The state of Maryland has a river called the Sassafras located in Georgetown, and connects with several other rivers, the Northeast, the Bohemia, and then to the Chesapeake bay. From Wilmington, Delaware, take I-95 south, until you see the Route 1 exit, by the Christina mall,(exit4), follow Route 1 south over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal bridge, and exit at the bottom of the bridge before the toll gate. Follow route 13 south to Boyd’s Corner, and turn right on route 301 south, follow the road 3 miles to the intersection of 301 and 71, Summit Bridge Road, and turn left at the light. Follow 301 south, towards the Bay Bridge. Follow this all the way to exit 290, Chestertown-Galena exit. Turn right on 290, and follow it about 4 miles into the town of Galena. Make a right at the light onto 213 north, by the Citgo gas station. Go about 2 miles down the road, and cross the drawbridge in Georgetown, at the Georgetown Yacht Basin marina. As soon as you cross the drawbridge, make your first left at George Street. Follow George Street past the Marina towards the Granary Restaurant. The launching ramp is open to the public and accommodates about 10-12 vehicles with trailers. It is on the left hand side of Sassafras Street, right before the restaurant. The ramp is good, but shallow at low tide.
Another launching ramp is available, but requires a Maryland launch ramp permit, and it is hard to obtain. Most anglers use the public ramp. There are several marinas with gas located on the river, with a towboat service if you should ever need it. There are no-wake restrictions in the marinas, and a six mile per hour speed limit on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, which are clearly marked in the channel.
ESTABLISHING A PATTERN
Duffy Creek is a good place to start first. It is by the restaurant, and you should quickly work the docks and wood with spinnerbaits and buzzbaits for any active fish. If this doesn’t produce, then go back over the same area with a black and blue jig and a 4 or 5 “Senko, and cast as close to the moored boats and docks as possible, making a quiet entry with the bait. Flipping and pitching are good techniques to know here. Work them well, but don’t waste too much time here if they don’t produce. Try to present the baits at several different angles before moving on.
The next move is up the river about a mile to Hall Creek. Work the wood even in the very shallow areas at all angles with a white/chartreuse 3/8 ounce “Terminator” spinnerbait or a “Rat-L-Trap”. Several six pound bass were caught here on these lures. Check your line frequently for abrasions and nicks, as the cover will fray it easily. If these areas don’t produce, move up to McGill Creek, and work the pads in there with a 1/2 ounce “Tournament Frog” in Black or Brown. First work them slowly, and if you don’t get ant strikes, work them quickly through the pads pausing only once on the way back to the boat. Many times this draws some reaction strikes when they don’t hit it worked slowly.
Just a short distance up the river from McGill Creek, on the left hand side of the river is Freeman Creek. This can be an excellent area. Be sure to work the pads in here with a Tournament Frog and a buzzbait. Many days, we pulled a 15 pound limit right out of here, without ever leaving. If the pads don’t work, move directly across the creek, and flip the docks with a jig, small worm, or a “Senko”. Don’t overlook Turner’s Creek near the beach, or the pads and grass by the point and in the back. These areas have all produced bass at times in excess of 5 pounds. Stripers are also caught in this same area. Use your depth finder to locate the water that is from 4-6 feet deep, and move along slowly, looking for the grass beds and weed edges along the drop-offs and bluffs. Many 4-5 pounders were caught by casting a spinnerbait, small worm, and a buzzbait, while staying in about 4-6 feet of water, and casting to the pockets of thinner grass.
EQUIPMENT
Some of the things you should have are a spinning rod in 6 to 6 1/2 foot, with a medium action for smaller baits, such as grubs, 4″ Senkos, and French Fry worms. I like to use 8-10 pound test Stren line with a good quality reel like a Shimano or Daiwa. You should also have a Heavy-action baitcaster with 20-30 pound test for working the pads. These 5 and 6 pound river fish will really tie you up in here, and you need to be able to muscle them out. I also like to have a good 7 foot rod, such as BPS, or a Lews, or G.Loomis Cranking stick for the buzzbait.
BEST TIMES
The best times to fish is a few days before, and up to a full moon, and the first hour and a half of the incoming tide, and the last 2 hours of the outgoing tide are best. During periods of slack water, move a little off shore and work the grass flats with a small grub, and a 4″ worm, dropped into the pockets.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
The Sassafras River can be exciting most of the time, but when it turns off, it really turns off! If this happens, try running back towards the marina, and head up under the drawbridge, and work all the fallen docks with a “Senko” rigged weightless, on 8-10 pound test, try wacky-rigging it if it doesn’t produce any takers the conventional way. Work all the real shallow wood in here also, with a spinnerbait presented repetitiously, from many different angles.
Maps of the Sassafras River are available from “Mare’s Marine” in Fredericktown, Maryland, and at sporting goods stores and marinas in the area. You can also use our MAP SERVICE right here on the site.
Steve vonBrandt
Sponsored by: GYCB (Yamamoto),Okuma, Delaware Tackle, TTI-Blakemore, and Ambush Lures.
Steve is the owner of Reeltime Anglers Guide Service in Wilmington, Delaware, Anglers Radio in Delaware and New Jersey, Reeltimeanglers, Bass Lure Review, and Delaware Tackle in Delaware. He also is a tournament angler and freelance outdoor writer. He has over 40 years of fishing experience in the Northeast, 5 years exp. in California. He has fished freshwater and saltwater since 1962, and has devoted to freshwater only since 1989. http://www.reeltimeanglers.com
