I have an opening for one angler to share the cost of a trip fishing the Pocomoke River for pickerel, crappie, yellow perch and bass. Your half of the cost will be $150 for the six-hour trip. Available dates are March 16, 23, or 30. Please contact me if your are interested at kjosenhans@aol.com, or by phone at 443-783-3271. If you can’t make this trip but would like to put together one of your own, please let me know. Thanks!
CBBT – While the eel dunkers are catching a few mammoth stripers just offshore of Cape Charles, the light tackle guides fishing the CBBT pilings and islands have had their work cut out for them. The bite has been good on occasion, with a few of the rockfish stretching the tape to 50 inches. There have been other days when it’s been a chore to boat ten fish in the 20’s. I had a modest day last Friday with a dozen or so fat rock up to 38 inches (21 pounds on the boga). I’m taking a wind day today and then plan on fishing the pilings hard this Friday and Saturday. I hope to post a few photos of big stripers next week. Wish me luck!!
Skip Powers shows off a nice CBBT striper
Crisfield – My year is about done fishing the shallows around Tangier Sound, and we ended on a good note, averaging fifty schoolie stripers in the 17″ to 24″ range. Lots of fun on the featherlite G.Loomis spin and fly tackle that I supply. We enjoyed a great season with specks, stripers, redfish and blues and I’m already counting the days until the first stripers arrive at the Susquehanna Flats. In the meantime, I’ll be looking for trophy fish at the bridge tunnel until cold weather hits, and then slowing down a bit on the backwaters of the Pocomoke River, casting to crappie, yellow perch, pickerel and bass. The Pocomoke is a beautiful tidal river and the fishing is laid back. A great way to enjoy a cool winter’s day.
Christmas Gift Certificates – It’s not too late to order Christmas gift certificates for a 4, 6 or 8 hour guided fishing trip. This is the perfect gift for the angler who has everything. I’ll make sure it arrives before Christmas, and I do take VISA or MasterCard!!
The client always has a better selection of flies than the guide!
Fishing the creeks of Smith Island
Bushels of oysters awaiting a buy boat at Smith Island
The past three weeks have been all white perch and crappie. Throw in the occasional pickerel – along with a wayward rockfish, or three – and we’ve had some pretty good spring fishing. Flounder are making a showing on Virginia’s eastern shore and I will be making a trip or two down that way before I head to the flats. Speaking of the Susquehanna, the latest intel has clear water, with temps in the 50’s on much if the flats; prime conditions for stripers. Reports have it the big pre-spawn fish are moving up the bay, so everyone’s thinking the flats should bust wide open at anytime. I’ll be there when it does, so get your trip booked now. Here are some shots from past couple of weeks, with the most recent trips posted first..
Eroica Wallman with her first Pocomoke River crappie
Not to be outdone, Scott Wallman adds one to the catch
This pickerel gave Eroica a good battle!
This longnose gar was an unexpected visitor
Peter Gray having fun with Pocomoke River crappie
Justin Matoska adds a pickerel to the tally
Phil Bangert has his hands full with a Nanticoke River white perch..
..and the prize..
Some of the perch were upwards of 13"
The Pocomoke is a great fly fishing venue
Jim Lowell with a nice pickerel on fly
What began as a quest for trophy chain pickerel, soon morphed into a routine crappie expedition. The “speckled perch,” as my friend Shawn Kimbro so eloquently stated, were more eager to please. Rather than bore you with my mundane writings that would not do justice to an absolutely gorgeous day on the Pocomoke River, here is a link to Shawn’s take on the day in his blog Chesapeake Light Tackle. Shawn’s narrative is a refreshing change of pace, as it allows the reader to experience the trip through the client’s eyes. You may wish to bookmark the site for future reference. Shawn has a gift for the written word and I thoroughly enjoy reading his timely and informative fishing reports during the course of a fishing season. You might also want to check-out Shawn’s new book, Chesapeake Light Tackle – An Introduction to Light Tackle Fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. I intend to pick up a copy this weekend.
Don’t forget, CCA’s TieFest 2012 is this Saturday, February 25, at the Kent Island Yacht Club in Chester, MD. Show hours are 9:30 am – 4:30 pm. I hope to see you there!
I’ve had quite a bit of interest of late to fish the Pocomoke, with several folks looking to share a trip – I know it’s a long drive for many of you. If any of you would like to take advantage of this fun fishery, along with the walk-on cost-savings, please let me know. The price for two will be $140 per person , for three it’s $100 per person . This is the walk-on rate. You may still charter the boat for six-hours for just $275 – but you need to get your own friends 
. This includes minnows (for perch and crappie, but they can be caught without bait), license, water, soda, ice, and coffee and donuts. You will need to bring your own lunch. Again, this is a six-hour trip.
Yesterday, while crappie fishing on the Pocomoke, Tom Hylden and friends were pleasantly surprised by the good number of pickerel that ate our jig/minnow combinations. This should bode well for fly fishermen who seek to do battle with this aggressive member of the pike family. CCA MD is holding a Tidal Pickerel Championship and I believe the Pocomoke is as good a spot as any to take home the trophy. This is a “no bait” tournament, so if you would like to give the Pocomoke a shot give me a call and I’ll toss the minnows and concentrate on putting you on some good pickerel grounds. Back to yesterday’s trip, we did land maybe 30 or so crappie to 12-inches, along with a few bass to sixteen. Our final pickerel tally was maybe ten, not too bad considering our crappie gear. It was a fun mid-winter day on a beautiful tidal river.
Whitney Tilt shows off a good size Pocomoke pickerel
John Camp coaxed a couple of bass out of the brush
The makings of a fish-fry! All bass and pickerel were released.
Josenhans Fly Fishing = Fly Fishing & Light Tackle Charters
While the name may say “fly fishing,” most of you are aware that I am certainly no stranger to the spinning rod. I carry quality G.Loomis rods and Shimano Stradic spinning reels for your use. In addition, you are more than welcome to bring along your own tackle on your guided trip. I always love to compare tackle and techniques with my fellow anglers.
In gearing-up for the 2012 fishing season one of my first steps is this slightly overdue newsletter. During the past few weeks, I have made the occasional trip to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) with some nice rockfish being caught on both fly and spin tackle. Take a look at the fishing reports section of my blog for the latest in CBBT action. The next couple of months will also yield some very good light tackle and fly fishing action on the Pocomoke River. See below for trip info. Now for a brief rundown on what to expect in the coming weeks and months.
Pocomoke River Yellow Perch
Fishing Opportunities in 2012
Pocomoke River – I am currently booking trips on the scenic and wild Pocomoke River. We’ll put-in at the Byrd Park ramp in Snow Hill, Maryland where we will chase yellow perch, crappie, pickerel and largemouth bass. This is a great way to spend a midwinter’s day casting ultra-light spinning or fly tackle. The winding nature of the Pocomoke creates many protected and productive shorelines that can be fished comfortably, even as cool winter breezes keep bay boaters in port. The all-inclusive cost for a six-hour trip is only $275 and I’ll supply the coffee and donuts. Take a look here for some of last season’s Pocomoke action Pocomoke River Fishing 2011.
Pocomoke River Pickerel
March White Perch – Beginning around the first of March I will be guiding clients to some terrific white perch action on the Nanticoke River out of Sharptown, Maryland. This is a fun trip for adults and kids, as there is always plenty of action. When the run is on, the perch generally average 10 to 12 inches, with fish of 13 inches or greater caught every season. This was one of my most popular trips last spring, and with the peak of the run lasting maybe three weeks, it’s best to get your name on the books today! Check out some of last season’s action at Nanticoke White Perch
Nanticoke River White Perch
Susquehanna Flats – Even though last season’s flats fishing was a bust, I believe that with this winter’s low snowfall (so far) amounts, this coming spring’s catch & release flats fishery could prove to be outstanding. There have been good numbers of big fish in the lower bay and offshore of the Virginia Capes; so I’m looking forward to a big migration towards the Susky this spring. I have some good dates available during the peak period of the last two weeks in April, so book early to get the day you want.
Red Drum at Fisherman’s Island, VA – I have had quite a few requests to make the trek to the barrier islands of Virginia near the CBBT to try for trophy red drum during the spring run. There has been a super fishery for the past few years with big reds averaging 30 to 50 pounds. While much of this is fishing live bait, on good weather days these fish can be caught casting bucktail jigs, spoons and flies. If you would be interested in this type of trip, please let me know well in advance. The timetable for this will be the first week or two of May.
Tangier Sound Flounder and Croaker
Tangier Sound Spring/Summer Fishing – What with the mild winter weather we have experienced, I really expect to see some great speckled trout fishing beginning around the first of May. We caught some BIG specks last fall, and a spring run of big pre-spawn trout is long overdue. Don’t miss out on the return of this great shallow water gamefish. Flounder fishing was off-the-charts last summer and I am hopeful for more of the same in 2012. Bluefish provided fantastic light-tackle action throughout the late spring and summer months in 2011, especially for fly-fishers looking for a good fight on the long wand. The early morning rockfish bite was very good at times, as big stripers smacked out Storm and Stillwater poppers all over the sound. There is plenty to do while fishing out of Crisfield.
Big Tangier Sound Speckled Trout
Winter Speaking Engagements – I will be speaking at several fishing club meetings and events in the coming months, so if you’re in the neighborhood stop in and say hi.
February 8 – I will be speaking at the monthly meeting of the Saltwater Fly Anglers of Delaware in Lewes, DE. Come out and enjoy a PowerPoint presentation on Tangier Sound Fly Fishing. I will also touch on the Susquehanna Flats C&R fishery and my outlook for this spring. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and you will find directions on their Web site.
February 21 – I will be speaking at the monthly meeting of the MSSA’s Essex/Middle River Chapter at the Commodore Hall in Essex, MD. Located at 1909 Old Eastern Ave., the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. I will give a PowerPoint presentation on Fly and Light Tackle opportunities on Tangier Sound, with a special emphasis on the great speckled trout and flounder fishing that we enjoyed this past season. I’ll briefly touch on the Susky Flats as well. Come on out and enjoy an evening of fishing talk!
February 25 – I’ll have a table at CCA’s 10th annual TieFest, the region’s premier fly-fishing show, located at the Kent Narrows Yacht Club in Chester, MD. Show time is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free. This is a must-attend event for any fly angler who’s wet a line in saltwater. I always book a lot of trips at this show, so arrive early and stay late. The food and friendly atmosphere make this my favorite event of the entire year. See you there!
A final note: I am in the process of updating my Web site Josenhans Fly Fishing with new photos and graphics. In addition, for the most current reports and happenings, please check-out my blog at Josenhans Fly Fishing Blog as daily reports may be posted here before they are distributed via the e-newsletter. Thanks for reading, and here’s to a fantastic 2012 season!
Capt. Kevin Josenhans
Tom with Pocomoke River bass
Nassawango Creek spadderdock
Boy, is it great to be back fishing on the lower shore! Even though the winds have kept me off Tangier Sound on several occasions, I have been fishing a lot, and for a variety of species. Last Thursday and Friday I enjoyed the company of college buddy Tom Decker and friend Brian Eyler. The plan was to fish out of Crisfield at least one of the two days but 25 – 30 mph winds nixed that idea. On Thursday we decided the Pocomoke might be a more relaxing venue. We put in at Byrd Park in Snow Hill and motored slowly downriver to some likely crappie holes. We caught a couple at the first spot but it wasn’t fast and furious by any stretch of the imagination. Down to Nassawango Creek we went. After some moving around and experimenting we started to get the crappie coming aboard. Every once in a while a bass or pickerel would surprise us and even white perch and bluegill liked our crappie jig offerings. Quite the variety. The 30 mph winds were present, but it was extremely fishable, and just a pleasant day on the water. All told, I guess we caught maybe thirty fish and six different species.
Brian and Tom having fun with perch
On Friday, we decided to try something different as the winds were still upwards of 20-25 mph. We put in at Webster’s Cove in Mt. Vernon and headed to a nearby creek looking for white perch. The guys wanted to take a few home to eat. As the tide ebbed strong we began to catch white perch with the occasional rockfish (all rock were released unharmed). Since peeler crab seemed to be out-producing bloodworm we baited up with crab all-around, and as the tide slackened the perch got bigger. In three hours of fishing the guys landed maybe forty perch, with the biggest stretching the tape to 12 1/2 inches, and they had several more right at twelve.
Shelley Davis with schoolie rockfish
Tom Hylden with a nice 22 inch rock
Saturday dawned bright and beautiful in Crisfield, with just enough of a westerly breeze to make the ride across Tangier Sound a tad bumpy. Fishing with Tom Hylden and Shelley Davis we decided to make the trek to the lee side of a string of barrier islands below Smith Island. Pulling up quietly to a long stretch of beach the water was flat calm. The first cast produced a feisty 17 inch striper for Shelley, along with a carbon copy on the second cast. Before long both Tom and Shelly had several rockfish from 17 to 20 inches to their credit. As the tide and action slowed, we moved around to several locations and caught fish at just about every spot. Tom had the largest of the day, a fat 22 incher that hit right near the boat and gave him a heck of a battle. Tangier Island was sitting pretty nearby and the breeze even let up for the ride home. Just a fabulously beautiful day on the sound with two great fishing companions.
Eric's 32 inch striper on a popper
After enjoying a day off with the family on Sunday, I met Matt Roach and friends Jason and Eric at the Madison ramp on the Little Choptank river bright and early Monday morning. We started off working some shallow structure along the bay front with Stillwater Smack-it! poppers, hoping for a trophy rockfish that would be heading out of the bay after the spawn. It wasn’t long before Eric let out a yell as he was hooked up to something pulling drag big-time. After several determined runs we finally caught a glimpse of the first fish of the day, a beautiful 32 inch striper. This turned out to be the biggest fish of the day, as once again the wind played a factor, and this day chased us up into the Little Choptank for some catch and release fishing. School stripers to 21 inches kept the guys happy while casting under the protected banks of the river.
Jason's rock with Matt hooked up!
Matt's 21 inch rock
Tuesday was a travel day with Doug Andrews and Bernie Kemp. We were on a mission to catch some of the trophy red drum that have been prowling the flats off Fisherman’s Island down near the CBBT in Virginia. We met in Pocomoke and drove down together in my Ford truck, and I enjoyed the company as we planned out strategy. After stopping at Chris’ Bait and Tackle for a few last minutes odds & ends, we put in at Wise Point and readied the rods for some sight-fishing. Not a sure thing by any means, but it’s best to be prepared. After cruising the flats between Fisherman’s and Smith Island for perhaps an hour, we decided to anchor-up along a likely looking sand bar and fish peeler and hard crab baits for the drum. After Bernie caught a couple very large rays, Doug and I had two run-offs that we determined were probably drum due to the speed with which the line was leaving the reel. On both occasions, before we could get a hook-set the fish was gone. To make a long story short, the remainder of the day was spent catching skate, monster rays and one feisty dogfish at several locations on the flats. If you can call it a bright spot, we felt right at home with the locals as we didn’t see a drum boated during the entire day. This spring run of drum can be frustrating as you can experience many hours of sheer boredom interrupted by an hour or so of sheer pandemonium. So far this season, I’ve yet to get to the pandemonium part. Oh well, it was a beautiful day in a beautiful place with two great friends. Thanks guys! We’ll get ’em next time..
Inside the breakers at Fisherman's Island
The shallow water, striper topwater action is just heating up and will peak during June and July. Last year we had terrific action and explosive strikes from rockfish during the low-light periods of dawn and dusk. If you want to experience one of the greatest thrills in all of striper fishing try shallow water topwater. A half-day morning or evening trip is perfect for some fast-paced excitement with this great gamefish. Both Crisfield and the Little Choptank produced rock to 34 inches last year.
For the past several weeks Baltimore fly fishing guru Joe Bruce and I have been trying to get together for a trip to the Pocomoke River. It has been quite a while since Joe has wet a line on this river, and hearing I have been catching some bass and pickerel – Joe wanted to give it a shot. He especially wanted to try out his new fly pattern, the Bullethead Darter. This past Wednesday, we met at Byrd Park in Snow Hill for a late morning/afternoon trip along the Pocomoke. I have to be honest, it proved to be a long slow afternoon of fishing. We only managed to bring three pickerel to the boat, while fishing in rather breezy conditions. Just ten days ago I thought I had these toothy critters figured out, but just when you think that, fish have a way of humbling you.
Joe with pickerel fooled by Bullethead Darter
On the positive side, Joe’s new fly worked as advertised. While Bulletheads have been around for a while in one form or another, Joe’s Bullethead Darter is different. It’s simple in design yet highly effective. Tied with Icelandic wool, the fly has incredible action, even while stationary in the water. And that’s the neat thing about the Bullethead Darter is its neutral buoyancy when there is a pause in the retrieve. The fly simply sits there and ‘breathes,’ like a minnow trying to determine its next move. The combination of materials that Joe has put together, when cast on an intermediate line, really makes the fly come alive. Joe stresses to use a long (7-1/2 foot) tapered leader, so that as the slow sinking line seeks the bottom, the fly will remain suspended, thus more visible to the fish. The fly is available at Tochterman’s Fishing Tackle in Baltimore by calling (410) 327-6942, or directly from Joe on his Web site at http://www.joebrucephotography.com/index.html
Jack McHale with his three pound bass
Having just completed four straight days of fishing the Pocomoke River we had another first for my Jones Brothers; the very first largemouth bass to come aboard my JB. I haven’t fished for bass in quite a few years, as the saltwater scene has kept me busy, and I have to tell you it was a pleasant surprise. While casting small jigs for perch, crappie and the occasional pickerel, we had five bass on Tuesday and three more on Wednesday. The largest was caught by Jack McHale on Wednesday morning and was probably pushing three pounds. The water was so cold (43 degrees) that, try as they might, the bass just couldn’t give us that classic, explosive head-shake. Fun never-the-less!
Pocomoke bass on ultra-light
Donna Corddry with a nice yellow perch
Thursday’s trip with Dave and Donna Corddry gave us beautiful late winter weather, but relatively slow fishing. Donna did manage two bright spots on the day with a feisty twenty-three inch pickerel and a gorgeous twelve-inch yellow perch. While Dave and Donna prospected for fish, they were kept company by bald eagles, blue heron, various ducks and geese. On Friday I fished with George Lenard of Specialized Baits. We quickly discovered that pickerel and perch fishing had dropped off even more. On the bright side, we found a nice school of crappie that were eager to please. We had fairly steady action during the last hour of the ebb tide. Crappie are becoming more active as the water temperature climbs – it reached 50 in spots on Friday – and small 1/8 ounce crappie jigs rigged with a two-inch twister tail did the trick.
Donna's very first pickerel
When the bite is on, this is ultra-light fishing at it’s finest. Catching a four-pound pickerel or three-pound bass on a five or six-foot light-action rod is just plain fun. My favorite outfit is a light spinning rod G. Loomis makes (SJR700) that measures 5’10” balanced with a Shimano Stradic 1000 reel. Loaded with four pound mono (sorry, I’m old school and don’t care for braid on my ultra-lights), this rod casts small crappie jigs like a dream. Another week or two on the Pocomoke then I’ll be switching gears and moving on to the Nanticoke River for the annual white perch run. I can taste the crispy fillets now! Until then, good fishing!
Josenhans Fly Fishing Blog 
