2011 monthly challenge

[DOGFISH]

There's always room for beer!

[jffoley]

This sounds like a good idea. Although, I don't usually fish the winter months. This would be incentive to do so. Regarding those Baltimore reservoirs, do you also need a Maryland freshwater license in addition to the permit?

There's always room for beer!

YES!

[surfdog]

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).

i'll second that. the only ice i want to see is on my beer mug

[mdfisherkid]

I can attest to mdmakmaira.....plenty of pickerel hiding in the grass to give sore lips to. And yeah....when fishing for bass they it would get annoying cuz you would catch several of them before you got a bass.

[mdfisherkid]

Also,
I'll probably be in line for one of the permits coming this spring for the kayak. It is fun fishing there, very pretty. Not as pretty as the bay of course, but there could be worse places....especially when wind is 20-30+mph.

[ictalurus]

The land of "nuisance" pickerel sounds awesome, but the $60 permit sucks. I guess that's a good way to cut down on the fishing pressure, though. It looks like the Loch Raven permit is separate from the Pretty Boy and Liberty permits, too.

[mdmakaira410]

yup that is correct like i said baltimore city....

[Tucked In]

I agree with Eastonkayaker, Tuckahoe lake has Chain pickerel, and some nice bass in the early spring, you can get the kayak into some of the hidden holes before the grass grows to thick, and for the trout if you go when they stock it, its like they opened the flood gates for trout fisherman. I also like Wye lake, I consider it my home lake, have caught some nice bass there. Martinak state park in Febuary for yellow pearch and then the Corsica river for white pearch in March/April. Then its the Bay for whatever bites.

[mdmakaira410]

i'd be pumped to try some new haunts. im assuming most of these spots are on the eastern shore? i googled tuckahoe lake and it looks the size of a pond. am i looking at the right tuckahoe lake?

[eastonkayaker]

Main part of tuckahoe lake is around 40 acres, it is small as lakes go. Nothing real big, plenty of fish to keep you busy, sunfish, bluegill, crappie, pickeral and largemouth. Lots of stumps, logs, lilly pads and bushes, good places for fish to hide. If you want to practice casting to an exact spot go there, may get hung up but rarely loose any gear, easy to float over it and free it up. Some of the best bass fishing is in the late spring up river from the lake. Narrow and shallow, not good for a Hobie. One reason I purchased the 11' Prowler this summer was to get up into some of the smaller creeks over here on the eastern shore.

Wye lake is a little larger, some nice size bass, plenty for them to eat. Lake is surrounded by trees, with many of them downed. Can usually out fish all the fancy bass boats because you can get the kayak up underneath the tree branches and around the downed trees. Some 12-18 inch catfish in wye lake along with bluegll, sunfish and crappie. First place I will try to catch my January fish.

Either lake bring some nightcrawlers, any fish you find will bite.

[DOGFISH]

Tuchkahoe is small, and somewhat heavily fished. However, there are always fish to catch. Like I said in one of the earlier replies and as eastonkayaker has said the better fishing is in the back of the lake. That is where the river enters the lake. When I say a river, it is only the head waters of a river, that is small in comparison to most rivers. The river at that point is more like an overgrown slow flowing flooded timber stream. All of the wood and growth make it a good place to fish. Yor are able to kayak the river. There are alot of bass in the back areas of the river. The river opens up to pools, which you should fish throughly. Rubber worms work well, my best color has been bass or largemouth bass, something like that, by YUM. It is like a green and black stripe worm. Green pumpking also works well.

You have to keep in mind, just like the stripers, the bass shut down in cold water. The pickerel and crappie are the best bet on better weather winter days. The good thing about Tuchahoe is that it is a very shallow lake or as you said, pond. Being shallow, the lake warms up quickly in the spring, which makes it a popular place to fish. The fish come out of their winter larthargy more quickly. Don't expect any gigantic fish, but it is a fun place to fish. If fishing in late winter or early spring, bring along a can of corn. It is fun to catch a 30 to 40lb carp. From a kayak a big carp is a formidable battle. That is fun in the spring, when you have not caught a large fish for a few months. Throw some of the corn around an area, as chum. Then bait your hook with some corn. Then hold on.

While you are there you can also check out the launch area in Greensboro, Denton and Martineck State Park [spell ?]. Those areas are on the upper Choptank. Those are also areas where you can catch bass, perch, pickerel, crappie and alot of channel cats if you bait for them. Just past Greensboro is where Red Bridges is located. That is good bank fishing for perch and herring in March and possibly early April. While in the area check that out. Alot of people start their fishing season at Red Bridges. When the herring and perch are running, the banks will be wall to wall people. However, it is fun.

Next year I will have to get the group to have a meet and greet or some to just go fishing on the Potomac, up above Harpers Ferry. There are areas up there that are like slow flowing lakes. Great kayak fishing areas. There is an area near Brunswick that I have been wanting to fish also. That is a bit faster moving. It is very scenic and fishy too. It is a great place to spend the day smallmouth bass fishing, with an occasional Walleye and the remote possibility of a Musky thrown in. That is really a fun place to fish. Not far to travel.

Good luck.

[mdfisherkid]

Hmmmm so many options.....so many options!

[wiljack78]

Roll call -who met the challenge

I caught fish every month. Some from the yak and some from shore. Striper, Blue fish, ray, skate, shark, white perch, small mouth, large mouth, cat fish, hichory shad, american shad, crappie, redeye, blue gill, sun fish. Good year for me. The kayak really gave me alot of new opportunities.

[mmanolis2001]

Almost made the challenge this year. Got a kayak fish feb thru nov. Need better cold water gear to play in the dec and jan water around here.

[jffoley]

I caught fish every month. Some from the yak and some from shore. Striper, Blue fish, ray, skate, shark, white perch, small mouth, large mouth, cat fish, hichory shad, american shad, crappie, redeye, blue gill, sun fish. Good year for me. The kayak really gave me alot of new opportunities.

Congrats! WTG...

I'm close. 11 for 12. Haven't really tried this month. But it ain't over yet!