A skunk plus some cold feet

[J.A. Veil]

I could not let this sunny Sunday go by without at least a try at catching an elusive Severn pickerel. For those of us without waterfront homes or community water privileges, shoreline points of access are few and far between. Over the years I have identified a few spots where I can drive, park, and walk to accessible shoreline and/or wadeable waters.

Today I checked one of my Annapolis spots, but it was completely frozen in. I tried a Crownsville location and discovered some partially open water. The photos below give some idea of the ice conditions. I donned my chest waders (lightweight, not neoprene) and waded around the open water area. I was throwing my go-to winter bait - live minnows (Marty's had them yesterday) on a 1/8-oz jighead.

I waded for an hour with absolutely no bites. The particular cove that I fished has produced pickerel and yellow perch before. However, in previous outings, the water was not ice-covered. I could wade up to my waist, then throw into the deeper water. Today, 3/4 of the cove was covered. I don't think I was getting to the sections where the fish were likely to be. I even tried moving out of the cove toward a larger body of water. The limited non-iced water did not hold any hungry, dumb fish today either.

After an hour of working all corners of the open water and wadeable area, I called it quits. My feet were extremely cold. Nevertheless, it felt good to get out in the water and give my casting muscles some exercise.

[27 sailfish]

Waist deep - what's that for you - 5 feet ?
At least you gave it a shot - won't be much longer.

[attml]

John,

Way to get out there after them! I am sorry to say I had the same results in the main river. I dug my rowboat out and gave it a shot yesterday as well and couldn't muster a single bite in the 45 minutes I was out. I tried the pattern that caught the only 3 pickerel I have seen this year to no avail and pretty much threw everything I had in the tackle box at them. Iincluding a few SRRKC staples (Mr. Millenburg would be proud) but they had a bad case of lockjaw! The water is still really cold! Come on warm weather!

Mark

[Virgil Poe]

Hey John, you definetly had the right combo for this time of the year. Most will be out in deeper water 7 - 8 ft on average, but I know just going is what you really needed most.

[goose70]

The weather starts to look promising next week....sunny and upper-40s. In some ways, this touney is more intriguing than some past years when the fishing was easy.

Virgil, with past harsh winters, do you find that the Pickerel go on a feeding binge once things get back to normal and the water warms up, as opposed to milder winters, where they might feed more regularly throughout the winter?

[Virgil Poe]

Hi Jeff, in my opinion, no. I don't believe they'll feed any more or less come spring, as a result of what we may consider as having a harsh winter in our world. I believe their world is a little more constant/stable down below, and I believe that they do feed on a regular basis throughout the winter months, despite what's taking place above.

http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx114/bugsy1947/DSC000101.jpg

This pickerel was caught through the ice of a Magothy cove in the middle of a harsh winter for these parts. While removing the hook we noticed the fin protruding from this fishes gullet. Obviously, there was no way the pickerel was going to swallow the minnow it had just grabbed below our tip-up, and this isn't the first time I've witnessed this concept. My opinion is based on personal interactions with the fish, nothing more.

[goose70]

Thanks. Cool pic!

I guess that makes sense....I know folks who get apparently very hungry Pickerel through the ice in upstate NY, and a harsh winter for us is still mild be their standards.

[attml]

Virgil,

Agreed - very cool picture! Do you think that pickerel would have just kept the minnow in his mouth until the other fish digested? I am sure that it is slim pickings this time of year for the pickerel so my guess is that they grab what they can when they can then sit on the bottom until they make room?

Mark

[27 sailfish]

Seen Rockfish do same thing in late fall.
One baitfish half in their gullet yet they hit a lure.

Perhaps a fish's stomach can expand to hold the other baitfish.
I know in June the Rock are bloated looking - their stomach packed full of May worms.

Fish still feed all winter - just not as often due to being cold blooded. I bet a small Perch or big minnow holds them a few days.

[Capt.Nick]

When I used to fish your rivers in the winter,Feb. was not the greatest month for numbers of Pickerel but usually bigger ones.BTW I know a guy that recently caught a 28in.Pickerel in an upper bay river on a small tube jig while fishing for perch.Sometimes there no justice in fishing.

[Virgil Poe]

Hi Mark,
Do I think that the pickerel would have just kept the minnow in his mouth until the fish in it's gullet digested?

I don't believe so. I would think to do so would take some thought, and I don't believe they are capable of that. I believe had the minnow not been attached to a hook, it would have soon entered the fish's gullet, right alongside what was left of the fish still sticking out. I believe this is possible because the fish don't have hands, or anything to push something into it's gullet. I believe the gullet is capable of stretching/manipulating/opening, enough to get something started inside, and I believe the fish controls this process. I believe there was plenty room for that little old minnow (snack if you will), to fit right alongside the main coarse.

I also believe that big one you had to the top the other day could still be near by.

[Virgil Poe]

Capt Nick, one of the largest bass I nearly ever caught was through the ice of an Eastern Shore mill pond. Small meal or wax worm, I can't remember, on a tinny ice jig. It's head nearly filled the hole when I got him in it. As I lifted up, the tiny hook popped lose and I just watched him sink slowly back down. Fish uprighted itself once out of the hole and just slowly swam off. Large fish do eat small baits, I'm a believer of that.

[attml]

Hi Virgil,

Thank you very much for the reply! That makes sense! I guess pickerel have a little more room to stretch. I saw a gar floating once that had died because it had a minnow stuck in it's throat. A gar doesn't have a lot of stretch room though! I am hoping that big fish is still around. I may go with a new first for me and try some live bait here soon. Come on warm weather!

Mark

[27 sailfish]

Not to hijack thread.
Often in June near the LP marker - we see 26 to 32 inch Rock floating on the surface. Now/then one will be 1/4 alive.
If you look closely - often there is an 8 to 10 inch White Perch wedged in the Rock's mouth.
The Perch's dorsal fin jams in tight and the Rock can not spit it out - nor swallow it.

Once Spot arrive - we do not see this anymore.
First time I thought it was a fluke but seen it too many times now for it to be a rare thing.

[BornXEyed]

walked down to my go to pier (on Valentine Creek) and cast some in-line spinners on Sunday as well. Zero luck. Felt good to get some lines wet though.