| The Upper Chesapeake Bay has been receiving a | | | | channel leading into the creek, and into all |
| lot of notoriety over the last few years due | | | | points along the shoreline. This provides a |
| to the improved catch rates and overall | | | | virtual "Freeway" for the bass to follow. |
| weight increases reported in the tournaments. | | | | This makes the job of targeting these bass |
| While the true river rats have known of this | | | | under changing water conditions and seasons |
| bass fishing hotbed for some time now, the | | | | fairly simple. I believe that this is the |
| recent success is attracting clubs from all | | | | reason that not only huge numbers of bass in |
| over Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and | | | | the Sassafras come here, but I believe they |
| even as far away as New York. Most of this | | | | come from other nearby rivers as well, and |
| pressure has converged on the Elk River, and | | | | possibly even from farther away. |
| the Tyding's Park area in Havre de Grace, | | | | |
| Md., since these areas provide more than | | | | In the early spring, bass will begin to stack |
| adequate launching and parking facilities | | | | up at the entrance to Lloyd's Creek in |
| that are necessary to hold the tournaments. | | | | amazing numbers. The water is fast here, and |
| Many of the smaller club tournaments also | | | | goes from 16 feet in the main channel, to as |
| start from the Northeast and Elk River areas. | | | | shallow as 1 foot on the shore. This steep |
| With this influx of angling pressure, many of | | | | drop-off runs from about 300 yards from the |
| the traditional hot spots have become | | | | entrance in the fast moving water, to about |
| increasingly crowded during the weekends, and | | | | 50 yards into the creek, and stops at a large |
| have forced anglers to make longer and longer | | | | dock. The whole shore on this side is loaded |
| runs in search of untapped bass waters. Many | | | | with old trees, brush, and rocks. On the |
| of these anglers have now discovered that the | | | | opposite side a huge peninsula comes across |
| 20-30 minute drive through sometimes rough | | | | forming a perfect sand point 20 yards from |
| and unsafe water, to the Sassafras River, has | | | | the steep shore. That 20 yard space Is the |
| been well worth the effort. | | | | entrance to Lloyd's Creek. This is why the |
| | | | current rips through this area at an |
| Ramp and Launching Locations | | | | unbelievable pace. Even a trolling motor of |
| | | | 24 volts, can barely hold position on its |
| The following locations and patterns, have | | | | highest setting in this area. The bass |
| not only produced tournament winning limits, | | | | congregate all around this sand point and the |
| but have produced over 100 bass in the 5-6 | | | | adjoining areas. |
| pound range, over the last 5 years, from this | | | | |
| river. These are true "Trophy" bass for a | | | | The best baits for this area are Rat-L-Traps |
| Northeastern River system. | | | | in blue/chrome, in 3/8 and ½ ounce sizes, |
| | | | Terminator and Spotsticker spinner baits in |
| The Elk River, via Elk Neck State Park, is | | | | ½ ounce, with Tandem, and/or willow leaf |
| probably the most popular, due to it's more | | | | blades, and small crank baits. About 10 yards |
| than adequate parking facilities, and close | | | | from the tip of the point, the current swirls |
| proximity to the Sassafras. This is only a | | | | to form a large eddy. Many times 15-20 bass |
| 10-15 minute drive from the Sassafras. | | | | in the 1 ½ to 3 pound range can be caught |
| | | | on successive casts to this eddy. The other |
| Tyding's Park and Marina, located In Havre De | | | | tactic is to cast your bait right up on the |
| Grace, Md., is the farthest, and most | | | | sand point, and then pull it into the fast |
| difficult drive to access the Sassafras | | | | moving water, and the bass just slam the bait |
| River. We launch from this area only when we | | | | as it enters, many times on every other cast |
| have located good numbers of bass on the | | | | for an hour or more. On the opposite shore, |
| Susquehanna Flats or in the nearby coves or | | | | the bass bunch up on the wood, as it is the |
| docks of the Northeast. The drive from here | | | | only thing blocking the current. At slack |
| can be dangerous in the early morning fog and | | | | tides these bass will slam the same reaction |
| heavy boat wakes in the Spring and Summer. At | | | | baits as on the point, however, when the |
| 55 mph, it takes about 25 minutes to reach | | | | current is swift here; the best thing to do |
| the first starting point on the Sassafras. | | | | is flip heavier jigs and plastics into the |
| The best area to launch in the Sassafras is | | | | wood. The reason we like the "Terminator" |
| in Duffy Creek, located right behind the | | | | jigs for this and other types of cover, is |
| Granary Restaurant, on Sassafras Street, in | | | | the eye is recessed into the head, preventing |
