Tweet
Much of this forum is devoted to striper fishing. But what if 2019 is another year of sparse stripers. Are you going to adjust your kayak fishing targets and techniques?
Here in the mid-Bay region our tidal options after stripers are limited. Specks usually stay to our south. Redfish are even more rare. Bluefish may show up in the summer but they didn’t impress us last year with their numbers. Channel cats unexpectedly filled a void in 2018 but frankly I prefer the headshake of a good striper over the “tractor pull” of a channel cat. White perch occupied their usual niche in 2018 and I suspect they’ll do so again. However even they were a few weeks delayed last year from reaching their summer shallow water haunts.
Snakeheads are expanding their range. No longer do we have to fish the heavy salad at Mattawoman to find them. They’re now in less obstructed waters that we can fish without the exhaustion of dragging weedless lures through a tangle of vegetation cast after cast. But I do wish they had a different name. I’m not fond of snakes of any kind and attaching that name to a fish destroyed its allure for me.
The Eastern Shore ponds often are covered with algae when tidal striper fishing should be hot. I’ve tried to get my fill of the ponds this winter and will continue to do so this spring before they slime over. I’ll return to them when the algae clears in the fall. But what to do this summer if stripers are rare?
Upper Potomac smallmouth won’t disappoint if our rains are normal. However, rather than antique my kayaks with bruises from rock collisions, I prefer to wade the river.
There’s fragrant meat on the hook and anchoring in deep water to entice blue cats in the lower Potomac. Nope. Just can’t do it. I’m an intractable shallow water lure/fly angler unwilling to resort to cut bait. I respect those who have that skill and tenacity. I do not have the patience to anchor and bottom fish. Like Eddie Rabbitt, “I gotta keep moving”.
Motor boats are always an option to run and gun to find stripers. Charter captains will definitely find them this year and provide a lengthy and expensive boat ride in the process. Perhaps some on this forum will expand the range of their kayaks with battery driven propellers. But even a Jon Boat with a 9.9 HP motor will beat you to fish. I’ll take my chances by poking along with pedals and paddles.
Lastly, there are always trips to other states. Kayak fishing guides are prevalent now. But what a shame to leave our home waters because a favorite target may be in decline.
So, what are you going to do if stripers disappoint us this year? Change tactics? Change species? Change locations?
I see a lot of white perch in my future if the stripers are not plentiful in 2019.
Just curious how others approach what may be a changing fishery.
Here in the mid-Bay region our tidal options after stripers are limited. Specks usually stay to our south. Redfish are even more rare. Bluefish may show up in the summer but they didn’t impress us last year with their numbers. Channel cats unexpectedly filled a void in 2018 but frankly I prefer the headshake of a good striper over the “tractor pull” of a channel cat. White perch occupied their usual niche in 2018 and I suspect they’ll do so again. However even they were a few weeks delayed last year from reaching their summer shallow water haunts.
Snakeheads are expanding their range. No longer do we have to fish the heavy salad at Mattawoman to find them. They’re now in less obstructed waters that we can fish without the exhaustion of dragging weedless lures through a tangle of vegetation cast after cast. But I do wish they had a different name. I’m not fond of snakes of any kind and attaching that name to a fish destroyed its allure for me.
The Eastern Shore ponds often are covered with algae when tidal striper fishing should be hot. I’ve tried to get my fill of the ponds this winter and will continue to do so this spring before they slime over. I’ll return to them when the algae clears in the fall. But what to do this summer if stripers are rare?
Upper Potomac smallmouth won’t disappoint if our rains are normal. However, rather than antique my kayaks with bruises from rock collisions, I prefer to wade the river.
There’s fragrant meat on the hook and anchoring in deep water to entice blue cats in the lower Potomac. Nope. Just can’t do it. I’m an intractable shallow water lure/fly angler unwilling to resort to cut bait. I respect those who have that skill and tenacity. I do not have the patience to anchor and bottom fish. Like Eddie Rabbitt, “I gotta keep moving”.
Motor boats are always an option to run and gun to find stripers. Charter captains will definitely find them this year and provide a lengthy and expensive boat ride in the process. Perhaps some on this forum will expand the range of their kayaks with battery driven propellers. But even a Jon Boat with a 9.9 HP motor will beat you to fish. I’ll take my chances by poking along with pedals and paddles.
Lastly, there are always trips to other states. Kayak fishing guides are prevalent now. But what a shame to leave our home waters because a favorite target may be in decline.
So, what are you going to do if stripers disappoint us this year? Change tactics? Change species? Change locations?
I see a lot of white perch in my future if the stripers are not plentiful in 2019.
Just curious how others approach what may be a changing fishery.
Comment