When in doubt, just go out.

[yakscientist]

Kind of a last minute trip yesterday morning on the Severn River...was supposed to paddle around for a couple hours with my friend who doesn't really fish, just likes to kayak, but he bailed saying he'd rather wait for a sunnier day. Since I already have most of my stuff to go fishing in the truck already, I just finish packing to fish Sunday morning, even though it looks to be cooler, cloudy, with a 25% chance of rain. Wake up at 4:30ish, just staring out the window into the fog, wondering if I should really drive an hour south to the severn. Oh well, I'm up now, might as well. Drove down there, launched the kayak, within 300 yards of the launch my lighter rod/smaller paddletail gets slammed, feels like a big fish, I go to pull the rod forward to make sure the hook is set, line snaps. Now I'm drifting with the current amongst the numerous boats moored out in the river, frustrated, cursing, frantically trying to re-tie the lure combo that got hit, and a new leader, since the line snapped above the double uni knot as well (line probably got knicked on the old reel, or old rod, it's a makeshift combo). Finally managed to calm myself down, tie on another, and then start trolling again. Catch a few tiny fish, a couple fat 17 and 18" fish, then I put out my larger 5" grass kicker (zman) on the 1/2oz head and the first fish that hits it is a nice fat 22". One keeper in the bag within a half hour of launching, already a great day. Proceed to catch about 20 more fish, no more keepers, on either the 1/2 or 1/4 oz head with zman paddletails, and then I remembered the 1/2 oz jigheads got some chartreuse on it, so I drop down my 1oz white spro bucktail and 6" chartreuse shad paddletail (no idea what brand), and maybe made it 100 yards before it got slammed by a fat 23" fish. 2 keepers by 8:45, but I still want to make it at least a 3 hour trip, so I paddle out of the creek into the mainstem of the severn, and surprisingly even though there's birds diving everywhere (as was the case by the launch), only manage to get 2 fish out there. Paddle back into the creek around 9:30 and see that theres busting fish 500 yards from the launch, so instead of going in, I decide to head over to them just to see if it's a larger grade of fish than the usual busters. And it was, got another 21" keeper, felt really nice to release him after a quick picture, since I already had my limit. Overall, it's always good to just go out, as long as conditions are safe, and you keep a level head, you're probably going to have a good time. And another lesson, sometimes the best way to get big fish, is with big baits. As they say, pics or it didn't happen....

[jsnyd86]

Nice!!! I planned to head out there Saturday, but chose to stay local. Sunday my wife and I had plans, unfortunately. It looked like a great day to fish. By the sounds of it, it looks like Rocktober has arrived!

[J.A. Veil]

There is a lot of bait in the Severn creeks now. The location of the best bite is not predictable -- on each of the past four days, I found the strongest bite in a different segment of the creek where I fished. My strategy is to work many different areas in a systematic fashion. On each trip, keep track of where you get hits and where you see lots of bait flopping at the surface. In a few days or weeks, those baitfish will leave the creeks and enter the river and eventually the bay. Enjoy the good fishing while it lasts.

[silasvirus82]

Awesome you got out, jealous I didn't go!

[yakscientist]

Also, if it matters, I cut open the stomach to the larger rockfish, and it was full of peanut bunker/menhaden/whatever everyone else calls them. I've yet to ever encounter a chartreuse baitfish in the bay, but when I do, I will certainly take many pictures. Until then, that color, and white, are always producers.

[Hemingway]

I like the way you think ��

[supfisher01]

Great catch! Happy you were able to land some keepers!

[AbuMasgouf]

I like the way you think ��

+1 [emoji4]

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Fishinfool]

Great report! I've been kayak fishing on a fairly regular basis about five years, and this is the best October (so far) I can remember. Maybe this season it's been a combination of less rain, more baitfish, a lot more crabs, better water clarity in general due to phosphorous and nitrogen reductions actually working. Whatever the reasons, if I could, I would fish every day!

I hit the afternoon incoming over on the Wye River again yesterday and that river is loaded. However, a week ago it was at least half and half specs, but yesterday no specs. I suppose the rain and drop in water temps and salinity chased them south. But no worries, the striper action more than made up for it. I'll try to get a report out soon.

I can relate to losing fish, lures, patience. We all can. Yesterday I wasted an $8 1.5 oz gold Kastmaster by trying to cast with the bail closed! Cue the head slap. There's a reason my handle is "Fishin Fool".