flats jamboree

[monocacykayak]

What is the best recommended place to launch to fish the flats . We would like to prefish this coming week if the weather holds . Thanks in advance ,also anyone fishing there next week?

[wfauby]

What is the best recommended place to launch to fish the flats . We would like to prefish this coming week if the weather holds . Thanks in advance ,also anyone fishing there next week?

Tydings Park in Havre De Grace is a good option...It will put you on the westerly side of the Flats

[docirv]

Perryville Park will put you in furnace bay and the flats are right there....

[plastic boat]

North East town Park has a Kayak ramp and will put you on the east side of the flats

If you use Perryville park pay close attention to what time they close. They will close the gate and lock you in. Also doesn't open until 7:30 am
If you launch from the Boat ramp you need a permit. not sure if you need a permit to launch from the kayak launching area or if kayak launch is still there I haven't used that area in 2 years.

[Stephen Slotwinski]

I never fished the area before and plan on launching from Tydings park, hopefully I'll get a chance to talk to someone who has been there several times at the captains meeting friday. so if you see a guy with a field and stream eagle talon staring at the water with an "oh Crap, thats big water "look on his face, stop by and say hi

might also do some fishing early friday from the state park.

[DonV]

I never fished the area before and plan on launching from Tydings park, hopefully I'll get a chance to talk to someone who has been there several times at the captains meeting friday. so if you see a guy with a field and stream eagle talon staring at the water with an "oh Crap, thats big water "look on his face, stop by and say hi

might also do some fishing early friday from the state park.

Don't worry it will be like a kayak fishing seminar for you. Nicest bunch of helpful folks you can find. I'm going up Thursday and hope to fish both Thursday and Friday. May try to get in some shore fishing for shad. You going to be at the park campsites? Maybe we can hook up.

BTW Crap, that is some big water up there.

[HJS]

When you guys say you launch at Tydings Park, are you referring to what the MD-DNR launch map refers to as "City Yacht Basin" or the nearby "Tydings Park and Promenade"??? If you are not sure what I am talking about then see the following DNR site. Once there click on the following: Harford County and then the "Havre de Grace Insert".

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/boatramps.asp

I use to launch at the Perryville Community Park at the cartop only launch (Stump Point). But as of the last two years I've been launching at the City Yacht Club (no tolls). It's free for cartops but you must launch at the same 2 ramps as the motor boats. And that can be an issue during busy launch periods.

[docirv]

The Northeast town park has a free kayak and canoe launch ramp. However, you cannot get to the flats from there unless you are willing to paddle or pedal about 9 miles.... There is good fishing at the Northeast and it is where I will fish if the wind is up.

[daolai]

Doc since you fish these waters so much what would you consider high winds? 15+ does the direction matter?

[sparky1423]

Doc since you fish these waters so much what would you consider high winds? 15+ does the direction matter?

In my opinion 15mph is the cut off for me, even with pedals. There is just no protection anywhere once you are in the flats. 1-2 ft chop really takes a toll when you are trying to troll...wind direction does not matter with the size of the area you are fishing. A lower wind mph with gusts of 15 is very doable, on extremely windy days you are better fishing the North East or launching at Jean Roberts and using Garret Island as protection.

[suFISHent]

Howard,
Yes that is Tydings

[reel-em-in]

wind direction does not matter .

A southeast wind will produce a lot bigger waves because they have more time to build up from the lower bay.

[docirv]

I mostly fish the Northeast river or the Sass. Winds over 10 mph coming from the south up the Northeast River and if begins to get a tad squirrrely but not too bad but once it gets close to 15 from the south then you are going to need to find some places in the lee of the wind. In the flats it does not really matter which direction if the wind is above 10 mph it will be tough. I will probably fish the Northeast River for the jamboree.