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I finally had my first chance to get out this year today. Initially, I wasn't sure where and what to fish for? Head west to some of the rivers and try for panfish and yellow perch? Maybe soak bait for catfish? Or stay local and check out the backbay for some holdover stripers? I kinda wanted to do some exploring and try something new, so I instead opted to launch into the headwaters of one of the tributary creeks to the backbays of Ocean City/Assateague.
I've never really bothered with the creeks in the area all that much - just too many other options in the area most other times of the year. But an article in the last CCA magazine about winter trout in NC backbay headwaters got me wondering if it was possible here... so I said what the heck and went looking. I brought some small stuff for trout and some even smaller stuff for panfish since I was going to be way up the creek and not knowing what to expect. The water was fairly shallow and tide was about half out I'd guess. Trout didn't look promising in the area. I cruised down the creek to a little deeper spot with structure and worked it for a good while. Tried small and smaller lures with minimal results; eventually picking up a fat little 18" striper on a 3/8 rooster tail after working the area for an hour.
I decided to start working my way back to the launch. Along the way, I pulled up two crab pots people had abandon. Both had small panfish and largemouth (small enough to enter and exit the pot on their own) in it. Seeing that I started casting a bass assassin tiny shad with a spinner on it. I got bumped twice, but no hookup. I took the spinner off it and just used the tiny shad. Bingo. Found some pretty white perch in shallow water. Caught 6 of them all 11" - 12" ish, one smaller 6" male perch, and had a really good thump, and brief hookup, with what felt like a much better perch then all the rest, but lost it. Rats
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No trout, but I was pleasantly surprised to find some good perch in the coastal bay area. I rarely fish for perch but they provided some nice little pullage on a mild, foogy winter day. Took 3 of them home for dinner.
I've never really bothered with the creeks in the area all that much - just too many other options in the area most other times of the year. But an article in the last CCA magazine about winter trout in NC backbay headwaters got me wondering if it was possible here... so I said what the heck and went looking. I brought some small stuff for trout and some even smaller stuff for panfish since I was going to be way up the creek and not knowing what to expect. The water was fairly shallow and tide was about half out I'd guess. Trout didn't look promising in the area. I cruised down the creek to a little deeper spot with structure and worked it for a good while. Tried small and smaller lures with minimal results; eventually picking up a fat little 18" striper on a 3/8 rooster tail after working the area for an hour.
I decided to start working my way back to the launch. Along the way, I pulled up two crab pots people had abandon. Both had small panfish and largemouth (small enough to enter and exit the pot on their own) in it. Seeing that I started casting a bass assassin tiny shad with a spinner on it. I got bumped twice, but no hookup. I took the spinner off it and just used the tiny shad. Bingo. Found some pretty white perch in shallow water. Caught 6 of them all 11" - 12" ish, one smaller 6" male perch, and had a really good thump, and brief hookup, with what felt like a much better perch then all the rest, but lost it. Rats
. No trout, but I was pleasantly surprised to find some good perch in the coastal bay area. I rarely fish for perch but they provided some nice little pullage on a mild, foogy winter day. Took 3 of them home for dinner.
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