The locations
Morgan Run: All the recent rain is good for the reservoirs, the streams, and the fish but has put a real crimp in fishing, says Robert Sollott of Angler's Hollow in Westminster. Otherwise, it's "sulphurs, sulphurs, sulphurs, with small caddis on top."
Prettyboy Reservoir: The weather hasn't been cooperating, the water is cold, and in most cases, the fish are still waiting to spawn, says Duke Nohe. It's 60 degrees at a depth of 15 feet and 49 degrees at 25 feet. "Fish tight to the banks to 15 feet out," Duke advises. White perch are being caught with small spinners trailing a night crawler. Bass have been averaging 2 pounds. Try pig and jigs, medium running plugs and spinner bait.
Loch Raven Reservoir: Bass action remains hot, say the guys at the Fishing Center. Try plastic worms along the shoreline, spinners and jigs. They're catching crappie and bluegills on waxworms and shiners, and pike on large minnows. Post-spawn crappie have moved to the deeper water; try minnows and shad darts. You can find white perch in the coves in about 20 feet of water.
Susquehanna: Anglers are catching lots of white perch around Port Deposit on shad darts tipped with bloodworms, reports Capt. Mike Benjamin of Herb's Tackle Shop in North East. The Elk River is serving up catfish; use clam snouts, bloodworms and shrimp. Smallmouth bass are being caught in the Susquehanna on small crankbaits and small spinner baits. For largemouth bass, try the North East town park and bring silver and blue 1/2 -oz. Rat-L-Traps. The largemouths are lurking around the piers and pilings of the boat yards; use spinners and spinner baits.
Gunpowder River: Wally Vait at On the Fly in Monkton is reporting heavy sulphur hatches from Falls Road down past Bluemount Road. The morning hatch is running from about 9 to 10 o'clock, with the first spinner fall at noon. There are two more hatches, one about 2 p.m., the other about 6 p.m. Water temperature at Falls Road has ranged from 45-68 degrees; clarity is good. Recent rains have really helped the water flow. Hip waders remain OK.
Middle River: The good news is, channel catfish are biting, says Bill Horstman at The Fishin' Shop on Pulaski Highway. For bait, he says, "There's not a catfish alive that won't eat a peeler." The bad news is, the weather is keeping most everything else quiet. Grass has started to grow but needs a jolt of sun and warm water to take off. There've been just a few reports of bass being caught. Use spinners, jigs, and rattling lures.
Patapsco River: Catfish and white perch are biting on worms, peelers, and chicken livers. On the upper river, anglers are having limited luck catching catfish and trout.
Patuxent River: Anglers are catching perch just north of Route 4 on Nitro worms. Spot, 8-12 inches, are being caught on shrimp and squid. Catfish are taking peelers from Western Branch south to Lyons Creek.
Chesapeake Bay: "If you want consistent large rockfish, you have to go to Solomons," says Fishin' Charlie at Angler's Sports Center. Rockfish 20-24 inches long are in the eastern bay. Smaller rockfish are still biting sporadically on large parachute bucktails with shad attached. Anglers are bottom fishing for perch and croaker. Big Al at C&EJ;'s in Lothian says he checked in a 22-inch, 4-pound croaker caught at Calvert Cliffs on a bloodworm. A few spot and flounder are showing up.
Eastern Shore: "The freshwater scene is on, on, on," says an enthusiastic Gene Kane at Tochterman's. Some 50-75 bass a day are being taken from places such as Leonard Mill and Johnson's near Salisbury. The bass came up on the beds, and even the cold weather didn't push them off. Gene says you can see clouds of small bass fry. Worms are taking their fair share, but lizards are the optimal bait. Water temperature is stabilizing at 72-75 degrees, and the top bite is starting to come around. What more could you ask? Croaker action is red hot at the Choptank Fishing Pier in Cambridge, with the fish taking peelers and bloodworms. In the upper Choptank, perch are being caught on cut herring and worms. Anglers are catching catfish in the Chester River above Crumpton.
Ocean City: Fish are working on their night moves at Shantytown and Oceanic piers, reports Sue Foster of Oyster Bay Tackle. At Shantytown, she suggests fishing with small bucktails, spec rigs or 3- and 4-inch curltail grubs on 3/8 -oz. lead heads tied in tandem. At Oceanic, she says, go with double-tied twisters, bucktails or Got-cha Plugs. During the day, blues are biting on shiners, mullet or lures. At Assateague, bunker bait's bringing in some big stripers. Charter boats are catching blues, and shark fishing has begun.
Potomac River: A whitewater release is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday on the North Branch. If you're fly fishing, try woolly buggers and nymphs. Ken Penrod says bass are post-spawn in the upper river; try tubes, plastic jerk baits and shallow-dive crankbaits. Submerged grass is becoming a problem, but so far, water remains high enough to combat the effects. In the tidal river, top-water action remains good, with floating crankbaits bringing home the goods. Mattawoman and Piscataway creeks show promise. Try poppers, plastics and crankbaits.
-- Candus Thomson
Crabbing report
Holiday rush: With Memorial Day approaching, crabbers are looking forward to catching their holiday crabs. Wherever you go, be sure to arrive early, because the crabbing spots are bound to be crowded. The Choptank is producing good catches; an experienced crabber reported three bushels using a trotline near the U.S. 50 bridge. A few heavy males are being caught at the Wye River, and up to a bushel in the South River. Seneca Creek, with its water warmed by the power plant, is also yielding nice amounts. And, as always, the Eastern Bay area is doing well. I caught two bushels of medium-to-large males last Monday. For pictures and more information, check out my Web site at www.members.home.net.thecrabman.
-- Mike Kobus
To hear the fishing report, call SunDial and enter category 5378 on your touch-tone phone. The phone number is 410-783-1800 in the Baltimore area; 410-268-7736 in Anne Arundel County, 410-836-5028 in Harford and 410-848-0038 in Carroll. Or go to the Sun on the Internet at http://www.sunspot.net