Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report! - 3-19-13 (DE, NJ, MD, PA)

Freshwater:

We have almost arrived at the opening of the SE region trout season in PA (March 30th). Just a week after that (April 6th) the trout season opens for the rest of the state as does the DE stream season. Check out my post on my favorite trout lures here.

The freshwater ponds and lakes in the region are really heating up. Anglers can expect to find bass, pickeral, crappies and perch on the feed this time of year after a long winter.

Chesapeake Bay:

This week I received the first reports of stripers on the flats. The fish are spread out and reports are not hot and heavy, but stripers are being caught.

The yellow perch run in the Chesapeake is over, but the white perch run should take off any day now. Anglers fishing in the main bay and rivers are finding white perch stacked up in the deep holes getting ready to start their run up the tidal rivers and streams of the region. Bloodworms and grass shrimp are the best baits for white perch. As the perch come up the rivers and streams small jigs and spinners work well to catch these fish.

As we get closer to April there should be some catch and release trolling reports coming in, and right around the corner is the Spring Trophy Season opener.

Delaware Bay:

Striped bass fishing is heating up in the DE bay. On the DE side the hot spots have been Augustine and Woodland Beaches. I have also heard of fish caught in Dobinsville and Reedy Point. Bloodworms and clams are the best baits for stripers this time of year. Anglers are also reporting catching big channel cats while fishing for stripers in these same locations. I read a couple of reports on the Bass Barn which showed some early season success in the mid bay region on stripers. Clams and bunker are the best baits for stripers in the main bay.

White perch are still being caught in the tidal tributaries and shallow coves of the DE bay. Bloodworms and grass shrimp are the best baits for white perch.

Inshore Ocean:

Still not much to report from out front. On days when the weather has cooperated some boats have scored on tog, and ling on the inshore wrecks. As the water temps warm up we should start seeing striper reports coming in. Before you know it the first Thresher of the season will also be caught.

If you have any fishing reports and pictures, please email them to dtmasporstman@yahoo.com and I will post them up!

Tight Lines,

Dave