nothing from shore.

 

Is Black Hills boat launch open?  Just got a jon boat w/electric and kids in and I are itching to see if it floats!

58 minutes ago, TheDaddyWags said:

Is Black Hills boat launch open?  Just got a jon boat w/electric and kids in and I are itching to see if it floats!

BH is open and per the park manager last week, there are no plans to close.  Subject to change obviously...

6 minutes ago, Logan S said:

BH is open and per the park manager last week, there are no plans to close.  Subject to change obviously...

How crowded was it the last time you were there?

 

I’m fairly close to dragging my kayak out for its inaugural run this year but with Rocky Gorge, Triadelphia, and Centennial closed I fear everywhere else is going to be packed.  

2 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

How crowded was it the last time you were there?

 

I’m fairly close to dragging my kayak out for its inaugural run this year but with Rocky Gorge, Triadelphia, and Centennial closed I fear everywhere else is going to be packed.  

I haven't been, but a few guys from the club have been and said it's been nuts...Very crowded.  Nice weather, no work, most other lakes closed, nothing else to do - Everyone's got the same idea.  

13 minutes ago, Logan S said:

I haven't been, but a few guys from the club have been and said it's been nuts...Very crowded.  Nice weather, no work, most other lakes closed, nothing else to do - Everyone's got the same idea.  

Yea, maybe I will rekindle my love of perch fishing in April.  With C&R closed for stripers the tidal rivers should be pretty empty. 

FYI, related to the new restrictions announced yesterday....Sorry to be the bearer of bad news  

 

https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2020/03/30/dnr-issues-guidance-on-governor-hogans-stay-at-home-order/

 

No boating and apparently the only fishing allowed is for sustenance (4th paragraph). 

4 hours ago, Logan S said:

FYI, related to the new restrictions announced yesterday....Sorry to be the bearer of bad news  

 

https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2020/03/30/dnr-issues-guidance-on-governor-hogans-stay-at-home-order/

 

No boating and apparently the only fishing allowed is for sustenance (4th paragraph). 

That’s pretty nonsensical that somehow hiking is safer than solo kayaking.  Guess it’s time to switch over to perch fishing. 

https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2020/03/31/frequently-asked-questions-about-governor-hogans-stay-at-home-order/

 

Looks like you can go fishing on a boat if you're out to get food. And you can kayak as a form of exercise, so it seems like kayak fishing is probably the safest way to go.

 

I will probably just stick to hiking and bank fishing with my kids to do my part in keeping away from other people but get our exercise  My wife has a plug in electric so I have no need to get gas.

So I went to check out one of my favorite spots today. A peaceful "lake" in Potomac, MD. 

 

I get there, and the place is packed with people fishing. Everywhere. I had never seen so many people there before.

 

I asked one of the guys what was going on and if he knew why it was so crowded. He pulled out his phone and showed me a post online from someone pointing the spot out for the whole world to see!

 

What a way to ruin a resource... to put something like that in the public eye for a modicum of online glory is pretty low. I'm guessing it's mostly newer fishermen doing this sort of thing, but man... way to see a fishery potentially get wrecked. Right during the spawn. Almost hurts.

 

Saw a guy walking out of the place with what looked like it could have been a 7 pounder on stringer. He was getting it mounted. Great for him. Bad for everyone else.

 

Back to private ponds I go. 

13 hours ago, Harold Flowers said:

So I went to check out one of my favorite spots today. A peaceful "lake" in Potomac, MD. 

 

I get there, and the place is packed with people fishing. Everywhere. I had never seen so many people there before.

 

I asked one of the guys what was going on and if he knew why it was so crowded. He pulled out his phone and showed me a post online from someone pointing the spot out for the whole world to see!

 

What a way to ruin a resource... to put something like that in the public eye for a modicum of online glory is pretty low. I'm guessing it's mostly newer fishermen doing this sort of thing, but man... way to see a fishery potentially get wrecked. Right during the spawn. Almost hurts.

 

Saw a guy walking out of the place with what looked like it could have been a 7 pounder on stringer. He was getting it mounted. Great for him. Bad for everyone else.

 

Back to private ponds I go. 

Been a fact of life for many years on waters small and large...There are no secret spots anymore unless it's private property and even then it's probably not really a secret.   

 

Right now with so many waters and boat ramps closed, the stuff that is still open and/or accessible is getting slammed more than it typically would....Especially with nearly everyone at home and either teleworking or not working.  This is probably the real reason it was super crowded.  

