Won't be long...

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Pre-spawn smallies, carp, ......then
Summer smallies and Terrestrials on spring creeks...

Thank goodness

 

[icyguides]

+1 Can't wait for some warmwater fishing and the shad run to start.

 

[wgmiller]

Amen. Bring on the Susky and some esox!!!

 

[brookieaddict]

Caught my first smallie and missed a carp yesterday, waters cold but by thurs or fri they should be better. I was using a brown Clouser crawfish on a #6 streamer hook. Fish it deep and ssllloooowwwww. Kayak fishing is the best way to explore rivers and larger streams, im glad I sold the hole in the water and bought the Hobbie.

 

[icyguides]

A friend caught 5 smallies from shore yesterday on the lower susquehanna.

 

[brookieaddict]

A friend of mine turned me on to Hobies and fishing for smallies in the winter, its very slow fishing minutes go by without me moving the fly and a take feels like a snag until you feel the slow head shake. it sure helps get through the winter and I prefer it to wading in cold water.

 

[Dave_W]

I stopped by today on Conodoguinet Creek and was surprised to see a water temp of 56 degrees (I took the temp twice and was careful to keep my thermometer in the shade - same reading both times).

This is very warm for early March. If you're ready for some springtime bassin, it should be game on across the state.

 

[KGStine]

Fished the fly section on Muddy Creek today at Bruce, the first two fish I caught were little Smallmouths.

 

[sarce]

Did a short float on a MD river today. One bass hooked but not landed. Dont know water temp, but potomac is 55 so was probably close to that. Saw a massive school of large fish cruising upstream in 2-3' of water along the change from Rocky to Sandy bottom, unfortunately after we had drifted downstream out of casting range. Guessing catfish or suckers - anyone have any theories on which of the two they could have been? There were at least two dozen fish, between 18-30"...just steadily moving upstream

 

[icyguides]

Sarce, If the river you were fishing has American Shad they could have been shad. The size description roughly fits. Shad are fast swimmers thought so i don't know if steady would be accurate. When they are not actively moving upstream they usually kind of swim in circles.

 

[Dave_W]

sarce wrote:
Saw a massive school of large fish cruising upstream in 2-3' of water along the change from Rocky to Sandy bottom, unfortunately after we had drifted downstream out of casting range. Guessing catfish or suckers - anyone have any theories on which of the two they could have been? There were at least two dozen fish, between 18-30"...just steadily moving upstream

Interesting.
Although there are lots of catties in the Potomac and they are often in groups, I doubt that's what you saw. Suckers are starting to move around and into tribs to spawn. Could be suckers.

If I had to hazard a guess, I'd suggest they were quillbacks. The size of the fish, and the size of the group (and water depth) is consistent with a school of quills. Large schools of quills are a common site throughout the year on WW rivers around here.