Our next trip was on the Pocomoke River out of Snow Hill, MD. Snow Hill was founded in 1686 in Somerset County by English settlers and was made a port of entry in 1694. In 1742 Worcester County was carved out of the eastern half of Old Somerset County and Snow Hill was centrally located in the new county and at the head of navigation on the Pocomoke River.
We arrived at the boat ramp around 7:00a and the river sported a slight film of fog. It was chilly but the skies were blue and brilliant. As we headed down river we couldn’t dismiss the fact that the river was like a sheet of glass.
John caught and released the first fish of the day which was a Chain Pickerel. The Chain Pickerel are typical of brackish and fresh waters and are a species of the Pike family resembling the northern pike. They are carnivorous and have many teeth and typically live 8-10 years. The average size is 24” and three pounds. You can eat Pickerel as the meat is very white and flaky with a mild flavor, but they have many small bones. John used a chatter bait with a tail to catch this fish.
In just the first hour we witnessed a Kingfisher fishing, several Slider turtles, a Pileated woodpecker and a Bald eagle. The beauty of nature was abundant.
John caught and released a second fish which was a White Perch and a couple hours later caught and released another White Perch. He used a spinner bait on the first perch and a Worden’s Original Rooster Tail on the second perch.
As we headed up river towards the dock we came upon Shad Landing and turned in for a look around. I didn’t know you could access this Pocomoke River State Park from the water. What an amazing area. There was camping and boat slips and a winding narrow waterway that took you back to the river. Click on the link to learn more about Shad Landing.
I used my Penn Passion rod and reel all day. As I said before, I love this rig. Casting was effortless and I hit my mark every time. I can’t wait until I catch a fish with it!