Winter time fishing

[ronaultmtd]

We have a few more days left in the tidal Potomac to fish for Striped Bass, but the fish are being found mostly deep and scattered making kayak fishing hit or miss...need to run and gun and kayaks have limited range...yellow perch are showing up in their normal habitat...but for me it is blue cats...dependable rod bending pullage...cut alewife on either a 1 oz jighead or a 6/0-8/0 circle hook fishfinder rig on a medium heavy conventional low profile Reel is my preferred outfit...bluecats can get to be some real pigs and light spinning gear is simply not enough tackle for the big girls...Marshall Hall, Fort Washington and Mattawoman Creek are my normal fishing spots, but some real monsters are caught right at the Harry Nice Bridge by shore fishermen...state Record was caught near Marshall Hall a year ago...I catch and release everything in excess of 30 inches...but smaller fish are excellent table fare...tasty, tasty fish...20 inches are just the perfect size for filets...usually the action is non stop until the tide gets slack...moving water is best...and I always anchor up fishing for catfish...

[nhunter344]

I'm hoping Santa brings me some new toys so I can get out on the water this winter. I've tried various cut baits for blue cats but I've always found bluegill heads give me the best action. Ill usually catch some the day before, throw them in a tiny cooler in the fridge overnight and bring them with me with no ice so that they're nice and smelly by the time I get out on the water. I'll usually head upstream from Fletcher's Cove above DC and my arm usually gives out before the fish stop biting.

[acwatkins]

does mattawoman freeze up? I'm trying not to put the rods down this year and fish through the winter. After catching a 22lb striper on the yak this fall id love to get on some fat winter blues.

[ronaultmtd]

Not normally...we get some sheets of ice back in the mud flat areas, but the ramp, and Creek stays open...and the fish bite all winter long...caught them in every month of the year there...

[kevinfry]

Feb....blue cat trip. Either lower Mattawoman, Marshall Hall, or way up a perch creek.

[brianisoutside]

Feb....blue cat trip. Either lower Mattawoman, Marshall Hall, or way up a perch creek.

I need to buy a suit but definitely want to try this in 2018.
If I used my 6’ mh spinning rods, 6/0 circle hooks what line would be recommended?


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[kevinfry]

I need to buy a suit but definitely want to try this in 2018.
If I used my 6’ mh spinning rods, 6/0 circle hooks what line would be recommended?


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Look in archives for wader/dry top options....these locals, with the exception of Marshall.hall, are pretty protected, so that helps

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[ronaultmtd]

Blue catfish up in the creek around the launch area run mostly about four or five pounds...I caught several 20(+) pound fish there last February, but majority are eating size fish, so you don’t need especially heavy tackle for them...20# test braid should work on just about everything...there are other species of catfish we catch there including bullheads, white, flatheads and channel catfish...yellow perch are in the creek as are bass, snakeheads, crappie and bream...and monster carp...forgot about carp...

[brianisoutside]

Oh ok I’ll be good then. I’ll keep an eye out for a planned trip if you guys don’t mind a new guy tagging along.


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[brianisoutside]

Just keeping this in mind, any updated plans?


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[GUNS&ROTORS]

Looked it up ... Oh my!

http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/n...ht-in-maryland
record_catfish_md_275.jpg

Related, anybody fish Nanjemoy Creek, maybe out of Friendship Farm Park?

[GUNS&ROTORS]

Have you fished Nanjemoy Creek, particularly in February?

I know there are some very deep (~40ft) holes upstream from Friendship Farm Park. Always assumed catfish moved out to bigger water and didn't return to the creek until after the perch run. I could be very wrong about this and don't have any real data. Considering my first attempt at winter fishing Nanjemoy Creek from a kayak to find out. Appreciate any insight/intel/advice.

[moc]

Oh ok I’ll be good then. I’ll keep an eye out for a planned trip if you guys don’t mind a new guy tagging along.


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I too am trying to clear my calendar so I can do a little cat fishing with the southern Maryland group.