Spring, winter, spring, winter. Soon we will be in the pollinating and now the mud season. My allergies are in full force. The woods are alive with buds, the soft plastics are running around — toads, peepers, eastern fence lizards and skinks. The Bradford pears are flowering and smell like dead fish. Spring popped not long ago but we are getting some fun cold weather patterns to boot. The water temperatures are the main concern. Once the water near land hits over 50 degrees, it’s warm enough for everything to start moving. Cold snaps affect the fish bite but not too bad. In many areas, the bite has picked up.

The Delaware Bay beaches are seeing a decent amount of striped bass action on bloodworms, especially the more northern bay beaches; Woodland, Augustine, etc. The closer to the ocean, the cooler the water is and the fish are a little slower. But down here in Sussex County we have the inland bays that warm up quicker and produce good catching. Fishing is an all the time activity, it is the catching we are really going after. There are some days I could care less if I get a fish on the line, just sitting by the water is enough after a long week of work.

South of us in the OBX there are red drum along the beaches already. Red Drum Tackle Shop posted a few pictures sent to them from the weekend. Don’t get discouraged, a few black drum have been caught in Chincoteague and the Atlantic City area. If you dig deep in the low tide surf zone, on a warm day, you should be able to pick up some sand fleas. The drum bite will probably be earlier this year than usual, which seems par for the course for all species this spring. Shad are being caught up the Delaware River and showing up in nets in the Delaware Bay.

Catfish are hitting in Delaware waterways, a few anglers are using shad for bait. Clean out your bait fridge and use your old bait for catfish, especially that old bunker you found in the back from three seasons ago. I should probably defrost that freezer more often. That old bait is great crab bait, too.

Trout fishing the ponds has been slower due to less fish, but anglers are picking up a few still. Maryland added a youth-only day for the beginning for trout season. Youth-Only Trout Fishing Day is March 23 for individuals under 16 years old to fish in areas listed as closures 1 and 2. The fishing times for youth only are 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. This is one week before the traditional season opens. Youth anglers may catch and keep up to two fish each, except brook trout, which must be released. Google Youth-Only Trout Fishing Day in Maryland for the full details and fishing area list. The list is huge. Maryland has a vast number of waterways stocked with trout.

Delaware’s trout season starts next month. DNREC stated: “Delaware’s 2024 upstate stream trout season will open for youth anglers under age 16 at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 6. The next day, Sunday, April 7, marks the traditional opening day of the state’s trout season — from that day forward all anglers can fish for trout starting a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset, unless otherwise restricted by area rules.

“White Clay Creek, Red Clay Creek, Christina Creek, Pike Creek, Beaver Run, Wilson Run and Mill Creek all will be stocked prior to the season. To prepare for the season, the streams where trout will be stocked are closed from March 23 to April 5.”

White perch action has been good in many waterways. Yellow perch are on the spawn in many areas. I have seen some fat perch pictures. This is just a personal preference but it would be better if we allowed them to spawn out before we catch and kill. Then we would have more fish to catch the following seasons. I know I sound like a broken record, but you would be surprised how fast things bounce back if you just back off nature a little.

Crappie action has been good as well. I’ve seen a lot of quality bass pictures, too.

Snakeheads are already hitting in many areas. These warm days will warm up that shallower water a lot faster. Pickerel have been fun all winter and are more active now. That is one fish I just love to catch, especially on a fly rod. I’m still casting ugly like no one is looking. I’m also catching a few fish with my ugly cast so I really don’t care. I’m just glad I haven’t broken my fly rod, yet. I’m hard on gear. This is my third or fourth rod but who is counting?

Another sign of spring — the DNREC birds are spraying for mosquitoes. The Dupont Nature Center opens April 3. State Parks is keeping the surf fishing reservation system in play this season. I have a hard time figuring out what I am doing tomorrow, much less days out to reserve a fishing spot. It looks like an off-peak tag for me, if any, and Assateague, of course. My job takes me rather far south these days and inland around Delmarva so I am exploring all kinds of new-to-me fishing areas. It has been a lot of fun and an eye opener for comparison to home.

The Scotton Landing boating access area is almost complete. There is basically a new boat launching area. The fishing pier area is fine and still there. The parking area will be replaced and should be ready by the end of the month.

The Lewes Canal area with the new bulkheads is still a bit of a mess. The new floating docks should be interesting this season. Projects in waterways need permitting that only lasts until X amount of time. These projects always start late and run into that time and get cut short.