Camping & Kayak Fishing

[CAGE RATTLER]

I'm getting ready to pick up a 20' Travel trailer and was wondering if anyone knows of some good camp grounds with good kayak fishing access.

[FishAholic929]

That question has TONS of answers. What type of fishing are you looking to do and how far do you want to travel? Do you want campgrounds with full ammenities or do you mind someplace where you have to be self contained?

[CAGE RATTLER]

Well since I havent been camping since I was a kid and my GF isnt really into roughing it, I guess i need to start out easy with water & electric ammenities but I do have a generator if needed.
As for what type of fishing, It really doesnt matter to me. Lately I've been getting into large mouth bass fishing on tidal rivers and creeks but fishing for specks and red drum is something I would also like to get into. Also would like to do some small mouth fishing.
Im fishing out of a hobie outback so any shallow rocky areas probably wont be good but I plan on picking up a 2nd yak later for those areas.
I'd also like to keep the traveling to a minimum since most trips will just be weekends for now.
I'm in Baltimore County.

We went to matawomen a few weeks ago and loved the area so any decent campgrounds near there?

[FishAholic929]

You can cross the river and Pohick Bay Regional Park has a campground which would put you into the Largemouth. You can go a little further south and There are a few campgrounds on the VA side of the lower potomac. Coles point is the first one that comes to mind. I'd love to help you with more, but wanting to keep the travel at a minimum kinda puts me at a disadvantage as the places I've camped are all 2-4 hours away from me in Northern VA (the opposite direction of you).

[DonV]

Susquehanna State Park is a fairly close. Elk Neck is another fairly close option. Tuckahoe and Martinak State Parks aren't that bad a drive.

[Mark]

Trap Pond State Park in Laurel, Delaware.

http://www.destateparks.com/park/trap-pond/

Nice camping facilities and good bass fishing.

[PiousDevil]

Smallwood State Park on the mattawoman does have camping, not sure if you are aware.

[mweber02]

Susquehanna
Harpers Ferry - The HOA has nice accommodations, just avoid the busy season.
New Germany State Park - We camped here Memorial Day weekend and it was not nearly as crowded as Harpers Ferry was last year. Our site was one of about a dozen that shared a small bathhouse. They have a "camp sponsor" there if you need help. Plenty of wooded area separating the sites. The tiny lake up there has VERY limited access by land to fish but a lot of areas that would be great to hit from a kayak.
Deep Creek would be a little further but probably offers great lake fishing.
Catoctin/Cunningham Falls - Not sure how the camping accommodations are but the little lake there has some nice bass.
OC/Dewey/Rehoboth (Assateague is horrible for camping with mosquitoes and flies)

[PigPen]

I really like the Army Corps of Engineers park on Raystown Lake in PA. They have stripers, lake trout and smallmouth. The park has hot water showers and flushing toilets. Going up in the fall is brilliant. I also camped in savage state forest a few weeksa ago and had a wonderful time on the resevior in the yak but the camping is very primitive. I've heard that Assateague isn't too bad if your on the shore side.

[DonV]

I really like the Army Corps of Engineers park on Raystown Lake in PA. They have stripers, lake trout and smallmouth. The park has hot water showers and flushing toilets. Going up in the fall is brilliant. I also camped in savage state forest a few weeksa ago and had a wonderful time on the resevior in the yak but the camping is very primitive. I've heard that Assateague isn't too bad if your on the shore side.

I second Savage River. Usually stay up the dirt road that that crosses a few streams and goes up the side of the hill, talk about quiet. Haven't been up there since I got my kayak and want to get back. How did you do fishing?

[CAGE RATTLER]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be sure to check these sites out.

The camping on savage river, Is that at Big Run State Park?
I was looking at that the other night but when i looked at it on google maps satellite, there wasn't much water in the reservoir.

[DonV]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be sure to check these sites out.

The camping on savage river, Is that at Big Run State Park?
I was looking at that the other night but when i looked at it on google maps satellite, there wasn't much water in the reservoir.

They are actually two parks adjacent to each other. Big Run is a little less primitive with close access to water and bathrooms. The sites at Savage River are primitive, you must take your own water in. Big Run is more expensive than Savage. I believe if I remember right $15 versus $5. They drained the reservoir a few years ago and I'm guessing that the Google images are old. I may be wrong as I haven't heard any updates but from what PigPen decribes everthing is back to par.

[Mike]

Point Lookout, MD. It's a bit of a drive but you can get a waterfront campsite and they have full amenities.
See the map.

-Mike

[PigPen]

DonV,
I camp at the white water sites below the dam that are too close to the road to be quiet. It rained before and during which I blame my the poor river fishing results on. The fishing in the lake was really nice towards the afternoon. A bunch of 12"+ bass all over the place. I wish I had a fish finder to work the big fish deeper down during the morning.

[DonV]

DonV,
I camp at the white water sites below the dam that are too close to the road to be quiet. It rained before and during which I blame my the poor river fishing results on. The fishing in the lake was really nice towards the afternoon. A bunch of 12"+ bass all over the place. I wish I had a fish finder to work the big fish deeper down during the morning.

Thanks for the info. The lake is a very under utilized place and I imagine the fishing could be pretty good. I've been there on holiday weekends and there is still not many people out on the lake. Always been able to find a camp site also. Damn one more place I want to get with the yak. So many places so little time. I've have caught a few trout in the river but never have fished the reservoir. Don't know if you know but if you do stay at Big Run the pass also gives you access to New Germany State Park. Can use the showers, lake etc. Can be a nice little break from roughing it.