Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, December 26 Update:
We hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and got some new fishing gear to try out in the new year. There are still a few days to get out and catch fish in 2024 and there are a few species that offer ample winter fishing opportunities in this region. Smallmouth bass can be found throughout the Susquehanna River with higher populations above the Conowingo Dam. Water temperatures are very cold thanks to recent cold snaps and the smallies will be hiding out in deeper holes for the winter. They can be caught using a variety of baits including jerkbaits, tube jigs, and ned rigs. Bites in the winter months can be very subtle and often times dead sticking is the best way to get bites
The Way North waters are also a great place to try for some massive blue catfish. The bite has been good recently and the winter months are a great time to catch big fish. There are several locations for anglers to target them from shore including Conowingo Park, Conowingo Fisherman’s Park, Port Deposit, Perryville Park, and Elk Neck State Park. Blue catfish prefer fresh cut bait with stinky and smelly baits generally working the best. Gizzard shad, white perch, and eels are a few of the more popular baits that catfish anglers prefer. If you can access the river from a boat, the deeper holes should be holding plenty of catfish and the section of river between the Tydings memorial Bridge and Port Deposit can be productive for catfish. The blue catfish are invasive, and we encourage anglers to remove them from the water when caught. They are also delicious and are a favorite among many local anglers when it comes to fish for table fare. If you plan to fish for them, consider signing up for the Great Chesapeake Invasives Count sponsored by CCA. Anglers can log their catches for a chance to win monthly prizes. The data helps fisheries managers track the spread of invasives species throughout our region.
Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, December 20 Update:
The colder weather is moving back in after a brief warm up at the beginning of the week. Getting out on the water to fish will be chilly which is par for the course when it comes to winter fishing. There haven’t been a whole lot of angling opportunities in the Way North Region, but committed anglers are finding some fish willing to bite. The yellow perch are schooling up in deeper waters along tributaries surrounding the Susquehanna Flats. Anglers fishing the North East River are finding good success fishing worms and minnows on bottom rigs. We also had a good report from an angler bass fishing the North East and the Flats who said that the largemouth were active and willing to bite this week.
Blue catfish will be another reliable target throughout the winter on the Susquehanna River and surrounding tributaries. Big fish have been biting at the Conowingo Dam and areas around Port Deposit the past few weeks and that pattern should stay true into the new year. now through the winter is a great time to target them with fresh cut eel and shad working very well to get them to bite.
Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, December 13 Update:
Fishing has been on the slower side as we move closer to the official start of winter. Most of the recent action has been for smallmouth, walleye, and catfish from the Conowingo Dam down to the Susquehanna Flats. Rain earlier in the week chipped away at the severe drought we are in and is giving the river a good flush with increased flows. The murky water isn’t always a bad thing and water releases from the dam can help with the catfish bite. Anglers can call the Spill Gates Hotline for the dam at 877-457-2525 for information on the number of crest gates open and peak river flows.
The big blues have been biting from the dam pool down to the flats with a hot zone located right around Port Deposit. Anglers looking to catfish from shore have several options on the lower Susquehanna including Conowingo Fisherman’s Park, Marina Park in Port Deposit, Perryvill Community Park, and Concord Point Park. A variety of cut bait will work when bottom fishing for catfish with some of the more popular choices being fresh cut shad and eel. Recent reports indicate there has been a lot of gizzard shad at the dam and creeks just down river at times. While the rain should help with the catfish bite, it can make fishing for walleye and smallmouth difficult. When the river is running high, these fish usually move closer in to the rocky shorelines and hide out in eddies and areas with slower flows. Jerkbaits, jigs, and crankbaits should still be the top choices when targeting them.
Way North Chesapeake Fishing Report, December 6 Update:
It was a cold week across the region as the official start of winter is knocking on our doorstep. The cold temperatures have picked up the bite for smallmouth bass and walleye in the lower Susquehanna and above the Conowingo Dam. Rocky shorelines with deep ledges and areas of the river with deeper holes are producing fish for those braving the chilly temperatures and wind. One angler fishing out of Peach Bottom in Pennsylvania had an excellent day on the river catching a citation smallmouth bass, several keeper walleye, and a flathead catfish. Most fish were caught using a blade bait. At the Conowingo Dam pool, anglers are pulling a few walleye while casting from the shoreline. The striped bass action has dropped off significantly, but there were reports of a few slot size fish being caught this week. Anglers fishing at the dam also reported that gizzard shad are thick along the rocky shorelines and were easily spotted during several days this week. Those throwing lures were even snagging them accidentally at times. Gizzard shad are excellent cut bait, so if you fish for catfish, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stock up on these baitfish—especially since the big cats will be biting all winter long.
Blue catfish are abundant throughout the area with the Susquehanna Flats and lower Susquehanna River notorious for producing big fish. The zone from Havre De Grace to Port Deposit is popular for those fishing from boats. The big blues are also hanging in the Dam Pool where they can be caught alongside flathead catfish too. The weather forecast shows a warmup starting this coming week with conditions projected to be more tolerable so make sure to get a few more trips in before the new year.