Goodhands Creek report- July 31

[J.A. Veil]

Seven Snaggedline members (Mark, Raptor, J. Rentch, Yak67, NY Style, and me, plus Plastic Boat, whom I did not meet) launched from Goodhands Creek this morning looking for stripers. All of us had pedal-power kayaks -- 5 Hobies and 2 Natives. I started out trolling 3" Fat Sam mullet paddletails along grassy shorelines in 3-4 ft depth. This strategy worked well for me on Wed, but did not produce many fish today. I kept moving around and eventually found fish by trolling along structure edges either in current or in quiet pockets adjacent to a strong current. My first 45 mins was frustrating with just one small striper. Then I found a tightly packed batch of fish. I made several laps past a point jutting into current and hooked 9 fish in the next 10 minutes.

I worked another structure and found a zone that held a few keeper-sized fish. Over the next hour, I looped through that area many times and was able to catch two 22.5", one 22", and one 19" from this zone. Yak67 and I called it quits by 10:00. I ended with 19 stripers including the three keepers (all released). The color of the paddletails did not matter. I caught fish on white, off-white, pink/orange, blue/silver, and pale chartreuse.

One tip I can offer is to check your lures often to make sure the plastic is sitting straight on the jighead and it still has it's tail, and to look for snagged grass or seaweed. Trolling a lure that does not look realistic is a waste of time.

The other guys can add their reports as they get home and to the computer.

[Fishinfool]

Six Snaggedline members (Mark, Raptor, J. Rentch, Yak67, and Style, and me) launched from Goodhands Creek this morning looking for stripers. All of us had pedal-power kayaks -- 4 Hobies and 2 Natives. I started out trolling 3" Fat Sam mullet paddletails along grassy shorelines in 3-T4 ft depth. This strategy worked well for me on Wed, but did not produce many fish today. I kept moving around and eventually found fish by trolling along structure edges either in current or in quiet pockets adjacent to a strong current. My first 45 mins was frustrating with just one small striper. Then I found a tightly packed batch of fish. I made several laps past a point jutting into current and hooked 9 fish in the next 10 minutes.

Another great report John! I really enjoy reading them, thanks!

I worked another structure and found a zone that held a few keeper-sized fish. Over the next hour, I looped through that area many times and was able to catch two 22.5", one 22", and one 19" from this zone. Yak67 and I called it quits by 10:00. I ended with 19 stripers including the three keepers (all released). The color of the paddletails did not matter. I caught fish on white, off-white, pink/orange, blue/silver, and pale chartreuse.

One tip I can offer is to check your lures often to make sure the plastic is sitting straight on the jighead and it still has it's tail, and to look for snagged grass or seaweed. Trolling a lure that does not look realistic is a waste of time.

The other guys can add their reports as they get home and to the computer.

Another excellent report John! I like that you had to work to find the fish, and once there you made it count. I always enjoy reading your reports!

[J. Rentch]

A follow up to John's report. John and the other snaggliners headed north out of Goodhands Creek, I spent most of my time around Hog Island. Was trolling 3/8'jigs with 4" white and dark paddle tails in 3-4 ft . During the first hour, landed two 18" and two 14". Action was good and they put up a hard fight. Lots,of schoolers caught, and they were healthy looking.
Was great to see so many snaggliners out there this morning. Had to compete with the weekend crabbers running lines and pots.
This was a fun morning.

[EMSer]

Great report John. I hope top head of there next week sometime - probably Wed or Thurs.

[jet]

i agree with fishinfool, always enjoy reading your reports, thanks!

[Mark]

I believe the Props beat the Fins today both in quantity and size.

Congrats to the Native Boys, John Veil and John Rentch for catching quality fish.

I hooked nothing approaching 18 inches but did get 7 stripers in the boat. None made it to my Hawg Trough for a pose. It would have been embarrassing for them and me.

