Yak Fishing at Thomas Point

[tufnik]

Anyone yak fish out there? What's in that area? Where's best yak launch? Thomas Point Park?

[DOGFISH]

I fish near there, and the fishing is good. However, the launch from the park is difficult. The entire shore line is rip-rap. You have to launch over the rocks. Otherwise, it would be a great place to lauch. There is a park on the other side of the South River, Beverly Beach Park that has cartop launching. It is listed on the Anne Arundel County, Recreation and Parks web site.

[Southerly]

i thought that the park at thomas point was permit only? (and that it wasn't really possible to get a permit)

is that true?

[J.A. Veil]

For many years I kept a powerboat in the South River. On almost every trip I would stop briefly at Thomas Pt light and try a few casts. Most of those trips were on weekends when the boat traffic and noise were substantial. I did not keep great records, but I think I caught fish around the lighthouse pilings and rocks about 10-20% of the time. It was really hit or miss.

If you are able to get there on a weekday, the chances are better that the fish will not be spooked.

One word of caution, the lighthouse is the turning point for all large boats coming into or out of the South River on the northern side. It is not uncommon to see 2' to 3' wakes that could push a kayak into the rocks. That is another good reason for going there on a weekday. The lighthouse is farther from shore than you may realize. My recollection is that it lies 1.5 to 2 miles out from the park at Thomas Pt. It is shallow the whole way out to the lighthouse (8' to 10'), which often magnifies a bay chop. If you plan a trip out there, check the wind, waves, and tidal current before heading out.

[DOGFISH]

You can get a permit. Its not that difficult. I think it is on the last Thursday of the month, when they are on sale at Quiet Waters Park. You need to be there early. By 10:00 or 10:30 they are gone. I think it is 60 permits on sale. Give Quiet Waters Park a call to find out the details.

The lighthouse is not the only fishing in that area. There are many drop offs and ledges to fish. Live lining is very good at the lighthouse. There is alot of boat traffic on the weekend. I used to catch alot of fish at the light house with a live bull minnow on a bucktail. The current can be swift. That is what keeps the fish at the rocks for ambush. On both sides of the shoals there are drop offs that can be great fishing. Drift fishing for perch and croaker are also good in those drop off areas. In the spring there is also good access to the shipping channel for trolling.

However, with all that said, it is the rip-rap that is the problem. Launching over those rocks is a pain. If it were not for all of the rocks there would be more kayakers fishing there. It would be an easy thing to construct a kayak launch area. I have looked for a break in the rip-rap but have not found a sandy area. I launch from our community marina and fish the South River. The fishing is pretty good. I do mostly trolling and drift fishing. Chumming is also good if you catch the tide right.

[surfdog]

i used to get the permit and the fishing is good right off the point, you can see rips from rock shoals in casting range but the rush in the morning to get a spot on the point is ridiculous. not really a good spot to launch from with a kayak. dont pass up the rips on the way out to TPL some real nice stripers hang there but watch out for the other shoal a little further out a lot of unsuspecting boaters have had bad experiences with that one

ive seen 4-6' mystery waves roll into the point when you hear them coming its time to get higher on the rip rap