2011 monthly challenge

[wiljack78]

Here is a challenge for 2011.
Catch a fish during every month of the year.
Any fish, any way

[mdmakaira410]

I like this idea. I might have accomplished this last year as i did alot of fly fishing over the winter but i didnt keep track of anything. Ill be sure to do that this year.

[MetroMan]

Sounds like fun. Do they need to be kayak-caught for this challenge?

[ictalurus]

Good idea. This would've been tough for me in 2010 because many of the places I fish around here were frozen for a good, long while at the beginning of the year. Hopefully, winter 2011 will be less severe (wishful thinking).

[Redfish12]

I used to do this competition on the fly fishing board I belonged to in college. I always found the December-February months to be very rewarding for trout fishing. Ice on the guides, lethargic trout, but you worked for it and each fish caught was appreciated.

I'd be up for this challenge, but I don't think I'll be able to do it from the kayak! I guess there are warm water discharges... I need to break out my fairy wand more this winter.

[DOGFISH]

Come on, I think I can do it from a kayak, and I'm an old guy. There are always Eastern Shore pickerel to be had. One of the best rivers for pickerel, was the Tuckahoe. I used to catch so many pickerel in that river. However, now that the grasses are gone, the pickerel have also diminished. There is always Tuckahoe pond, in Tuckahoe State Park. If not frozen, it is a nice pond to fish on that occasional nice day in winter. In the back is where the river enters the pond, which is great fishing. It is also a very good crappie pond in the spring. There is also the Choptank up around Greensboro and Denton. The channel cats are almost always cooperative. There are almost always places to fish in the winter, again, if not frozen. There is almost always some flowing water that is open. White perch and yellow perch, as they go up river to spawn, should be easy in February and March. Then there is always that 40" striper in April. Piece of cake. I'm up for that challenge.

Maybe some of you may know. Do any of the Maryland reservoirs allow kayak fishing? That could also be fun.

[Redfish12]

There is one called Piney something that I wanted to check out, even has stripers!

[DOGFISH]

Thanks, stripers in fresh water sounds good.

Hey and what about the Susquehanna River in spring for shad. That would be a good place to fish for a meet and greet, Susquehanna State Park. Easy to find and plenty of parking. Stripers, LM and smallmouth, who could ask for more. The area I am thinking of is where Deer Creek comes into the river.

So many waters, so little time. What am I talking about, I'm retired.

[eastonkayaker]

Caught a very nice Pickeral in the Tuckahoe last winter. However, the biggest Pickeral I caught (22") there was in early spring. Tuckahoe also has some trout fishing Jan/Feb, they stock the lake/river. Can be shoulder to shoulder fishing the first week or two after they stock. I like Wye Lake in the winter, last year a guy who lives on the lake caught a 5 lb largemouth bass.

March 1 is the best yellow perch fishing on the Tuckahoe, this year I caught several very nice keepers and well over 100 yellow/white perch of various sizes. Fisherman will be shoulder to shoulder along the river during that time, nice to have the kayak and head up river.

[mdmakaira410]

Before I came across you guys and this site I fished Loch Raven Reservoir for a bit of spring and all summer from my kayak. I had a couple scarey days on the Bay by myself that made me rethink fishing the Chesapeake without a buddy. The problem with the reservoirs around Baltimore ( Loch Raven, Pretty Boy, Liberty) is that they are managed by Baltimore City. They "claim" to be pretty strict. You need a yearly pass, yaks must be at least 12 feet, and you have to put in at the Fishing Center at Loch Raven (not sure how the other places work). I honestly have never been checked and have put in from other places at LR though. The fishing center is closed until April unfortunately so im pretty sure your not "allowed" to fish from yak or canoe until then. The pickerel fishing there is insane though, to the point where they are a complete nuisance when bass fishing. I just found out that they are actually a target species when everything else shuts down. I'd be willing to bet that the winter picklehead fishery there and possibly Pretty Boy would be really good if the lakes aren’t frozen over. I might have to sneak over there once it warms up a tad and see whats up. Ill also ask some of the guys from Ultimate Bass for some of their other winter haunts.

[DOGFISH]

Wow, so many pickerel they are a nuisance. Did you hear that Bill? That sounds like the place for that citation. May even be Northern Pike or Musky in those reservoirs.

[mdmakaira410]

They truly are. Almost all the pickles we've caught have been decent sized too. Mdfisherkid can attest to that. They seem to hit anything really, from from chartreuse and baitfish patterned half and halfs, clousers and plastic bass poppers on the fly and cranks, worms, jigs, swim shad on normal tackle you name it they'll probably go after it. I took a 24'' pike their on the fly there this fall. The coves hold a ton of grass and a ton of toothy critters and of course the bass and panfish fishery is great at LR too. Im not sure what day it is but before the place opens for the year the permits that havent been renewed go on sale at like 5AM. Its a real show. people line up outside the gate to the fishing center at like 12am. The permits sell out really quickly too so you almost have to be their by atleast 3am to be sure to get one. Its going to be nice to have that permit this year for days that i get blown out on the bay.

[wiljack78]

My target during the winter will be Walleye on the Susquehanna River. Not sure how so I'm going to need to learn a few things. That's all part of the fun.

[DOGFISH]

I have caught a few Walleye on the upper Potomac. I could get used to catching those. I have not kept any as there does not seem to be that many on the Potomac, but I hear they are good eating. The Susquehanna caught my eye a few years ago, while in HarveDegrace [spelling ?] doing an arbitration. I stopped by the park and took a look around. It looks to be a great place to fish. I'll have to give it a try. I didn't know about the Walleye on the Susquehanna. Next year, I am going to fish more places. Of course, now I am going to have to find out more about the fishing permit at Loch Raven. I guess, I will have to get a comfortable chair and blanket for that 12 AM visual. Will I need a gun for line breakers?

[mdmakaira410]

no but you will need beer.