Striper Fishing is Hot in Cold Weather

Chesapeake Sportsman: Striper fishing is hot in cold weather
Courtesy of Joe Evans


Striper fishing is hot in cold weather&bodytext=Striper fishing has become a year-round affair, and you won’t hear any complaints from me. The 2008 fall, and now winter, fishing has been nothing short of spectacular so I hope you got in your fair share of trips."

Striper fishing has become a year-round affair, and you won’t hear any complaints from me. The 2008 fall, and now winter, fishing has been nothing short of spectacular so I hope you got in your fair share of trips.

But to overlook the excellent tidal fishing within an hour’s drive or so would be a big mistake. Even when the winds howl you can always find a quiet stretch of water to wet a line. One of my favorite winter-time quarries is the chain pickerel, an elongated fish with a broad, spatula-like snout and very sharp teeth.

It was roughly around this time last year when Annapolis resident Joe Evans, editor of PropTalk magazine, and I snuck off for a few hours to chase pickerel and yellow perch in the Severn River. We weren’t disappointed.

Chain pickerel are voracious feeders that lurk in shallow cover like grass beds and fallen timer, and then ambush unsuspecting prey. Pike are found in brackish and freshwater creeks, farm ponds and lakes throughout Maryland. Even when the temperature drops like a stone, anglers who brave the elements can expect several good tussles with a hard-fighting, rod bending gamefish that offer and give no quarter. Last season was a banner one for chain pickerel in our part of the Bay.

The Severn River and its many finger tributaries such as Rays Pond, Brewer Creek, and Chase Creek are great pike waters. The pickerel stocks in the Magothy River are also fairly strong. Work the river’s feeder arteries inside Sillery Bay, Cypress Creek, Cattail Creek, and Blackhole Creek, all of which held good numbers of pike last year.
The South River has its own potential gems, like Duvall, Broad and Warehouse creeks. Don’t overlook the Patapsco River tributaries, such as Bodkin Creek, Stoney Creek, and Curtis Creek that can produce reliable catches of pike.

While these above mentioned waters have held good numbers of pickerel, part of the fun of fishing small water is exploring the cuts and inlets that make the Chesapeake so special.

Tactics and tackle
For the most part, the solitary pike is not a picky eater. They will eat killifish, various other minnows, crayfish, and even fish up to half their own size. Both spin and fly gear are ideal for chasing pickerel.
A five- or six-weight fly rod loaded with an intermediate or sink tip line works well. A balanced leader of about 7-8 feet long using 10-pound test is usually sufficient. Remember that pike have sharp teeth, so a shock leader of 15- or 20-pound test at times may be a wise move.
A money fly is a yellow over white Clouser tied on a long shank hook (#1 to 2/0). Years ago expert fly angler Joe Bruce suggested tying these flies heavier than normal. This may be accomplished two ways; option one is to use heavier eyes, and option two is to bulk up the fly’s body with more feathers and/or flash material. Don’t be scared to experiment with variations of proven standards like the Clouser or Deceiver, or create your own pike magnet.
For spin casters, lightweight to medium rods load with 4- or 6-pound test are plenty stout. Again, a shock leader is prudent insurance against the mouth pike. Fish the drop-offs and fallen timber with a spinnerbait, enticing the pike out of the cover to attack your lure.
In addition to spinners from Mepps and Panther Martin, a two-inch, black/chartreuse tube jig on a 1/16-1/8 oz. jig head, attached to a gold #1 jig spinner, is a killer. Fish it slow and steady. Few are the fish that can resist a bull minnow, and pike love live bait. Lip-hook a bull minnow onto a 1/8 to 1/4-ounce leadhead jig (white, black, or purple are good colors) and then retrieve it slowly along the shoreline edges.

As winter sets in the thunderous strikes become more subtle, and patience pays. Pike may mouth the bait for nearly half a minute. Resist the urge to set the hook immediately – all you’ll do is pull the hook from its mouth.

Wait until the pike turns to swim away to set the hook, then set it with a crisp, sharp tug. Winter can offer good, albeit different, fishing from the warmer months but can be just as satisfying. Lastly, take all safety precautions and fish with a friend, there’s comfort in having another angler aboard.