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Mark and I launched from Beechwood park this morning. I had never used the new trail and launch area. It was not as long or as steep as I had anticipated. Even an old guy with a sore back managed just fine. You do need a cart or a buddy to carry one end. The parking area near the head of the kayak launch trail offered 8-10 parking places.
When we finished our trip, we met Lisa from the Anne Arundel Water Access committee, who was checking out the new launch facility.
Now for an on-the-water report. We launched a few hundred yards away from where the shoreline anglers stood shoulder-to-shoulder. We paddled out and began heading upstream. I looked across the water and saw a bright orange bobber in the middle of the river. I paddled over to see if it just floating along (I planned to pick it up). As I approached the bobber, it appeared it was moving downstream faster than the current. As I pulled up next to the bobber, it went under and disappeared. Apparently a fish was attached to the line on the bobber. Mark and I waited a few minutes to see if the bobber surfaced again, but never saw it.
We moved upstream casting as we went along. We proceeded as far as we could go until I literally bottomed out the paddle-powered kayak. In these headwaters, I saw numerous clumps of yellow perch egg masses. The ones in the photos were in about 1 ft water depth and were draped over a branch.
20160309_093027.jpg 20160309_093042.jpg
Neither of us had a bite in upper reaches of the river. We headed downstream past Beechwood and cast to some other shorelines. I had to be off the water by 11:00. I told myself I had time for just 5 more casts. On the second cast (to submerged branches near a point) I felt resistance. Initially I thought I had snagged on branches. But soon I felt a head shake and saw the line move sideways. I caught an 20" pickerel to avoid the skunk.
The fish were not biting well at all. We did not see any fish caught by the shoreline anglers at Beechwood. Until the very end of the trip (and well downstream) we did not encounter fish either. Judging from the egg masses, the yellow perch may have done their thing and moved on. But it was such a beautiful morning, we were not too disappointed. I saw a red fox, bald eagle, a pair of red tailed hawks, ducks, geese, my first osprey of the season, and many other local birds. The water was flat calm.
When we finished our trip, we met Lisa from the Anne Arundel Water Access committee, who was checking out the new launch facility.
Now for an on-the-water report. We launched a few hundred yards away from where the shoreline anglers stood shoulder-to-shoulder. We paddled out and began heading upstream. I looked across the water and saw a bright orange bobber in the middle of the river. I paddled over to see if it just floating along (I planned to pick it up). As I approached the bobber, it appeared it was moving downstream faster than the current. As I pulled up next to the bobber, it went under and disappeared. Apparently a fish was attached to the line on the bobber. Mark and I waited a few minutes to see if the bobber surfaced again, but never saw it.
We moved upstream casting as we went along. We proceeded as far as we could go until I literally bottomed out the paddle-powered kayak. In these headwaters, I saw numerous clumps of yellow perch egg masses. The ones in the photos were in about 1 ft water depth and were draped over a branch.
20160309_093027.jpg 20160309_093042.jpg
Neither of us had a bite in upper reaches of the river. We headed downstream past Beechwood and cast to some other shorelines. I had to be off the water by 11:00. I told myself I had time for just 5 more casts. On the second cast (to submerged branches near a point) I felt resistance. Initially I thought I had snagged on branches. But soon I felt a head shake and saw the line move sideways. I caught an 20" pickerel to avoid the skunk.
The fish were not biting well at all. We did not see any fish caught by the shoreline anglers at Beechwood. Until the very end of the trip (and well downstream) we did not encounter fish either. Judging from the egg masses, the yellow perch may have done their thing and moved on. But it was such a beautiful morning, we were not too disappointed. I saw a red fox, bald eagle, a pair of red tailed hawks, ducks, geese, my first osprey of the season, and many other local birds. The water was flat calm.
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