Spriggs Pond, Monday, Dec 21

[Magothyman]

After a short walk this morning to check out the water and wind conditions on the Magothy, I went right back home and got the kayak ready. No wind on the water and the river and Spriggs Pond were flat as glass. Clear skies and sun was nice, too. Spent about two pleasant hours casting and catching a few chain pickeral. I’ve been using a bobber with a jig/plastic worm attached about 24 inches below it. The angle of the picture doesn’t do the fish justice—it was about 18 inches. I am totally happy to be catching anything this late in the year! The other picture was taken last week when it snowed/sleeted and I left my pliers and line sniper in the Hobie cup container-doh!😖
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[Mark]

That's a good technique with the bobber. I know from experience that pickerels like flies and lures suspended in the water column. Halting your retrieve and letting the fly or lure suspend will entice hits -- or letting it dangle under a bobber.

Yesterday I fished an Eastern Shore pond. Same nice weather conditions as you noted. On one occasion I caught a pickerel merely by leaving my fly in the water as I picked up my paddle to move locations. Before I made my first paddle stroke, my rod tip jerked indicating a bite. Indeed it was. I netted a pickerel caught by doing absolutely no manipulation of the fly.