Corsica River in Centreville, MD Mon am

[J.A. Veil]

Several of us plan to meet at Anglers tackle shop at 7:30 am Mon morning, then head to Centreville Landing to launch into the Corsica River (tributary to the Chester). I have never fished there before, but hope it will be a scenic and productive spot out of the southerly winds. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome.

If the weather allows, several of us plan to launch from Goodhands Creek launch on Tues morning. I will post more details Mon afternoon after reviewing weather and wind forecasts.

Both of these locations require Queen Anne's County ramp permits, either a daily or an annual. Anglers sells these permits -- that is why we are meeting there.

[DonV]

Never even knew we had a Corsica River here in Maryland. Learn something new everyday here on Snaggedline. Sure looks scenic and I'm very interested to find out if it is productive. Seems like a wise choice to hide from the wind.

Wish I could make the trip but sadly have to work. Be sure to let us know how it all works out.

[J.A. Veil]

Mark, John Rentch, Scott Taylor, and I launched at the Centreville Landing launch spot about 8:30 am to an outgoing tide. I caught two micro perch (5"-6") a few minutes later by casting a Bignose spinner to a grassy point. I caught a few more little perch then stopped trying for little guys. I trolled several miles towing 4 sizes of lures. I finally got one bite on a 3" Gulp twister tail. Judging from the pull, the fish was larger than the little perch, but not big. It came off the hook before I saw it.

We all caught white perch today. Scott and Mark each caught another species of fish -- they can add their own reports. It was a scenic spot, but it produced only small fish today.

The launch spot is right across the parking lot from C.D. Dollar's kayak sales and rental shop. We stopped in to visit with him after we finished the trip.

[DonV]

Googling the Corsica River you will find much information on the health of the river which seems to pretty awful. It is in a very agricultural area and the runoff seems to have affected the river. There our quite of money a initiatives to try to restore it to better health but I imagine it will take years to see any improvement. May be pretty but I think the fishing will be kind of limited to the kind of day you guys had.

[J. Rentch]

Enjoyed fishing a new area, even though the catch was spotty and small. Caught a break with the weather, winds were down and a fair sky. As Jhn mentioned, it is a scenic river with lots of large houses.

[Mark]

The restoration of the Corsica has been underway for over 12 years. If wildlife is a gauge the efforts are paying dividends.

Here are three of countless osprey nests in the short span of the river we visited:

A4.jpg A1.jpg A.jpg

Also, I saw this creature. I don't know if it was a muskrat or the invasive nutria:

A2.jpg A3.jpg

It had a long tail that it used for propulsion.

The water got noticeably clearer as we got farther from our launching point.

Here are the guys on the water:

B3.jpg B5.jpg B6.jpg

As John said, the fish were small. I got 10 white perch and 3 yellow perch. Here is one of each:

D.jpg C.jpg

I got them all on a small jig spinner with a white curly tail trailer.

The fish were generally tight to shore and in shaded areas. The water depth rarely exceeded 3 feet in the areas where I caught them. Plus they wanted a very slow retrieve, almost cold water tempo.

The Corsica is quite shallow and there are underwater ridges that pop up unexpectedly. They can be sand or riprap. Often my fins bottomed out. Pedal kayakers are forewarned.

The launch facility is nice -- as are all the ones I have visited in Queen Anne's County. We used the concrete boat ramp but there is a floating dock suitable for launching kayaks. However, given the gear we carry and the hard right turn on the floating dock to the launch are area, it is not really conducive to fishing kayaks or those with pedals.

Also, we each had a note on our windshield when we returned asking us to not park in sites meant for trailers. A Queen Anne's County launch permit is required. We each had that on our bumpers or I suspect our windshield notices would have been less polite!

All in all, it was a nice day. I wish two things. One, the fish had been larger and two, I had brought a fly rod. I was unfamiliar with the river and was geared up for heavier fish. A fly rod would have been perfect given the conditions today and the shallowness of the Corsica. Next time for sure.

If you haven't visited there you should.

[plastic boat]

is there anywhere to park that is not meant for trailers. the last time I was there a coupe years back spots meant for trailers was the only place to park everywhere else had no parking signs

[J. Rentch]

Yes, there is a lot above the trailer lot for Yakers with no trailers. We received a little warning about parking in the trailer lot. Luckily we were the only ones in that lot, otherwise we were told you could get a $50 fine.

[Mark]

The launch:

H1.jpg

The warning:

H2.jpg

If it was posted on the main parking lot that vehicles without trailers should use the town lot I did not see it.

[J. Rentch]

Looking for ways to pad their accounts. I could understand on the weekends, but Monday?

[Slobber Bob]

Also, I saw this creature. I don't know if it was a muskrat or the invasive nutria:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15978[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]15979[/ATTACH]

It had a long tail that it used for propulsion.

It's a muskrat. Nutria don't use their tails for propulsion like muskrats do. From your photo, you can also tell by the quality and color of the fur. You'll see a lot of guard hairs in nutria fur and it doesn't have that nice chocolate brown color.

[Mark]

Slobber Bob,

Many thanks. it was indeed undulating that tail like a snake. And it was definitely brown. I guess it's good that it wasn't a nutria. Many of the Queen Anne's County Landings have signs about nutria including the one we visited today in Centerville.

[rob-kayak]

It's a muskrat. Nutria don't ....

Now there's an 'ol schoul homeboy 'dat knows his mus'rat from a noot.

'cept... how many ways does he know'd how to cook a muskrat... ?

Well.. thars.. boiled mus'rat... fried mus'rat... gumbo mus'rat... mus'rat etouffee... mus'rat wit' tatores, beans, an' carrhrots...

Unfortunately it's late in the season for eatin' muskrats.... your best pickins are late winter... coming up on Spring...
Dorchester has a gatherin' late February every year... Cambridge near the first of March...
Bailey's Seafood often has 'em for sale that part of the year... it's long RT113 just north of the chicken plant, on the west side of the road in Frankford Delaware.

Getting back to fishing.. it's fun to explore new place and thanks for the reports guys. Looks rather "urban' from the pictures.. But the water looked calm and protected as the winds were predicted to be strong... and later in the day a bunch of storms came through.. so open water was probably best not to explore...

Thanks for the report and the adventure. Many more to ya !

[Mark]

Well.. thars.. boiled mus'rat... fried mus'rat... gumbo mus'rat... mus'rat etouffee... mus'rat wit' tatores, beans, an' carrhrots...

I think it took a brave and hungry person to eat the first one.

[phoenixkeith]

muskrats are an eastern shore dlicacy . taste like chicken !