| the town of Galena. This is a private marina, | | | | the jig from becoming snagged at least 75 % |
| with average parking facilities, and a good | | | | less than other jigs. With the nasty cover in |
| ramp. It is a pay per use facility, and | | | | this area it is a necessity. |
| charges a daily fee of $5.00. | | | | |
| | | | When this area starts to become pressured by |
| The second area to launch is the public boat | | | | other anglers, we have switched to an "IKA" |
| ramp on Sassafras Street, right before the | | | | tube, with a 3/8 ounce Tungsten weight, with |
| restaurant. This is a small boat only ramp, | | | | great success. We flip these baits to the up |
| but it is adequate for launching most any | | | | current side of cover and let the tide wash |
| bass boat at the proper tide. In low tide | | | | the bait past the object. Most strikes come |
| situations, this can be a tricky ramp, so | | | | as soon as the bait washes past where the |
| great care should be taken during these | | | | bass are holding. Watching your line is a |
| times, as it is extremely shallow, and has | | | | must her, as the current makes most strikes |
| ruined many a boat prop and hull. The next | | | | difficult, if not impossible to detect. The |
| spot you can launch is a "permit only" ramp | | | | only plus side to this is that because if the |
| located in Turner's Creek. This area has the | | | | amount of energy these bass have to expend to |
| most parking, and offers a middle of the | | | | fight the current, they almost never miss the |
| river launch site. | | | | bait once they commit. Heavy line with high |
| | | | abrasion qualities is a must here. |
| When and Where To Go - Turner's Creek | | | | |
| | | | The next spot is the dock where the river |
| Although the Sassafras offers excellent | | | | channel stops and makes a sharp right turn |
| fishing all times of the year except the | | | | towards the back of the creek. The best areas |
| winter, the Early Spring is the best time to | | | | of the dock are the first 3 pilings from the |
| start. Spring on the Sassafras is similar to | | | | rocks out. Jigs, tubes, and weighted plastics |
| any other body of water, in the respect that | | | | take numerous bass in the 2-5 pound range |
| the bass's life revolves entirely around the | | | | from here. |
| spawning process, and the locating of | | | | |
| spawning areas. The Sassafras normally hold | | | | These three spots form the ultimate staging |
| bass in almost every area of the river, but | | | | area. More bass will move into this spot |
| at this time of year, it suddenly shrinks to | | | | almost as fast as you can catch them at |
| a few, and eventually, two major creeks. | | | | times. These bass are also extremely |
| | | | aggressive. The best tip for this area is to |
| In the early pre-spawn, largemouth can found | | | | get there early in the year. You will not |
| in the emerging grasses and the wood cover, | | | | only avoid the crowds, but encounter some of |
| in locations such as Hall's Creek, Freeman, | | | | the larger pre-spawn females. |
| McGill, Turner, DuPont, and Lloyd's. As the | | | | |
| spawn gets even closer, they make their way | | | | When the Spring is in full swing, the bass |
| to Turner's and Lloyd's almost exclusively. | | | | will follow the creek channel to the barges, |
| | | | pilings, and laydowns in the back of the |
| Turner's Creek offers a huge amount of | | | | creek. This is when large numbers of 1-3 |
| diverse cover for bass. There is a narrow | | | | pound males make their way to the staging |
| entrance to this creek where the main river | | | | areas. There is a 2-3 week period when these |
| channel runs right along a wood laden bank | | | | bass will attack almost anything that hit's |
| with a steep drop-off. Pre-spawn bass lay | | | | the water. This is when it is wise to hit the |
| along this drop at depths from 2-18 feet, all | | | | entrance for a quick 10 pound limit, and then |
| of which is loaded with laydowns and emerging | | | | move back to the sunken barge for the larger |
| vegetation. Directly next to the entrance is | | | | females. Weightless Senko's, Bearpaws, and |
| a small bay loaded with lily pads and several | | | | IKA tubes with a pegged weight, produce |
| varieties of emerging grasses, on a slow | | | | heavyweight females when pitched to the |
| tapering bank, that eventually levels off | | | | grassy edges of the barge. A quickly |
| into the main river channel. This area at the | | | | retrieved spinner bait is needed at times to |
| entrance to Turner's Creek, is one of the 2 | | | | pick the males off the edges of the barge |
| major staging areas for largemouth in the | | | | before going after the larger females with |
| Sassafras. The Western shoreline of this | | | | plastics. Laydowns will also produce as well |
| creek is totally covered with what are | | | | as sections of the sand bar now. Slow down |
