Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report! - 4-2-13 (DE, NJ, MD, PA)

Hope everyone had a good Easter. The weather is slowly getting warmer and I am hoping we are done with all the snow and winter weather.

Freshwater:

I had a chance to fish a pond in down state Delaware on Good Friday. While the morning was a little slow (and cold) the afternoon was on fire and we caught many big pickeral as well as some decent sized bass and a couple of crappies.

The SE region of PA trout season opened this past Saturday, I did not have a chance to get out, but I heard many people found good success in crowded conditions. I plan on hitting a local stream in the region after work one day this week as long as the weather cooperates. Bait, lures and flies should all work for these stocked fish. My favorite trout lures can be found here.

Striper fishing in the Delaware River has also picked up recently. While fishing is still slow some keepers have been caught by fisherman in DE, NJ and PA fishing the Delaware River.

Chesapeake Bay:

On Saturday myself and some friends took advantage of the beautiful weather and went striper fishing on the Susky Flats. We started off with lures and managed to catch a handful of stripers. 6" Bass Assassins with 3/4" jig heads were the ticket. The action was not hot and heavy by any means, but we did manage to land a nice fish close to 20 pounds as well as half a dozen schoolies and one catfish (on bait). The water temp was 42 to 44 degrees, as the temps get closer to 50 the action should get better.

Early reports from the pre-season C&R trollers are slow up and down the bay. As the water temps keep creeping up there should be more and more fish caught as we get closer to opening day which is April 20th.

White Perch fisherman are finding scattered success up and down the bay. The perch should be making their spawning runs up the creeks and rivers feeding into the bay any day now. Some fisherman are finding success on perch in the main bay though.

Delaware Bay:

Striper fishing in the Delaware Bay is picking up. Fisherman fishing from both NJ and DE are finding success in the Upper and Mid Bay regions. Clams, Bunker and Bloodworms are the best baits for early season stripers, and fresh is best.

Perch fishing is still consistent up and down the bay in the tidal rivers and creeks.

Inshore Ocean:

When the weather cooperates the Tog fishing has been outstanding for boats fishing out of DE and MD. The NJ Tog season opens soon as well so more reports should be coming in.

Striper fishing is still slow "out front" and in the inlets. Some hardcore jetty jockies are waiting for the striper bite to pick up. It should any day now as the water temps increase.

Flounder fishing should get started in the next couple of weeks if the water temps continue to climb.

Offshore Ocean:

Expect some anglers to try for Makos and Threshers later this month as water temps improve. Tuna fishing wont be far behind as the yellowfin trolling bite has been great for fisherman off NJ, DE and MD the last few years in late May and Early June.

On days the weather cooperates some boats will venture out to the canyons for tile. There are numerous head boats out of NJ that fish for tile and have some scheduled tile trips coming up. Check out the Bass Barn for the headboat info and more tile reports.

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

Tight Lines,

Dave