Spring Time Fishing Has Begun

The crappie are biting, bass are hungry, and the yellow perch are set to spawn.

Big crappie in the 14-inch range are biting in St. Mary's Lake. There are largemouth bass hitting whacky rigs in the Lake and ponds. Some out-sized crappie have taken those whacky rigs, too. Pickerel are always hungry and will hit most any shiny spinner bait.

Eric Packard with a farm pond crappie.

Yellow perch are gathering for their spawning run at Wayson's Corner and Allen's Fresh. The upper regions of the Nanticoke have a huge run beginning now. The critical factor is the tide. Any high tide that is strong enough to fill the upper regions of the spawning grounds will trigger a spawning run. The upper St. Mary's River will have yellow perch all the way to the bridge at Great Mills under Route 5 on a good tide. This will happen for about 24 hours and may occur in the middle of the night.

James Jahn shows off a lovely crappie from St. Mary's Lake.

Rockfish are now beginning to move in the rivers. Pound net fishermen have picked up a handful this week.Only a single or two alewife and shad have shown up.The warmth and rain coming this week will mark the beginning of springtime fishing.

Eric Packard caught this large mouth bass in a local farm pond this week.

Rockfish are now beginning to move in the rivers. Pound net fishermen have picked up a handful this week. Only a single or two alewife and shad have shown up. The warmth and rain coming this week will mark the beginning of springtime fishing.