| emerging lily pad root systems, that are | | | | and cover the whole area to be rewarded with |
| mixed in with several varieties of | | | | a huge sack of bass. |
| vegetation, including Milfoil and Hydrilla. | | | | |
| Many bass choose these root systems to spawn. | | | | When the spawns has run its course, just |
| The Eastern shoreline offers a hard sand and | | | | follow the same creek channel back out to the |
| rock bottom, along with vegetation, that | | | | same areas where the fish staged in |
| mixes in with a number of large boat docks. | | | | pre-spawn. Similar to early in the year, the |
| The bass use the docks, and standing and | | | | larger fish will be the first back out also. |
| decaying pilings to hold on, and eventually | | | | This is plastics time! The fish are fairly |
| make their beds on, to escape the current and | | | | sluggish now, so a little more finesse is |
| predators which are prevalent in the river. | | | | required. They want an easy meal, and soft |
| | | | plastics like these fit the bill! |
| Lure Selections and Strategy | | | | |
| | | | As the smaller bass make their way out to the |
| When targeting pre-spawn bass at the entrance | | | | mouth of Lloyd's, you will see bas hitting |
| of the creek, spinner baits are our weapon of | | | | the spinner baits and crank baits again. |
| choice. Terminator spinnerbaits in the 3/8 | | | | While the following migration routes to |
| and ½ ounce sizes, with tandem blades are | | | | success can be simple, there are a few tricks |
| top producers in these areas. "Spotsticker" | | | | that can help you upgrade your limit. In the |
| Custom spinnerbaits, along with | | | | middle of the spawn, anglers will crowd |
| "Tru-Tungsten's" series, and B&D lures, | | | | around the to spots we have mentioned. Some |
| Evilution V spinner bait also take their fair | | | | of these anglers will be targeting the |
| share of bass in this area in the spring. | | | | shallow fish spawning, and others will be |
| Color is not that important this time of year | | | | pounding the pre or post spawn bass at the |
| in the stained to muddy water, but we have | | | | current washed mouth of Lloyd's Creek. At |
| had the best success with baits that imitate | | | | this time, we use our depth finder to locate |
| the shad, in white/chartreuse, and in "Golden | | | | and follow the creek channel from the staging |
| Shiner" patterns. If the water is truly | | | | area back towards the spawning area, looking |
| "muddy", then we will use a darker skirt many | | | | for bends, humps, and even weedlines that run |
| times. | | | | on the edge of the channel. Sometimes we mark |
| | | | fish on the locator, but the structure is all |
| When we are looking for that one particular | | | | we are really looking for. |
| big bite, to upgrade our limit, the baits we | | | | |
| use are "Senko's" and "Bearpaws Handpoured | | | | We drop the trolling motor and begin dragging |
| Baits". These are similar to Senko's in size | | | | a Carolina rig with a 3 inch "Senko" or |
| and appearance, but have a different | | | | another type of "Yamamoto" plastic bait or |
| manufacturing process which bakes in scents, | | | | Sweet Beaver. |
| and are a little tougher, so they last longer | | | | |
| when the bass are aggressive. These baits | | | | The second trick we use at the very end of |
| also produce all sizes of bass better when a | | | | the spawn here. We turn on the electronics |
| cold front moves through, and causes the | | | | and find the first major piece of structure |
| action to slow down. When a severe cold front | | | | large enough to hold bass and baitfish that |
| blows through over a few days, it will cause | | | | have left the creek. The key word is close. |
| the bass to drop down to deeper water in the | | | | We stay within a ½ mile to a mile of the |
| 10 foot range, and hold on the tops of trees. | | | | major spawning area when looking for these |
| When this happens, we target them with mid | | | | spots. The key spots will have grass and |
| range crank baits, using a stop and go | | | | offer deep water escape routes nearby. |
| retrieve, with great success. Once the bass | | | | |
| move to the backs of the creek to spawn, | | | | The Northeast, Bohemia, and Elk Rivers |
| "Senko's", "Bearpaws", "IKA" tubes, "Sizmic" | | | | |
| flu-go's, lizards, and Terminator jigs, | | | | The Northeast River offers one of the best |
| flipped into the docks, grass, and pads, | | | | flipping bites on the bay, as well as being a |
| produce a good limit in short order. | | | | 20 minute ride from the Sassafras. One of the |
| | | | better springtime spots in this area is |
| On the weekends in the spring, this area can | | | | Furnace Bay. Many large bass are taken on |
| be crowded with many other anglers, and small | | | | buzzbaits from Furnace Bay in the early part |
| to midsize crank baits, such as a "Mann's" | | | | of the year. The Bohemia offers average |
| Mid-Minus, and a "Lucky Craft" series, can be | | | | fishing for bass, but is a quick shot to both |
