Mattawoman Creek afternoon trip

[ronaultmtd]

I trimmed about one third off the rubber legs and tried to bend the hooks out a bit but they are tempered steel- and I picked up a PAC of Yumm Money frogs

[tufnik]

Those look good. Use with Gamakatsu EWG monster or superline spring lock hooks.

[ronaultmtd]

I put together a kayak loader similar to yours since we last fished the Creek together Tuf- It isn't pretty but I think it will work OK-I had installed the Yakima tower system with Land Shark saddles on my bare rooftop so I am now ready to go as far as transporting my kayak-

I have some time this week- and I think I will fish the creek one more time before the 9th M&G. I plan to fish the rising tide and reach those grass beds as water fills the shallows- With so many of us going on the 9th we may want to think about exploring new spots on the creek...and reading up on the Northern Snakehead- it tolerates salt water as a pathway to get to its preferred habitat- it swam across the Potomac to get into the Virginia tributaries...one was caught this spring at Bud's marina around the gas docks- way down in St. Mary's County- looking at a map of the Potomac, it is spreading into every little creek and river- only a matter of time before it will be in Tidewater region- most big one's caught are full of eggs- so it is a breeder- Mattawoman Creek is a known snakehead spot but I'll bet that we can catch snakes in the Port Tobacco river area- and probably as far south as around Piney Point creeks and streams-

[mmanolis2001]

They already shot one at Buzz's Marina on St Jerome's Creek and that's an isolated creek feeding into the bay. I think they already started to explore the mouth of the Potomac and would not be surprised if they started showing up in other rivers connected to the bay in a few years.

I was also thinking about how best to spread out and fish the area effectively with the amount of Kayak's attending. I might make a bee line to the upper parts of the creek maybe a 45min paddle and drift down fishing as i go.

[tufnik]

On the east side of the river, there is a large paddie area about 100-300 yds south of the launch. Lots of cover. Plenty room for snakehead hunters.

Yeah, need to learn more about their habits. I heard fisherman look for snakehead holes/nests during low tide. They then fish those spots during high tide. I don't know where snakeheads go during low tide, maybe in deeper water? Maybe bake in the sun on land?

I can't make the afternoon/evening M&G this Saturday, but I may come early morning and quit early afternoon.

Show us pics of your loader. I'm sure someone can benefit from your idea/technique.

[moc]

I put together a kayak loader similar to yours since we last fished the Creek together Tuf- It isn't pretty but I think it will work OK-I had installed the Yakima tower system with Land Shark saddles on my bare rooftop so I am now ready to go as far as transporting my kayak-

I have some time this week- and I think I will fish the creek one more time before the 9th M&G. I plan to fish the rising tide and reach those grass beds as water fills the shallows- With so many of us going on the 9th we may want to think about exploring new spots on the creek...and reading up on the Northern Snakehead- it tolerates salt water as a pathway to get to its preferred habitat- it swam across the Potomac to get into the Virginia tributaries...one was caught this spring at Bud's marina around the gas docks- way down in St. Mary's County- looking at a map of the Potomac, it is spreading into every little creek and river- only a matter of time before it will be in Tidewater region- most big one's caught are full of eggs- so it is a breeder- Mattawoman Creek is a known snakehead spot but I'll bet that we can catch snakes in the Port Tobacco river area- and probably as far south as around Piney Point creeks and streams-

I cannot wait to see your handy work Ron.

[ronaultmtd]

[tufnik]

Are you using one or two loaders?

Is that sheet metal holding the cups together? Does it hold well? Seems like you'd need more rigidity from the downward forces on each wheel. I like the small wheels. Looks like duct tape covering the vertical PVC. Anyway, it looks like a good simple design that'll work.

[ronaultmtd]

It is 1/8 inch by 4 inch aluminum riveted to the cups with big skateboard wheels on a pivoting axle- the duct tape covers the bracket with a piece of plastic to prevent the roto-moulded hull from scratching the yak- I was tired of waiting for the Northern Tool backorder of the four cup dent puller that is used on the pvc one- the cups pictured are from Lowes Hardware store and used for laying tile flooring- I have one more set of axles and wheels that I plan to use if and when Northern Tool fills my order for the four suction cup dent puller

[tufnik]

Never thought about using skateboard wheels - good idea. I had that same problem where the yak middle would skid over the axle even though I have 8" wheels. I used a plastic bottle with ends cut off and another cut down the length. Put it on the axle where the supports were on the outside, not the middle, so that the yak would roll over the bottle.

[ronaultmtd]

These are really big ball bearing skateboard wheels that my Daughter used to ride around the driveway and the axle is steel with a plastic pivoting bearing in the center- it is attached by an aluminum bracket covered by a sheet of plastic taped in place to prevent the hull from scratches- once the flat part of the hull hits the rollers there is no danger of scratching. It is only the bow section I am worried about getting scratched- the bracket holding the axle is plastic covered by duct tape- it should prevent that.