Thread: Piney Run Reservoir Crappie - A diamond in the Rough

Nice report. Good Luck this weekend.

Mike

I have not been there for a while, can you use your own boat or do you have to rent theres.

Thanks
Nick

Thanks, Mike.

Nick, there's a boat launch there where you can launch your own boat (for a fee - I think it's around $10). Or, you can rent a boat (they have jon boats that are pretty roomy or semi-vs) for $8.00/Hr or $30.00/day. Also, there's a $10/day park entry fee (if you're not from Carol County). They do have a season's pass for $55 if you're outside of Carol County. Use of gas motors is not allowed, only trolling motors. I myself rent a boat when I go there and bought the "poor man's" rig (Got a Minnkota 30 Lb. thrust trolling motor for $90, a deep cell marine battery for about $100 and a Minnkota battery charger for $35...got the trolling motor and battery charger on Amazon, where they were the cheapest). Also, I picked up a light-weight claw anchor from Bass Proshop for about $14 (It weighs about 5 Lbs.) and is easier to manage than the heavy anchors and holds just as well.

Now for the fishing report from this past weekend. I went out to Piney Run both Sat. and Sunday. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the crappie was right on both days! This was the best weekend I have ever had there fishing for crappie (and it rivals some of the best fishing I've ever had). On Saturday, I caught 60 keepers (yes, 60!...nothing under 9" and quite a few in the 11-12" range) and threw back probably about 20 that were a little smaller. I currently have so much fish in my freezer, that I didn't want to clean anymore, so I gave about 20 of the biggest ones to a family that was catching a few little bluegill and let the rest go. THEN on Saturday, I caught another 50 (again, I kept only those that were 9" and larger). Again, there was a father with his young daughter and son and they were fishing and not having a whole lot of luck, so I gave them my morning catch (which was about 25 fish)...after they left, I fished for a couple more hours and filled my fish basket up again! This time I gave my fish to a Russian couple that I had seen out there a few times previously. (I kept 6 big ones, filleted them when I got home and had them for dinner).

Here's what I did to catch them. After fishing the reservoir for a few weeks, I had a general idea where the crappies were (I'd catch a few here and there). These past several weeks, I have changed my strategy, however. I have continued to go to these same spots, troll with my electric trolling motor at a slow speed using a yellow 16th oz rooster tail tipped with a GRASS SHRIMP until I either got a fish or several bites. Then, I'd anchor and use a slip bobber (or a stick bobber would work) set at about 3-4', with a small split-shot weight (about 6" from the hook) and a #8 gold hook, and add a grass shrimp to that. I would start throwing this rig out near where I got the strikes or the fish and then started hauling fish in one after another!

This was a great time!

Good to here a good report from there ,fished there many years ago Liberty was good back then. Do they still close them to boats in the winter? that always sucked.

Thanks for the information , I have a electric motor just need a fresh battery.

Nick

Dear tear-em-up,

I think the park officially closes on Oct. 31st (I'm hoping to get out there at least one more time (not this coming weekend but hopefully the following weekend). Not sure if you can launch after the 31st. I have yet to try Liberty...I heard it's pretty good...and big. They don't rent boats, do they? Are there any other reservoirs/lakes in the area besides Piney that do rent boats (jons or semi-vs)? I'd like to try somewhere else, but I don't want to shore or pier fish).

I think Loch Raven used to rent boats I heard the crappie fishing has been good there. I haven't been around those places in years I like to read reports from up that way.

Piney Run is 5 minutes from my house. I have had great success there with crappie and bass. There is alot of little bass but there are some toads.Same with the Crappie. In fact our boat placed 1st in a fall tournament for bass today. We've also placed well in the little kid tournament with some nice Crappie. It's a little out there but like you said once you find the fish it's game on.

Piney Run closes to boats on Oct 31. Makes me mad since that's when i do all my fishing besides the Potomac.
Liberty you can't rent boats, and if you do have a boat they make you get special permits which are a huge pain. Loch Raven might rent boats though.Fishing outstanding in both Reservoirs. I also think theres one more called Pretty Boy that links the 3 lakes. With the special permits no(a handful not that many) one fishes there though so thats a Plus.

Also saw a Landlocked Striper caught today at Piney.
Patrick