| a great tool in addition to the spinner baits | | | | the Elk and the Sassafras, and is a good |
| and plastics. Don't hesitate to throw a buzz | | | | middle of the road launch point. For the |
| bait around the same cover, once the water | | | | angler that has a smaller boat, who can't |
| temperature warms to 55 degrees or above. | | | | stand the longer, more difficult ride to the |
| This can produce some real hawgs at this time | | | | Sassafras from the Havre De Grace ramp, this |
| of the year. We like to use a custom type | | | | is a good place to start. |
| clacker buzz bait made for us by "Charon" | | | | |
| Custom Lures. We also have great success with | | | | The docks located in the Northeast and Elk |
| the "Terminator" Ball-Buster.The old standby, | | | | are prime targets for the bass, as they are |
| the black and blue Terminator jig, with pork | | | | devoid of most of the structure that the |
| or plastic for a trailer, placed in and | | | | Sassafras offers. The bass hit plastics and |
| around pilings, ladders on docks, and | | | | black and blue Terminator jigs here well, on |
| floating piers, will always produce good | | | | both the outgoing and incoming tides. |
| sized bass. Most anglers use the jig when | | | | Placement is critical here. The jigs must not |
| fishing docks, but switch to other baits many | | | | only be put into the smallest of holes and |
| times in the laydowns. This can be a mistake, | | | | openings, but must be presented multiple |
| as many times in the spring, we caught | | | | times before a strike occurs. Practice your |
| several bass in the 5 and 6 pound class, | | | | flipping and pitching techniques before |
| flipping the wood in Turner's Creek with this | | | | attempting these waters. |
| jig. Turner's Creek is a hot spot at all | | | | |
| times of the year, but it is especially | | | | The Susquehanna river by the railroad bridge |
| productive in the spring. An experienced | | | | above Havre De Grace is a hot spot for both |
| angler can expect 10-15 bass on a good day | | | | largemouth and smallmouth bass, and Garrett |
| from this creek alone. Although at times, | | | | Island, in the rocks also produces at times. |
| other creeks can produce more bass, this | | | | This area is effected by the amount of water |
| creek gives up he better quality bass on a | | | | that is let out of the dam up river, as it |
| consistent basis. Our largest bass from this | | | | can be extremely muddy when they release a |
| creek was 6.4 pounds, but we have heard of 7 | | | | lot of water after heavy spring rains, and it |
| pound bass being caught on occasion. | | | | can almost stop the smallmouth bite at times. |
| | | | |
| Lloyd's Creek | | | | When this occurs, seeking out the clearer |
| | | | water offered by Swan Creek further south of |
| This is the most productive spring spot on | | | | the Havre De Grace ramp is a good area to |
| the Sassafras River, and in our opinion, on | | | | start. The grassbeds and shallow wood can |
| the entire Upper Chesapeake Bay. While | | | | hold huge numbers of pre-spawn and spawning |
| largemouth bass spawn in several creeks along | | | | bass that readily hit spinnerbaits, Senko's, |
| the river, the majority of them choose | | | | tubes, and small crankbaits, such as a Strike |
| Lloyd's Creek. While there is a very strong | | | | Pro USA Oscar, and a Rapala DT6 in the |
| current at the entrance to Lloyd's Creek, the | | | | slightly deeper edges. We just use a heavier |
| rest of it has very little movement. | | | | line to reduce the depth of this bait in |
| | | | these areas. |
| The shoreline, for the most part, is very | | | | |
| shallow in Lloyd's, but offers some mid | | | | Spring fishing on these rivers, and the |
| depths to 6 feet just off shore. The entire | | | | Sassafras in particular, offers some |
| creek is loaded with cover. This includes | | | | unbelievable action at times. These rivers |
| laydowns, logjams, and a variety of grasses, | | | | are suited to every style of fishing. If |
| and an old barge. The barge, grasses, and | | | | you're a flipper, it is there. Spinnerbaits |
| seawalls in Lloyd's are the most productive | | | | and crankbaits will smoke them! There's |
| areas. The bass love to hold on these pieces | | | | grass, docks, wood, current, eddies, ledges, |
| of cover, and when combined with the hard | | | | barges, and points. And all of them hold |
| sand bottom and rocks, it makes for an ideal | | | | bass! We have experienced 80 fish days in the |
| habitat for a tidal spawning ground. | | | | Sassafras in the spring, and 30-40 fish days |
| | | | on some of the others. |
| Besides the ideal cover, bottom composition, | | | | |
| and sun exposure, Lloyd's offers something | | | | Whether you are a tournament angler, or just |
| else that makes it an ideal spawning ground | | | | a person who loves to catch bass, then these |
| for tidal bass. It has a clear and defined | | | | are the rivers for you! |