Snow shouldn’t deter bass fishing

Unless the white stuff comes down by the tons tomorrow, don’t let a little snow keep you from going bass fishing. This is a magic time of the fishing year. Crowded waters are unheard of; you’ll be hard-pressed to have someone elbow you out of the way.

Now is when slow-moving lures are a must. No one need hurry, not the fish, not the anglers.

December’s cold water signals the use of round-headed jig hooks fed onto plastic grubs that do a fair job of imitating a minnow. Local fishing guide Andy Andrzejewski first popularized the use of Sting Ray grubs in an avocado color during the cold months in these parts when bass are more lethargic. However, Andrzejewski doesn’t want the credit, unlike another local guide who practically claims he invented the Sting Ray bass-catching method.

Andrzejewski credits cable television angler Roland Martin, who showed him well more than 30 years ago how effective the 3-inch avocado Sting Rays are on cold-water bass. But in these parts the “Fishing Pole” has turned all of us into Sting Ray freaks — that’s how productive they are when used in conjunction with a fish attractant. I use garlic-scented Smelly Jelly, but you go ahead and use whatever you wish. Just be sure to put a little flavoring on the rubbery lures, then fish s-l-o-w-l-y.

Use strong line and stout rods and reels because the exposed hook eventually will become snagged on something. With strong gear you can pull the hook free, bend it again using needlenose pliers and sharpen the hook point with a fine flat-file or whetstone.

Andrzejewski said the bass fishing can be pretty good: “I concentrate on creek ledges, rocks, and drops with water depths of at least 10 feet.” The guide also points out that water in the Wilson Bridge area of the Potomac River stood at 48 degrees on an outgoing tide.

“The Mann’s Sting Ray Grub is definitely our best lure,” Andrzejewski said, recalling recent catches in coves around rock like the Spoils or creek ledges up and down the river. “Strikes have been very subtle.”

Andrzejewski also said the tidal water crappies are schooled throughout the river around marina pilings or rock. Typical sizes are a pound or more.

Pockets of rockfish — Ken Lamb, owner of Lexington Park’s Tackle Box, reported: “Adventurous captains have found pockets of fish in Maryland waters.” Charter boat captains Steve Davis and Jamie Danford had great catches this week south and east of Smith Point and around Tangier Island. Big ocean stripers have been averaging 40 inches and better.

“Early morning is when the bite happens; the afternoons are dead,” Lamb said. “The fish seem to be high in the water column. Smaller umbrella lure sets work best. This fishing is challenging and may be best left to the experts. Call a charter captain and let them do the work.”

Lamb also reported big rockfish caught in the Potomac at buoys 7 and 9. He said there are plenty of white perch available in the Patuxent River, but they are biting only on moving water and seem to bite only every other day.

Lower bay and ocean produces — Ken Neill of the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman’s Association said, “Everybody is fishing for striped bass. Big fish have been caught on eels at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, also over at Cape Charles and out of the barrier islands’ surf. They have not been taken in great numbers, and the bite inside the bay has been sporadic.”

Apparently there are plenty of little fish but not good numbers of the larger specimens. The best catches this past week came from south of Rudee Inlet (Virginia Beach) clear down to Duck, N.C.

Neill added that a body of large fish is still north of Virginia in Atlantic waters.

“The winter weather we are having now should encourage these fish to move on down to us,” he said. “Other than stripers, we have bluefin tunas available that can be found anywhere from 30 fathoms all the way into the beach. A good sized group of 100-pound class tuna has been in the area of the Southeast Lumps. Larger fish could show up anywhere. Big bluefish remain off our coast. They’re found around most of the wrecks and sea mounts. The Chesapeake Light Tower is a good place to visit for bluefish.”

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