# Choptank Pier



## steve grossman (Feb 1, 2008)

Does anybody know if the gates have opened up on the pier? Wont be long and the huge White Perch will show up. And when the perch are there, at times during the day the King Kong rockfish show up. A 40 inch rockfish hitting a size 4 hook, with 10 pound test, will test you. 

One other thing, what are the opions of P and S members as to productivity from either ends of the pier on the Choptank. Is the Cambridge side better for croaker early, is the Easton side better for rock fish in the fall?????

Fossil Hunter


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

I'll go out and check when I run to the store this evening to see if anything is open on the piers.


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

Talbot Side is still closed! 

Cambridge side is wide open, I don't think it ever closes.


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## steve grossman (Feb 1, 2008)

*Perch fishing-Choptank Style*

Hey Ffemtreed--Thank you for the information regarding the gate on the Easton side. In about 2-3 weeks, I will drive my 92 miles one way at $315.9 a gallon, to give it a shot at some huge white perch. By the way, these big perch for me over the years can be caught on night crawlers at this time of year, but it still is good to have some bloods.

The fishing fossil hunter


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

steve grossman said:


> Hey Ffemtreed--Thank you for the information regarding the gate on the Easton side. In about 2-3 weeks, I will drive my 92 miles one way at $315.9 a gallon, to give it a shot at some huge white perch. By the way, these big perch for me over the years can be caught on night crawlers at this time of year, but it still is good to have some bloods.
> 
> The fishing fossil hunter


I only fished for perch during the summer and used fishbites for them. I'll post here when I notice the gates are open so you don't have to waste the gas!


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Any action on white perch being seen or reported in that area? Be nice to know with sizing up striper, etc. Thanks!


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

I haven't been on the pier since December when they closed the striper season. So I havn't seen anything being caught since that night.


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## steve grossman (Feb 1, 2008)

*Hey SaltandSand*

I usually start fishing the choptank at the bridge around Mid April for the big white perch. Been told, over the years, that they can be caught "way up the river" weeks before they are around the Choptank Pier. I remember one year, a couple of years ago, the croaker were being caught there in very late March. I will be happy catching the big perch, and hookin at least 3 monster rockfish a day, that a break off, cause I only use 10 pound test for the perch. Does anyone know if the razor clams that I froze last year will be any good for bait, after they thaw out for the perch, or will I just have to chuck them??? The perch, early season for me the last bunch of years have specifically hit only during the day on this pier, during the early season.
Any other thoughts from anyone??

Fossil Hunter


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## TitusV (Mar 29, 2007)

How big are the perch your talking about? The perch I'm used to catching are around 10 inches with maybe a 12 incher thrown in. If they are pretty big I might have to go down to give it a shot. Perch is one of my favorite fish to eat but I'm lazy and won't bother keeping anything under 10-11inch range.


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

My guess is that "big" translates into something between 12 and 13 inches ... isn't 14" a monster?


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## steve grossman (Feb 1, 2008)

*KONG size perch*

Most of the perch will be 10-11 inches. There will be some 12 inch perch, and there will be a few 13-14 inch white perch. I know this, if I bring some frozen peeler, or soft crab from last year, and just cast a little way out, I will get enough KONG perch to make me happy. It has happened to me often enough, from year to year, that I know to be there starting Mid April, sometimes sooner, if I can get a reliable report.

Fossil Hunter


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

The Talbot side still isn't open! 

Just thought I would keep everyone updated.


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## steve grossman (Feb 1, 2008)

*Hey ffemtreed*

Thank you for the info on the talbot side, still being closed. I want to get down there in about 3 weeks, hope it will be open. On my way to Sandy Point in a couple of days. That sea weed problem is terrible. Outside of a 500 yard cast to get over it, does anybody have any suggestions, on what to do in keeping it off the rigs, lines, and dragging the lines 30 yards to the left/right with the current? It always seems to be a problem in the early season.


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

Just FYI , Talbot side looks like its open now.


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## steve grossman (Feb 1, 2008)

ffemtreed-Thank you for the choptank/talbot side gate report. I am about 10 days away from getting down there with left over crabs from last year, and bloods, and tearing up some huge white perch. If the reports are true about croakers caught at North Beach, they MIGHT be in the Choptank ready for us to tear them up. 

Do not believe the tackle shops, down that way. They are selling bait, and telling us ANYTHING we want to hear. If I go earlier than 10 days, I will post a report on all.

Fossil Hunter


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

I think Walmart here in Cambridge has some of their bait in. 

Send me a PM when you are hitting the tank!


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

I drove by last night. It looked like the gate was open but there was only ONE light working on the Talbot side !!  I hope that gets addressed soon.


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## steve grossman (Feb 1, 2008)

Late, last fall, 90%--100% of the lights on the Talbot side did not work. This was late October into late November, when I was throwing bucktails in the evening. What a shame, everyone over there has excuse, and nothing gets taken care of, for us THE FISHERMKEN. 

Who can we complain to and get it fixed??? There is a possibility, this Wed, a couple of us are going to fish the Choptank withas bloods for perch, and who knows--maybe the croaker are there and no one has tried for them. The croakers are elsewhere, and certain years they have been caught on this pier, cause I have as early as late March. So, I know the perch SHOULD be there during the day with an occasional monster Rock Fish, with no lights, and without a lantern, and no croakers--then for me, I will be out of there at dark. If we go, I will post a report on all good and bad.

Fishermen change their minds alot, maybe at the last minute, I will end up at SPSP, or Matapeake. But catching alot of big white perch frequently makes me SMILE. So-----

Fossil Hunter on a mission


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## ffemtreed (Mar 29, 2007)

Abluesman had good sucess in getting them to fix a lot of the lights this past fall.


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