If you are the kind of angler that can doggedly fish for two days without a strike and then connect with a trophy on day three, this is an article you’ll appreciate. If you want to go out and catch numbers of fish, stop reading now.

 Still with me? Good, let me explain what the following paragraphs will cover.

 Trophy fish don’t bite often. It might take two, three, even four days to actually figure out a big fish pattern whether you are targeting 15” crappie, 30-pound blue catfish or eight-pound largemouth. But, when you finally crack the code and catch that “paper” fish all the effort and determination is worth it.

 This article highlights where you can expect to catch trophy fish around the region - Maryland and Virginia. We go species by species (most major ones at least) and predict where you can find the biggest of each. Our predictions are based not totally on opinion, but on data from state agencies as well as personal knowledge of our W2 Regional Editors.

 This year, we will hold a W2 Big Fish Contest and award a $25 Green Top Gift Certificate, a W2 cap and sticker to the angler that brings us photographic proof of his or her big Virginia catch. Categories we’ll recognize include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, blue catfish, striper and crappie. All you have to do is register at www.woodsandwatersmagazine.com by sending us an email with your name and W2 Big Fish Contest in the subject line. This must be done before you submit your entry.

 Sounds like fun, right? Well, let’s get to those big fish fisheries so you can start hunting them down!

Largemouth Bass

   While many waters around the region hold big largemouth bass, by far the most productive category is private pond. These waters are just about everywhere from Howard County, Maryland to Henrico County, Virginia and they are ultra-productive for big bass. Not all of us have access to such trophy water, however, so we’ll focus mainly on public waters here.

   A list of top trophy bass waters in Virginia wouldn’t be complete without Briery Creek. This 780-acre lake just outside of Farmville, Virginia remains at the top of the public water list for citations. More 22” or eight-pound bass come out of Briery than any other Old Dominion public water.

 This year might be a little different than the past as grass eating carp and a fertilization program have changed the once clear and grass-filled lake into a more turbid, hard cover based fishery.

  Lake Anna is the other top big bass producer in Virginia. While the numbers of eight-pound bass are nowhere near those of Briery, there are plenty of 22” plus bucketmouths being certified from Anna. State record mark is 16-4.

 Marylanders know that farm ponds are probably their best to catch a green bass of 22” or more. Public fisheries that annually produce big bass include Tridelphia, Rocky Gorge and Black Hills. State record mark is 11-2 from a farm pond.

Smallmouth Bass

  Brown bass are plentiful in area rivers, you just have to find those with the big fish. In Virginia, you’ll want to target them in the James River, the New River and the North Fork of the Holston River. River guides can help you identify the best big fish stretches. Check with Tangent Outfitters, New River Outfitters and Razorback Guide Service. The state record mark is 8-1 from the New River.

 If you fish in Maryland, you’ll find the biggest smallmouth available in Liberty and Prettyboy Reservoir. The upper Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Susquehanna River also holds some quality brown bass. The state record mark is 8-4 from Liberty Reservoir.

Blue Catfish

  This is a popular trophy fish among Virginia anglers. The current state record was caught last May from the James and it weighed 102-4. From all accounts we’ve heard here, this record should be broken again this year. While the James River is the best place for a 30-pound plus citation blue catfish other waters like the Chickahominy River and Potomac River are also worth fishing. While citation records are not kept for blue catfish in Maryland, the Potomac River has quietly become a top trophy fishery for Maryland anglers.

Crappie

  The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries register hundreds of citation crappie each year. Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) hold the top spot. This 50,000-acre reservoir on the border of Virginia and North Carolina offers plenty of shallow, stumpy coves where black and white crappie thrive. The citations here are mostly the over two-pound kind, with some giants over three! Lake Anna holds the number two slot for public water with plenty of 15” plus length citations and fish between two pounds and two-and-a-half pounds. The state record mark is 4-10 from a private pond.

You best bet for a citation crappie in Maryland is probably Black Hills, Liberty Reservoir or the tidal Potomac. The Spoils area of the Potomac is particularly good in March and April. The state record mark is 4-7 from a farm pond.

Striper

  While no where near historic big striper levels, Smith Mountain Lake continues to improve its citation striper production and is by far the top freshwater big striper lake in Virginia. Each year the number of 20-pounders pulled from this deep and cold lake grows. A vigorous stocking program of both striper and shad, as well as strict regulations are working together to once again produce the premier land-locked striper fishery in the region. The state record mark is 53-7 from Leesville Reservoir (just below SML).

Liberty Reservoir is the place to catch giant stripers in Maryland. Ample stockings of striper and trout add up to fish that grow fast and attain weights topping 40 pounds! The state record mark is 47-2 from Liberty Reservoir.