If you’ve never fished one of the Bay’s quiet rivers for panfish during the winter, or haven’t in a while, you’re missing out on one of the true joys of living in Chesapeake Country. Crappie and yellow perch — the latter of which sport the colloquial moniker “neds” in Maryland and “ring or raccoon” perch in Virginia — are readily available. To sweeten the deal, rapacious chain pickerel are often found in the same waters. For this month’s Fish Spot, I’m going to double-down and profile two tributaries proven to hold plenty of fish during the next four weeks: Maryland’s Pocomoke River and the Northwest River in southeast Virginia.
Northwest River, VA
One of these days I’m going to make the trek south to fish the perch run on the Northwest River, which cuts across southeastern Virginia and eventually drains into North Carolina’s Tull Bay that meets Currituck Sound. This winter option was unknown to me until a fishing friend recently clued me in on the late winter run of raccoon perch, which he called “amazing.” His description of anglers using 10-foot cane poles — as many as 20 rods per boat! — creating a circus-like scene when the action heats up is reason enough to want to witness such a spectacle.
Intrigued, I called Bob’s Fishing Hole ((757) 421-2855) in Chesapeake, VA, and chatted with James Waters. A fountain of local knowledge on the perch run, James said by the middle of January, the fish start to school up in good numbers. In a typical year, the fish are really stacked up by mid February, and a warming trend sets off the bite. He recommended drifting small to medium sized minnows — “We sell a ton during the run” — on jig heads. Although jigs and spinners work, James said it’s the live bait that the fish want. He adds that the flow of the Northwest River is influenced by wind.
To find the fish, begin looking in water depths of 12 feet early this month, and then move to shallower water once the spawn is on in earnest. Fish the sunny areas on the lee shore as much as possible. Bob’s Fishing Hole is a one-stop shop, stocked with bait, hooks and lures. There is a ramp there (fee $5.00) to launch your rig. You can also rent a jon boat for 20 bucks a day. If you’re cartopping, the rate is $2, and to fish from their bank it will cost you a buck.
Pocomoke River, MD
Every time I’m on the upper Pocomoke River an almost surreal, Jurassic Park feeling invades my being, especially if I’m at its headwaters in the Great Cypress Swamp in Delaware. Pocomoke derives from the Native American word “black water,” though in my opinion the water takes on a deeper maroon color.
As the river meanders the 45 miles to the Pocomoke Sound, ultimately mixing with the Chesapeake Bay, cypress trees and loblolly pines stand as majestic sentinel along the riverbank. River otters, various birds, and waterfowl share the river with anglers. A gorgeous river any time of year, my fishing experience during the cold months has been entirely out of the Snow Hill, MD area, angling for neds, crappie, and pickerel.
Several years back I fished with Capt. Walt of Light Tackle Charters, a Pocomoke devotee of the first order, who guides fishermen anxious to wet a line during the winter doldrums. “I love the Pocomoke for its simple beauty, especially in the winter. I also love the color of the water,” he said thoughtfully. He adds that because the river winds its way back and forth so much, “I can always find a spot out of the winter wind and in the sun that is holding fish. It’s also a very deep river for its width, which presents plenty of opportunity for pan fish like perch and crappie.” His “go to” lure is a 1/16-ounce Calcutta crappie jig (white) trailed with a one-inch Squirmin’ Squirt plastic tube, also in white. He uses a balsa wood float to suspend the rig above the tangle of brush and logs that provide the fish-attracting structure.
Public access to this stretch of the Pocomoke is very good: Milburn Landing, on the north side of the river, on Route 364. Shad Landing, south side of the river, off Route 113. If these two productive waterways aren’t within your range, there are scores of similar tributaries that will fit the bill.