19 hours ago, Harold Flowers said:

Saw a guy walking out of the place with what looked like it could have been a 7 pounder on stringer. He was getting it mounted. Great for him. Bad for everyone else.

I'm assuming this was a largemouth bass? Aren't they catch and release only in MD from March 1 - June 15?

2 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

I'm assuming this was a largemouth bass? Aren't they catch and release only in MD from March 1 - June 15?

Could be a carp, or catfish, Harold doesn't say. If it's Widewater, there are huge carp in there. And it's also always busy on a nice day, so that's not out of the ordinary. I have zero problem with crowds, I actually like talking to other fisherman and see what they're using or what's working, then keep going and find a spot. Lots of times, that's how I've found some of the best spots, when getting away from crowds.

22 hours ago, Harold Flowers said:

Back to private ponds I go. 

I caught a 6.5lb'er on the Berma Road side of Widewater and posted it on Fishbrain! Enjoy!

Honestly now that everybody has a satellite map on their phone there’s no secret spots left, I’ve investigated pretty much every visible puddle within a half hour drive of my house over the last couple years.  
 

With the striper population crashed the bass fishing pressure is only going to get worse around here I fear so it’s just something to get used to. If I wanna fish without other people around I pretty much resolved myself to hiking a couple miles away from parking, most people still aren’t willing to do that it seems like.  

On 4/21/2020 at 3:38 PM, Junger said:

Could be a carp, or catfish, Harold doesn't say. If it's Widewater, there are huge carp in there. And it's also always busy on a nice day, so that's not out of the ordinary. I have zero problem with crowds, I actually like talking to other fisherman and see what they're using or what's working, then keep going and find a spot. Lots of times, that's how I've found some of the best spots, when getting away from crowds.

I caught a 6.5lb'er on the Berma Road side of Widewater and posted it on the Internet! Enjoy!

It was a bass. The post I was shown was your post.

 

The place rarely has more than a person or two fishing it at a time. Attribute the crowding to whatever you want... The one person I spoke to showed me your post and cited it as his reason for going there. 

 

Was the guy who kept the big bass there because of you? Maybe... Was it his legal right to keep the fish? Yes...

 

Neither of these points change the fact that it's pretty crappy to blow stuff like this up online. I can imagine something like this could easily ruin a small pond or lake. Doing it for online glory or because you want crowding doesn't click with me. Maybe I'm too young to understand. 

Dude, it's 2020, nothing is secret anymore.  Also, it's Maryland, if it's not in the middle of a marsh or takes a mile of hiking through thorns and ticks to get to, assume it's got a lot of pressure.  

 

With kids out of school, so many people out of work, and boating banned it's obvious why every accessible bank spot is crowded these days, no vast internet conspiracy needed to explain it. 

On 4/22/2020 at 11:49 AM, Harold Flowers said:

It was a bass. The post I was shown was your post.

 

The place rarely has more than a person or two fishing it at a time. Attribute the crowding to whatever you want... The one person I spoke to showed me your post and cited it as his reason for going there. 

 

Was the guy who kept the big bass there because of you? Maybe... Was it his legal right to keep the fish? Yes...

 

Neither of these points change the fact that it's pretty crappy to blow stuff like this up online. I can imagine something like this could easily ruin a small pond or lake. Doing it for online glory or because you want crowding doesn't click with me. Maybe I'm too young to understand. 

Did you try and tell the person that large mouth season is closed until June 15th? I've been fishing at Widewater for 4 years now, and I've never seen anyone take any fish from there, or Canal, ever. From the main river is another story and it's usually blue cats. Also, I bump into a lot of people when fishing on both sides, even pre-COVID lockdown days. I actually posted it to help educate people on fishing spots, I started about 4 years ago as a bank fisherman and had no idea where to go. Luckily I found some nice people on this forum, and clued into other spots to get general ideas of where I could fish. If you look at what I post on here, I post all my dinks too, I'm not in it for "glory", it just so happened that I got my PB from Widewater. I'm just paying it forward to help other anglers look for opportunities. And it's a public place, it's tough to catch fish there in general so if you're worried about people ruining the spot, they won't. They'll give it a shot, realize it's not easy, and probably won't return. Blowing it up is quite the exaggeration friend, it's not a private 2 acre pond with limited resources. Maybe you're worried about fighting for spots, but that seems like a personal problem, especially since it seems like you have access to a private pond and maybe you're used to having a whole place to yourself. Hopefully that will help you understand.