![]() Truth be told tautog are very finicky fish which bite great one day, then get lockjaw the next. If you want an oceanic adventure and see a weather window, tog will likely be the target. This pic was taken aboard the Morning Star, out of Ocean City, MD. Tog can be toughies, but they do bite year-round and there are some head boats that specialize in targeting them. That means that temperatures can climb fast during a few days of sunny weather, kicking the fish into gear. Early spring can be a great time to fish these waters, because they’re so shallow - in many of the millponds four feet is a “deep” spot. We have to give the millponds a special call-out, though. The GeographyĪll the usual summer freshwater suspects including reservoirs, lakes, and the Eastern Shore millponds. At times like this the crappie often won’t bite well until you go all the way down to four-pound test. As long as there hasn’t been a recent weather event where you fish, the clarity will likely be far better than you’re used to. ![]() They can get line-shy, and the cold spring waters hold fewer suspended solids than in the summer. Whatever you usually use for freshwater fishing, with one caveat: consider dropping leader size if you’re after crappie. Just remember to slow your presentations down, and consider using live bait even if you’re a lure-lover (the live stuff does tend to work a lot better when the fish are lethargic). All three of these species bite strongly in the early spring, and the “P” comes first because pickerel often bite best early on when the temps are still low. Not the bad kind of PCBs, we’re talking about a mix of pickerel, crappie, and bass. Pickerel will be snapping this month, right alongside the crappie and bass. Check out Three Top Spring Perch Run Hotspots to get some ideas of where to try. Deep holes are usually best at first, then the fish move shallower and closer to the freshwater flow at the headwaters of feeders and creeks. The earliest fish will be found where the river or creek bottlenecks and begins to transition from brackish to fresh. Most of the Chesapeake Bay tributaries support a yellow perch run to one degree or another. Shad darts tipped with bull minnow or bull minnow on bottom rigs are the most common offerings, though at times tubes and twisters will get the job done, too. Light or ultra-light spinning gear with six- to eight-pound test line. And if February has been mild savvy anglers will head right for the spawning zone post-haste. Early in the month look to still find the fish just downstream of the spawning grounds in holes and channels if it’s been exceptionally chilly in February, but don’t be afraid to start checking out those upriver areas after the first few warm, sunny days. The Gig: Perch Jerking, Spring StyleĮvery year is different, of course, but by the time March hits it should be prime time for perch jerking. So pull out the long johns, freshen up the line on your reels, brew some hot coffee, and try: Few panfish are as tasty as the yellow perch. (Trust us, it works!) That said, if you don’t normally engage in the early spring angling game you may be wondering where the heck you can go to (sort of) reliably bend a rod right about now. ![]() And unsurprisingly it’s the very same solution that we find effective for solving virtually every problem in life: go fishing. Some days this month it’ll be difficult to head outdoors but others it will be impossible to resist, but regardless of what the weekend brings we have the solution to all your cabin fever ills. ![]() You say you did not partake in the ice fishing season and you’re sick and tired of sub-freezing temperatures, not to mention cold winds and being bottled up inside? Us too - thank goodness we’ll soon be putting winter into the rearview.
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