posted on: March 10, 2025

Blue Catfish, Mattawoman Creek near Mason Springs

Type: Nontidal
Region: Southern
Location: Mattawoman Creek

<p>I went to Mason Springs on Saturday March 8 to see if the yellow perch run was underway yet, but was skunked. None of the regulars fishing at Mason Springs had seen the first yellow perch yet. I guess the cold winter has everything pushed back at least two weeks and counting. Haven’t heard any peeper frogs yet either. Spring is running late this year.</p> <p> We went down the nearby rail-trail a mile or so and fished a bend in the creek with a deep hole, thinking it might be full of yellow perch staging to come up the creek in the next week. No bites at all, and then as we were preparing to leave, I saw the rod tip make a couple slight dips, and the line straighten out a bit. I reeled in a few turns of slack line, put the tip down, and set the hook, expecting to feel a small yellow perch at the hook set. Nope! Big fish for a 4ft ultralight perch rod with 4lb line! </p> <p> Not a bad start to 2025…. But still waiting on those yellows. Hope they show up soon, dragging Spring behind them!