Severn River pickerel 2/27/2021

[dsaavedra]

I took advantage of the nice weather on Saturday and made a quick trip out on the Severn for some pickerel. I used the same plan of attack that has been productive for me all winter - throw 3.5" paddle tails at fallen timber - and it was productive again. I landed 7 pickerel and lost/missed several others in about a 3 hour trip. The fish were nothing to write home about, the largest coming in at just over 19", but many of them were FAT. The 19" fish looked to be full of eggs and had bloodied/shredded fins which leads me to believe the spawn is in full swing. I kept a few smaller pickerel to take home and try a pickled pike recipe (https://www.outdoorlife.com/recipe-h...northern-pike/), something I've been curious to try for a while. One of the fatter fish I kept had 2 pumpkinseed sunfish in its stomach which I thought was interesting.

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[rugbyfish]

Nicely done! I was debating going out to the Severn on Saturday but ultimately decided to get things done around the house. Guess I should have gone fishing!

[Big Mike]

Definitely pregnant. I’ve seen some reports indicating some have spawned already. Goo luck with that pike recipe. There’s supposed to be a way to fillet the toothy ones to remove the extensive pin bone structure but I’ve decided beyond my knife skills.

[Memory Lapse]

I’ve seen some reports indicating some have spawned already.

I've read that too but you can't believe everything you read on the InterWeb.
Most of the ones I've seen are still full of eggs. The males are in really shallow water and much more aggressive. Most of the spawning is yet to come, but right around the corner. The LMB should start getting good. I heard a frog in my backyard last night. Come on Spring!

Edit: Caught this egg factory in the wind on Monday along with 3 small bass and a few crappie.

[dsaavedra]

Definitely pregnant. I’ve seen some reports indicating some have spawned already. Goo luck with that pike recipe. There’s supposed to be a way to fillet the toothy ones to remove the extensive pin bone structure but I’ve decided beyond my knife skills.

Same. I've tried and failed. This time around I figured I'll let the acid and salt do the work for me. 2 of the smaller pickerel I kept had eggs in them, and the other one had full sperm sacks. So I'd guess they are somewhere near the beginning of the spawn where some have already spawned but a majority are getting ready to.

[Mark]

Please note that MD closes the possession of chain pickerel caught in Chesapeake Bay waters starting two weeks from today, 15 March, until 30 April. I imagine that closure approximates their spawning time in the Bay's tributaries.

That closure does not apply to freshwater picks.

[ronaultmtd]

Spawning begins in a lot of our Bay fish..we are seeing huge runs of gizzard shad right now...I am sure we are seeing the beginnings of Hickory and American Shad, too...the Blue catfish, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Black and White Crappie and the huge schools of carp moving into the warming shallows...

[48 Chevy]

ronaultmtd
where do you go for white and black crappie

[ronaultmtd]

Mattawoman creek has two really great "honey holes" For crappie...and it is a big area to find those two holes that always seem to have slabs...I found them the hard way...and St. Mary's Lake is loaded with crappie...

[Mark]

I catch Crappie often in each of the Eastern Shore mill ponds in MD and DE from late fall until early spring. I never target them. They are by-catches when I fish for pickerel.

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They readily hit streamer flies and paddletails.

In warmer months, I've caught them on poppers while bass fishing, but not as often as subsurface offerings.

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Indeed, the ponds are full of them -- including very young ambitious ones like this little guy:

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[bignose]

Chartreuse Crystal flash bugger!

Great fly!

[48 Chevy]

Thanks guys for the info. I am still debating weather or not to take the plunge into the peddle kayak thing, living north east of Baltimore limits the areas for fresh water angling. And the reseviors don't seem to be very attractive with all their restrictions. Being retired I have all week to fish, need some people to hook up with to show the ropes of this sport.

[dsaavedra]

Thanks guys for the info. I am still debating weather or not to take the plunge into the peddle kayak thing, living north east of Baltimore limits the areas for fresh water angling. And the reseviors don't seem to be very attractive with all their restrictions. Being retired I have all week to fish, need some people to hook up with to show the ropes of this sport.

All the rivers east and north of Baltimore (Patapsco, Back, Middle, Gunpowder, Bush, even Havre De Grace and Elk River area) are starting to become impressive snakehead fisheries. There are also plenty of bass and catfish to be had in these rivers too.

[Mark]

Thanks guys for the info. I am still debating weather or not to take the plunge into the peddle kayak thing, living north east of Baltimore limits the areas for fresh water angling. And the reseviors don't seem to be very attractive with all their restrictions. Being retired I have all week to fish, need some people to hook up with to show the ropes of this sport.

You can fish our local tidal waters very well with a paddle kayak. A pedal-driven kayak is not necessary, nor would one be necessary for the reservoirs. I paddle far more then I pedal by choice.

Most of my pedal kayaking occurs in the summer and early fall when I fish for stripers. I'm not a frequent troller. I just don't like to do it. I know many rely on their pedals to troll and pedal kayaks can enhance trolling. But I find pedals are most handy when cruising tidal shorelines and casting. They're helpful when its windy I want to hold in a location without anchoring. Also, the pedals are useful if I see breaking fish within reach in Chesapeake rivers and creeks.

Otherwise, I take my paddle kayaks to essentially the same tidal areas. Also, I use my paddle boats exclusively in various Eastern Shore ponds. I don't use my pedal kayak in the ponds because of the thick vegetation in them. My point is that a paddle kayak offers you many excellent fishing opportunities in our area.

If you are interested in heading east across the bridge to the ponds or south to fish in the numerous tidal areas of AA county, PM me and I can share info or trips with you when weather allows.

[48 Chevy]

Thanks Mark Ill keep that in mind