Heading out tomorrow for a quickie...

[Pat Smith]

I am "feeling ill" and will not be able to go to work tomorrow.. so I figure I would head out and try my hand at fishing. I hope to target Stripers. I will hit the water at about 1030am and fish until maybe 2pm.

Which of the options would you chose...
1. Ft. Armistead - I know the place and have had luck with small rocks and some perch. I feel I will get something here but it is far north and maybe the larger Stripers are not up that far yet.

2. Jonas Park (Jonas Brothers Park). I scouted it but have not fished it yet. Not real sure where to go in the mouth of the Severn so there would be a learning curve here... But reports are that the rock are in this area.

3. Downs park.. not been there but with the winds coming from the West I should be sheltered pretty good.. again a learning curve but it is more open water for potentially larger fish.


If any of you wish to divulge an exact location (or rough location) from these launches that would be cool too..

[DonV]

It's Jonas Green Park. I'd give that a try. The reports this week are showing the fish are there. Head down to Greenbury Point. It's right at the mouth on the same eastern side you will be putting in on. Should see the channel marker out off the point and it may be a good place to give it a shot. Watch the boat traffic if you head out to the channel, they tend to fly through there. It shouldn't be to bad on a weekday. Also watch the people fishing of the old bridge, give it a wide berth or you may get some lead thrown at you. It is little bit of a walk to the beach launch, not far maybe 10-20 yrds from the parking are, may want to take a cart.

I was at Armistead twice more after we fished it together and haven't managed to get a decent striper there. Think Jonas would be your best bet and you may need not even go all the way to the point. May hit some trolling on the way down. Are you doing the M&G this weekend?

[Pat Smith]

I really wanted to do the Meet and Greet, but my wife has a huge test for her grad school and I have to watch the little dude. I am not comfortable enough to take him out on my yak yet.. Iwanna get him so he doesn't panic in the water with a life vest on before I take him in water over our heads.

yeah the Severn seems to be not a great place for yaks.. too many yahoos zooming in and out and not paying attention.. and BIG boats too, not just the center consoles you normally see but big 40' cruisers.... at least from what I saw when I scouted the place. Still.. I might give it a shot.

[Pat Smith]

looking on the map.. it looks like a good 45 paddle to the point from the launch beech. I really have to put a trolling motor on the yak.

[Jman]

Jonas is a great option. Easy access and theres some hot spots before you get to the mouth. Fair warning: the paddle out is usually easier than the paddle in. I've had some good hits on an umbrella rig and trolling jig heads off greenbury in about 6 feet of water.

[DonV]

Did you get out Pat? Give us a report over in the Boatyard if you did. I got off tomorrow and am going to give Jonas it a try.

[Pat Smith]

I went out of Jonas (brothers) Park today.. here is my experience.. do with it as you will.


Got on the water about 1130am. Started towards the east side point dragging an orange jig head with a pearl soft body on it, and a silver jig spoon. Dragged them all the way to the point then half way to the floating light/buoy that is out there. I felt uneasy in that much open water with all the power boats around (depth was only 6 feet at the time). I changed to my chrome colored rattle trap and started back. There was a heavy wind coming in from the bay as well as a strong current so paddling was MUCH easier heading back up the river. Just inside that large bay area right near the point (14 feet of water, lure was at about 10 feet) I hooked up with a 12 inch fish, it was silver with a spot on it's tail. I got it to the boat and instead of landing it I was trying to figure out what it was while it was dangling from my lure. Well the hesitation is all it needed and it got off.. no biggie I would have tossed it back anyways. I then added a second rattle trap to my second rod (pearl in color). Just outside that Navy boat yard thing I hooked up with a small striper.. about 10 or so inches, again off that chrome rattle trap (18 feet of water, lure was at 10 feet). I continued heading back to Jonas park. I hooked up with my third and final fish, another 10 inch striper. I got it in the little bay near the docks where a couple nice sail boats are moored, just down from Jonas park (28 feet of water, again the lure was at about 10 feet).

I really wanted to toss a few smaller lures near those sail boat docks to try to nab a perch or two, but I had run out of time. All told I was on the water for 4.5 hours, paddling most of the time (I stopped and tried to jig some bait schools I saw on the FF with no success).

[dsiekman]

I went out of Jonas (brothers) Park today.. here is my experience.. do with it as you will.


Got on the water about 1130am. Started towards the east side point dragging an orange jig head with a pearl soft body on it, and a silver jig spoon. Dragged them all the way to the point then half way to the floating light/buoy that is out there. I felt uneasy in that much open water with all the power boats around (depth was only 6 feet at the time). I changed to my chrome colored rattle trap and started back. There was a heavy wind coming in from the bay as well as a strong current so paddling was MUCH easier heading back up the river. Just inside that large bay area right near the point (14 feet of water, lure was at about 10 feet) I hooked up with a 12 inch fish, it was silver with a spot on it's tail. I got it to the boat and instead of landing it I was trying to figure out what it was while it was dangling from my lure. Well the hesitation is all it needed and it got off.. no biggie I would have tossed it back anyways. I then added a second rattle trap to my second rod (pearl in color). Just outside that Navy boat yard thing I hooked up with a small striper.. about 10 or so inches, again off that chrome rattle trap (18 feet of water, lure was at 10 feet). I continued heading back to Jonas park. I hooked up with my third and final fish, another 10 inch striper. I got it in the little bay near the docks where a couple nice sail boats are moored, just down from Jonas park (28 feet of water, again the lure was at about 10 feet).

I really wanted to toss a few smaller lures near those sail boat docks to try to nab a perch or two, but I had run out of time. All told I was on the water for 4.5 hours, paddling most of the time (I stopped and tried to jig some bait schools I saw on the FF with no success).

Silver with a spot on its tail...sounds like a red, aka puppy drum, redfish, red drum, etc. did he pull like a much larger fish than he turned out to be?

[Pat Smith]

honestly.. all three pulled like a much larger fish. This particular one bent my rod way over so that I though I had snagged, until I picked up the rod and felt the rapid tugging. The first Rock I caught was snagged on the Pectoral fin and really pulled hard to start with then faded out.. I have no idea how I hooked his pec fin. He seemed unharmed when I tossed him back.

[dsiekman]

Reds pull like you wouldn't believe. My first was about 14". I was convinced it was a 20"+ rock.

[Pat Smith]

These bay fish are weird.. First I get a White Perch that has no white in it (it was a brown/black with orange), now I get a Red Drum that is all silver with a dot on it's tail, no red to be found.

[dsiekman]

Google images of redfish. You'll see a lot of silver and gold. A few weeks ago I was fishing off Kent Island and got a perch that was all white/silver. No stripe. I think their coloring is a little different depending on location.

[DonV]

Thanks for the report. Maybe next trip if you are lucky and want to be more confused you may land one of these.

BlackDrum_1_copy.JPG

A Black Drum and yes I know it is kind of silver/brown/orange similar to the white perch.

[JAR]

I hooked up with a 12 inch fish, it was silver with a spot on it's tail.

Did it look like this?

lilred.jpg

[Mark]

Pat,

Now that you know where Greenbury Point is I would suggest you follow the rock wall to your left toward Whitehall Bay after you reach the point instead of heading to the marker.

Not only will you be protected from the boat traffic you encountered at the mouth of the Severn but the rock wall is often holding stripers. It holds white perch and stripers in the summer. I suspect the white perch are moving away from the wall now. But the stripers should be present. You can troll parallel to the rock wall or cast near it. Also casting to the rocks at the point itself is often a good tactic, especially when the tide is ripping.

Regarding your puppy drum, congratulations. I have yet to catch a red.