Yellow perch being targeted earlier and earlier
Full bodied and robust, a gorgeous yellow perch better than 10 inches burst from the ice-cold water. Solid black bars and green and golden hues dominated the fish’s dorsal flanks, giving way to a magically golden body laterally. At this length — if you believe A.J. McClane’s “Guide to Freshwater Fishes in North America,” and I do, every word — the fish could be in its fourth or maybe fifth season.
Grass shrimp pinned to very light, round marabou feathered jigheads, one an electric chartreuse, the other a deep purple, on a dropper rig did the trick. Just a couple years ago I’d never have thought to try this bridge structure way up a creek a stone’s throw from work. Especially this time of year. Besides, most of us link yellow perch fishing with the traditional arrival of spring later in February or March, especially in the Chesapeake’s upper reaches where they spawn. Or at least we used to. These days more anglers are targeting neds (also called ring perch) earlier and earlier. I’ve definitely heard of an uptick in catches in places that in years’ past had little hope of producing.
Perhaps this shift shouldn’t be all that surprising. After all, we’re approaching the 10th anniversary since the Department of Natural Resources rejiggered its yellow perch regulations to create a more equitable balance between the recreational and commercial sectors. Couple that with water quality improvements in many tributaries in recent years and that’s a recipe for better panfishing.
As I penned this week’s column touting good fishing news, the CBF announced it was dropping its overall health grade for the Chesapeake watershed from a C- to a D+. They cite an increase in polluted runoff from the record rains, exacerbated by climate change, and failures to curb pollution, particularly in Pennsylvania, as main drivers for the first decline in a decade. It’s not all doom-and-gloom, however. Underwater grass beds, critical fish and crab habitat, have shown encouraging resilience to storm events.
I’m ignoring these troubling trends, and I do plan to keep an eye on what, if any impact these record rainfalls and the pollution carried on the runoff have on the 2019 spawn of yellow perch and other fishes. Yet, for a brief moment, I’ll simply enjoy any winter’s day I can get on the water, hauling in a beautifully colorful ned.
Set aside for the moment that this year’s 2019 Progressive® Insurance Baltimore Boat Show will showcase more than 300 boats, among which there will be plenty of sport
BALTIMORE BOAT SHOW UPDATE:
fishing boats boasting modern electronics and family friendly amenities. If you’re in the market for a new ride, don’t miss Super Thursday, with admission price of only $5 after 5 p.m. You could score your best deal of the four-day show, which runs Jan. 24-27 at the Baltimore Convention Center.
If that’s not impressive enough, add the 9th annual Crab Pickin’ contest sponsored by Conrad’s Seafood Restaurant and 100.7 The Bay and a chance to check out the Miss GEICO racing catamaran — all 3,300 HP of her!
And last but not least there’s Go Fishing Friday, slated for Jan. 25, the second day of the show. It features a fish fry, Discover Fishing seminars and a contest to see who can snag the biggest virtual fish. The grand prize is a fishing charter for six people donated by Spring Mix 2. Noted author Shawn Kimbro will walk you through his panfish techniques, and (insert shameless plug here!) I’ll do two seminars (1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) on fishing for rockfish, red drum, cobia and speckled trout. It’s also Service Day, in which active military, police and fire personnel receive $2 off admission (box office only). Tickets and additional information at baltimoreboatshow.com.
The season runs statewide Jan. 17-19. Miss out on a fall gobbler? You’re in luck since the state’s three-day winter turkey season, which the Wildlife and Heritage Service implemented in 2015, offers hunters a shot at redemption. Note that you may only use one of the following weapons: Airguns that shoot arrows or bolts; crossbows and vertical bows; or shotguns loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller. Hunting hours are from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset. The bag limit is one turkey of either sex, provided you didn’t harvest a turkey in the 2018 fall season. It’s illegal (and unethical, in my opinion) to hunt turkeys over bait. Hunters may check in their harvest via phone at (888) 800-0121, online or via DNR’s mobile app. Good luck and stay safe.
WINTER TURKEY SEASON: