Fishing Report For Triadelphia Reservoir, MD

Current Report: Good To Very Good

WINTER. The reservoir closes to all fishing and boating from December 1 to March 15, and ice fishing is not allowed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 2 to 15 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 8 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 20 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 8 to 12 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 12 to 25 feet deep. Some of the better reports typically come from anglers fishing in the Deer Creek arm.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 6 to 12 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps, flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 12 to 20 feet of water. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, in slightly deeper water.

Current Report: Fair To Good

WINTER. The reservoir closes to all fishing and boating from December 1 to March 15, and ice fishing is not allowed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 3 to 10 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 6 feet of water. Vegetation, rip rap, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 6 to 15 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 25 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 6 to 12 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 20 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles. The mouths of Deer Creek and Big Branch are popular in Fall.

Current Report: Good

Northern pike love to hang out in the weeds to feed, and Triadelphia Reservoir has lots of shallow, weedy areas. The lake has plenty of northerns, but the majority are small. Local pike enthusiasts report catching a big one takes patience and persistence. Use big, flashy lures in chrome, white or bright colors.

WINTER. The reservoir closes to all fishing and boating from December 1 to March 15, and ice fishing is not allowed.

SPRING. Once the ice melts, anglers report catching northern pike in the shallows on flashy lures. For many decades the Johnson Spoon has been a deadly bait for northerns, especially when tipped with a white, or bright colored trailer. Jerkbaits, big spinners, swimbaits are all catching northerns here. As the water warms, noisy topwater baits like the Whopper Flopper are a good choice. Once water temperatures reach around 40 degrees, they move into even shallower areas with vegetation, to spawn. Ideal depths range from 2 to 10 feet. Good areas to explore include shallow coves and flats with weed lines off Pigtail, Deer Creek mouths, and protected bays near the Brighton Dam shoreline. Big pike stage on points, shallow flats and inside these coves. After spawning they linger in the shallow bays for a short period. Once water temperatures rise into the 50's, they move to deeper weedbeds and shallow structures adjacent to even deeper water.

SUMMER. Northern pike scatter all around the lake, rather than gather in groups. This makes them difficult to locate. During the day they are holding shallow around weed beds in 8 to 10 feet of water, or up to 25 feet deep on ledges, reefs, rock piles, islands and channel edges. Some of the larger specimens are suspending in open water, just outside shallow feeding areas. Trolling or drift fishing produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners, cut bait, and deep diving crankbaits. Early and late in the day, they move shallow to feed and can be caught around most weedy shorelines, in 8 to 12 feet of water. Good options include weedbeds near main-lake humps, deep structure near the Greenbridge approach, and in the mid-lake channel. Spinnerbaits, noisy topwater lures, and Johnson spoons with curly-tail grubs, are catching nice pike shallow.

FALL. As the weather starts turning cold, water temperatures cool fastest in the shallows. This brings schools of shad into shallower water, and northerns follow this food source. Prior year reports indicate good catches coming from points, flats, and the mouths of Deer Creek arm and Big Branch, as well as mid-main-lake points and humps. They hang around weedbed edges, main-lake points, reefs, and rocky shorelines to ambush prey in 6 to 20 feet of water. This is a prime feeding time, as they prepare for winter. It is also a good time to catch a trophy pike.