Maryland's Who's who!

[ptomacbass]

Bass move around a lot in water less than 50. They don't migrate unless you get a season change trigger but 100% they're moving around and feeding even under ice. If the water is over 40 bass can be downright aggressive. 

[fishwizzard]

A month with no new posts, winter is a jerk.

 

I was out glumly hiking around a frozen pond yesterday and noticed something odd in the ice;

 

Found maybe 2-3 dozen sunfish frozen in the ice.  They were all within 3-4' of the bank and the ice was still crazy thick, I took my jack handle and chipped at it for a bit, made it like 3" down before I gave up.  This is a really really small pond, I am a little worried about fish-kills now.  

[Deleted account]

Soft water, thank the Christ! No bass but couldn't keep large pickerel off a large JB and swim jig with a subtle paddle tail trailer. 

[Lendiesel22]

Come on March. I should be healed enough to fish March 1st

[fishwizzard]

I managed my first bass of the year today.  I have spend every moment I have been able the last few days slowly dragging a jig, slow-rolling swimbaits, and dozing off between jerks on a pointer 78.  All for nothing.  I was at it again today but started seeing baitfish moving around in the shallows and then saw some small bass suspended in maybe 3-4' of water.  They would not even turn around to look at a jig, so I ran back to my car, grabbed a spinning rod, tied a ned on, and within two casts I caught this monster.

 

Also, in sadder news, there was a fish kill at the pond I saw all those frozen fish that I posted earlier.  I went there the day after it started thawing and there were dozens of nice sized sunnies floating and I even saw 2-3 nice sized dead bass.  It's a tiny tiny little spot, so I hope there was not a larger kill-off then the fish I saw.  

 

[Turtle135]

36 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

I managed my first bass of the year today.

 

Congrats on getting the year started! I had been running down to Lake Anna on the weekends to find open water. Fortunately my local lake was ice free except for some of the shady shallow coves so I was out there yesterday in the rain. This one was skinny but I was happy to be fishing in Maryland again. Black&Blue jig in 25'.

 

[fishwizzard]

Yea, seeing the baitfish moving around was more exciting that then little bass.  Did you get a water temp reading by any chance?  I bought one of those little fly fishing thermometers the other week, but have already lost/abandoned it.  I am itching to get my yak out, but I have no desire to wear the waders/dry suit anymore.  

 

 

[Falkus]

Hey Marylanders -

 

Where can I find a rod builder nearby my house

 

One of my rod is having issue with the locking the reel in. It's kinda of slipping. It appears that I would need to have the handle grip replaced as I tried the plumber tape to see if it would hold but nope. 

 

Want to have someone near PG or AA County so that I can bring it in and have it replaced. 

[fishwizzard]

What part is slipping?  Like is it unscrewing itself or is the reel seat moving?  

 

I have heard good things about Backyard Custom Rods in Walkersville, but I have never used them for anything.  That is a bit far north though.  

 

[Turtle135]

1 hour ago, fishwizzard said:

Did you get a water temp reading by any chance?  I bought one of those little fly fishing thermometers the other week, but have already lost/abandoned it.

 

Temps over the weekend had me scratching my head. I was on the same lake on Saturday (the windy day) and the surface water temperature was 39 degrees. I go back out on Sunday (dead calm and cloudy) and the water temp was 42 - 43 degrees. I think what was happening was that the strong wind from the south was rotating cold deep water to the surface.

[fishwizzard]

Interesting.  The lake I was at on Saturday was around 40' on top and maybe 37-38 at ~7', the deepest straight drop I could find.   I was behind a tall dam however, so the spots I was measuring were very sheltered from wind.  

 

I found a warm-water discharge a few weeks ago that had thawed water when everything else was still inches of ice.  I am going to try to head back there next week with a new thermometer (that I will teather to myself so I don't walk off without it again) and see what the water there is up too. 

[Deleted account]

Soft water again, and big pickerel again.

[fishwizzard]

How muddy is everything? I am out of town until Wednesday, but have all day Thursday free to fish.  

[JeepFisher]

Think im going to try some brackish action during this warm up period later this week/into next.  Hope to get some pick and maybe a resident rockfish. Will let you all know and good luck.

[fishwizzard]

Yea, I have been delaying getting my yak out until I can safely ditch the drysuit, but the lure of pickerel is getting stronger. 

[Michael Robbins]

Anybody in here have a kayak or Jon boat for sale for under 2k? Message me if you do or know of anyone who does.

[fishwizzard]

17 minutes ago, Michael Robbins said:

Anybody in here have a kayak or Jon boat for sale for under 2k? Message me if you do or know of anyone who does.

Sent you a PM. 

[Lendiesel22]

7 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

Yea, I have been delaying getting my yak out until I can safely ditch the drysuit, but the lure of pickerel is getting stronger. 

I used to love cold water pikein. My 2 favorite ways to catch em were a 1/4oz ruby lip buck tail trimmed and tipped with the biggest bull minnow you can get, and a j9 rapala. The head waters of the Magothy river tributaries have loads of nice fish. Many lures that will catch them good but the 2 above were $$. 

[Deleted account]

Was testing some spinners I made for a May Canadian trip on a local pond, fine tuning and catching some pickerel, saw what looked to be the beginings of bass nest clearings, but talked myself out of it with "too early". Well, a particularly good looking  double blade black/gold with some bucktail and hackle got stopped cold 10 feet in front of me by what I thought was the pickerel I was looking for, nope a fat 5 1/2 lb LMB. The cool part is I was looking right at the spinner, and she was sitting in about 2 feet of water and just turned her head and swallowed. Gonna go try to go do more of that on purpose today. (and build a couple more of those).

[Lendiesel22]

Anyone have any Potomac news?

My 1st trip out is March 17th. All my tournaments are on the Potomac this year so I am fired up to get started. 

[fishwizzard]

At long last, a bass of reasonable size;

 

This one is going threw a rebellious phase, thus the black lipstick;

 

And, this is my best pickerel so far for the year;

I am longarming it big time, but it was still a monster.  I got him on a little sjr 6400 imx and 4lb mono.  That little rod is a beast, I am going to respool with 6lb mono and that is going to be my new Ned Rig rod.  

[Joshua Vandamm]

9 hours ago, reason said:

Was testing some spinners I made for a May Canadian trip on a local pond, fine tuning and catching some pickerel, saw what looked to be the beginings of bass nest clearings, but talked myself out of it with "too early". Well, a particularly good looking  double blade black/gold with some bucktail and hackle got stopped cold 10 feet in front of me by what I thought was the pickerel I was looking for, nope a fat 5 1/2 lb LMB. The cool part is I was looking right at the spinner, and she was sitting in about 2 feet of water and just turned her head and swallowed. Gonna go try to go do more of that on purpose today. (and build a couple more of those).

Awesome. I’m not totally surprised. I clocked 61F at a farm pond last week. Kinda crazy  

[Fried Lemons]

Jerkbait was killing it yesterday. The bass liked longer jerks and hit on the pause. Pickerel liked short rapid jerks with no pauses. Pickerel are fat this time of year.

[Deleted account]

MD representing! Its gonna be a good spring.

[fishwizzard]

48 minutes ago, reason said:

MD representing! Its gonna be a good spring.

Just in time for my work to pick up so I don't have time to go fishing!  

 

Night vision goggles are getting cheaper, lots of time at night.....