The irony of today is that the water was extremely active with bait fish and swirls as we left the ramp between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. I thought it would be an easy catching day but it wasn't. The tide was falling steadily as we fished and when I left the water near noon the Goodhands area was lower than I had ever seen it. In fact I could see a large chunk of concrete protruding from the water (first point to the left out of the ramp) that unceremoniously stopped my Mirage Drive last year. Normally it is not visible.

I traveled over 10 miles for my 7 stripers including a brief venture through the Narrows (a very hard pedal today -- 1.2 mph at full throttle) to the Chester River. That got me two dinks north of the bridge.

I casted a little and trolled a lot. I used 1/2 oz. white jig heads and 3 inch Fat Sams in white, chartreuse and blue for trolling. Only the white and chartreuse produced. I caught each of my fish caught in less than 5 feet of water near a shoreline or near the breakwater wall.

I cast 1/8 oz. and 1/4 oz. jig spinner combos to no avail to areas that should have held fish.

The really good news from the Fin Flippers is that NYStyle broke his Maryland drought with a couple of fish including this nice sized striper. Here he is:

P1000737.jpg

And here is Hobie Fleet returning to the ramp:

D.jpg C.jpg

Obviously they each got the dress code memo -- Yellow Outbacks.

It was good to be on the water even though the fish sort of snubbed me today and it was especially nice meeting PlasticBoat and NYStyle.

[Yak67]

Great day at Goodhands! My day was made as we paddled out and a family of otters were eating and playing by the shore. The kayak did not scare them and they just checked me out as I cruised by.
I followed John Veils advice and set up a nice pattern and Caught some nice strippers, got a few shorts also, but it was great fun. The Wilderness guys did show the Hobie Yellow fleet (My PA Not pictured was yellow also), how to do it. John Veil and John Rentch are great guys to hang out with and they share their knowledge and skills willingly. Thanks guys for another great kayak adventure, I am loving my rookie season.

[Jman]

Looks like a great day! I made it out on the Severn today with my father. Ended up with two dinks, a blue, and a 17" striper. Didn't start producing until trolling back in around 11:30 in about 4' of water

[J. Rentch]

Yak67,
Always nice to fish with you as well. Sure we will meet up again. I also had fun this morning. Mark, John V, and Rapter said this was a good place to fish. Today I agree!

[J.A. Veil]

The Wilderness guys did show the Hobie Yellow fleet (My PA Not pictured was yellow also), how to do it. John Veil and John Rentch are great guys to hang out with and they share their knowledge and skills willingly. Thanks guys for another great kayak adventure, I am loving my rookie season.

Gary - I enjoyed meeting you and fishing with you this morning.

I must correct you on one point -- John Rentch and I pedal Native Watercraft kayaks, not Wilderness kayaks. That is an important distinction for those of us in the Native family.

[On the fly]

What! raptor did not catch a CNR in his favorite CNR fishing area?

[J. Rentch]

He was looking at them!

[plastic boat]

I arrived late as I had made other commitments with the wife for early this morning. But that did get me a 3 day kitchen pass to go fishing. My day was kind of slow. I ended up with 5 small stripers ranging in size from 4" to 13" a small blue at 11" and a white perch of 6". The blue was caught by the wall in the turbulent water on the north west side. All of the stripers and the white perch were caught trolling around Hog island in less than 6' of water. The Blue and the Stripers fell to a 4" paddle tail and the white perch went for a beetle spin.
I missed John Veil but did meet J Rouch, NY style, Rapter, and Mark. Nice meeting you

They must make more in fines than on the ramp permit sales We were checked by the county to make sure we all had the ramp permit. When you come here to fish make sure you have the ramp permit.

[J. Rentch]

Nice meeting you as well Plastic Boat. It seems that the fish were around Hog, although John V. caught a couple of 22" east of the breakwater. Glad you were able to make it and get some fish.

[Mark]

Jeff,

You chose well when visiting Hog Island. Glad to meet you today.

Sorry I missed meeting Yak67 altogether. Next time, I hope.