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Hi Folks,
I just bought my first fishing kayak the week before Memorial Day, a Hobie 2014 Revolution. I took it along on our family camping trip Memorial Day weekend to Shad Landing campground at Pokomoke State Park near Snow Hill, MD. I took it out on the Pokomoke river for a shake down paddle, which went pretty good, but didn’t get too involved in fishing as it was a family camping weekend.
The Maiden voyage, fishing on the Severn River, was last Tuesday. I loaded it up on my Jeep the night before, got off work an hour early (3:00 PM in Laurel), headed home (Severn, MD), picked up the Jeep and headed for Jonas Green Park—slowly. Seems something hit an overhead sign on the Rt. 50 Severn River Bridge and backed up traffic to Millersville. Oh well, got to Jonas Green park at 5:00 PM.
Weather.com listed the winds for the afternoon to top out at 10 mph. When I arrived at Jonas Green, trees were swaying. I checked the Chesapeake smart buoy at Annapolis—15 knts wind—that lined up a lot more with what I was seeing. Launched anyway. It took a lot to get there. Turned kayak into the wind and headed for the Rt. 50 Bridge.
I’ve got 50 years worth of fresh water fishing experience, all kinds of boats and canoes, but no experience kayak fishing in tidal waters. I did talk with many of you at the kayak flea market last February (I think it was at Rivera Beach), when I was researching what kayak to buy. I also just finished Alan Battista’s book, so I felt somewhat armed with some knowledge.
I’ve never trolled. Not my fresh water fishing style, but it seems to be the way to approach Rockfishing with a kayak, so I gave it a try. Managed to get two lines out with paddletails on them. Good. Actually caught a 12” Rockfish near Weems creek. Good. Trolled for around 90 minutes and drag on rod #1 started singing. Finally determined that it was not a fish, but it was a snag and the wind was blowing me away. Holding on to snagged rod, couldn’t figure out what to do with the other rod still out with lure 50’ back, so left it out and dealt with turning kayak around and going back to snag. I also have little experience with braid—always been a monofilament user. Re-confirmed that it is no fun to have to free a snag when dealing with braided line. Luckily the line broke at the lure and I got all my braid and monofilament leader back. Was not looking forward to trying to remember how to tie a Uni knot again. Put that rod back in holder and grabbed rod #2 that was still out. CNR on other end!!
CNR was upstream and upwind. They don’t have things that look like this at Rocky Gorge reservoir, I wasn’t particularly keen with the idea of getting one of those things 12” away from me in the kayak. I did manage to get it in next to the kayak, but then it took off again. Ran all over. Next thing I know, I have no direction control on the Hobie. Finally determine that the braid has wrapped around the rudder big time. Couldn’t free it with rod. Grabbed rod #3 (for perch) and tried to use it to push loops off rudder while holding onto rod #1 in the other hand. Next thing I know, rod #3 is caught/trapped in loops on the rudder. Now I have a rod in each hand, both hung up in rudder, kayak blowing downwind, and CNR doing who knows what.
Luckily my knife was close, so I cut the line. Everything unraveled and I got both rods back. If someone catches a CNR with a white paddletail in its lip and yellow braided line attached, that would be mine.
I took a couple casts for perch, but it was getting late. Put rods away and looked around. Re-established what a beautiful setting it was, early evening, wind dying down, no one else on the river, hadn't thought about work for 4 hours, and why we all enjoy this hobby as much as we do.
Peddled back to ramp and loaded up gear and went home no harm done.
I hope to get out again tomorrow (Saturday afternoon). If you see someone fishing on the Severn in a Hobie Revolution and think to yourself, “I wouldn’t do that if I were him”, that would probably be me. I’m pretty far down on the learning curve; please say hello!
Gary G
I just bought my first fishing kayak the week before Memorial Day, a Hobie 2014 Revolution. I took it along on our family camping trip Memorial Day weekend to Shad Landing campground at Pokomoke State Park near Snow Hill, MD. I took it out on the Pokomoke river for a shake down paddle, which went pretty good, but didn’t get too involved in fishing as it was a family camping weekend.
The Maiden voyage, fishing on the Severn River, was last Tuesday. I loaded it up on my Jeep the night before, got off work an hour early (3:00 PM in Laurel), headed home (Severn, MD), picked up the Jeep and headed for Jonas Green Park—slowly. Seems something hit an overhead sign on the Rt. 50 Severn River Bridge and backed up traffic to Millersville. Oh well, got to Jonas Green park at 5:00 PM.
Weather.com listed the winds for the afternoon to top out at 10 mph. When I arrived at Jonas Green, trees were swaying. I checked the Chesapeake smart buoy at Annapolis—15 knts wind—that lined up a lot more with what I was seeing. Launched anyway. It took a lot to get there. Turned kayak into the wind and headed for the Rt. 50 Bridge.
I’ve got 50 years worth of fresh water fishing experience, all kinds of boats and canoes, but no experience kayak fishing in tidal waters. I did talk with many of you at the kayak flea market last February (I think it was at Rivera Beach), when I was researching what kayak to buy. I also just finished Alan Battista’s book, so I felt somewhat armed with some knowledge.
I’ve never trolled. Not my fresh water fishing style, but it seems to be the way to approach Rockfishing with a kayak, so I gave it a try. Managed to get two lines out with paddletails on them. Good. Actually caught a 12” Rockfish near Weems creek. Good. Trolled for around 90 minutes and drag on rod #1 started singing. Finally determined that it was not a fish, but it was a snag and the wind was blowing me away. Holding on to snagged rod, couldn’t figure out what to do with the other rod still out with lure 50’ back, so left it out and dealt with turning kayak around and going back to snag. I also have little experience with braid—always been a monofilament user. Re-confirmed that it is no fun to have to free a snag when dealing with braided line. Luckily the line broke at the lure and I got all my braid and monofilament leader back. Was not looking forward to trying to remember how to tie a Uni knot again. Put that rod back in holder and grabbed rod #2 that was still out. CNR on other end!!
CNR was upstream and upwind. They don’t have things that look like this at Rocky Gorge reservoir, I wasn’t particularly keen with the idea of getting one of those things 12” away from me in the kayak. I did manage to get it in next to the kayak, but then it took off again. Ran all over. Next thing I know, I have no direction control on the Hobie. Finally determine that the braid has wrapped around the rudder big time. Couldn’t free it with rod. Grabbed rod #3 (for perch) and tried to use it to push loops off rudder while holding onto rod #1 in the other hand. Next thing I know, rod #3 is caught/trapped in loops on the rudder. Now I have a rod in each hand, both hung up in rudder, kayak blowing downwind, and CNR doing who knows what.
Luckily my knife was close, so I cut the line. Everything unraveled and I got both rods back. If someone catches a CNR with a white paddletail in its lip and yellow braided line attached, that would be mine.
I took a couple casts for perch, but it was getting late. Put rods away and looked around. Re-established what a beautiful setting it was, early evening, wind dying down, no one else on the river, hadn't thought about work for 4 hours, and why we all enjoy this hobby as much as we do.
Peddled back to ramp and loaded up gear and went home no harm done.
I hope to get out again tomorrow (Saturday afternoon). If you see someone fishing on the Severn in a Hobie Revolution and think to yourself, “I wouldn’t do that if I were him”, that would probably be me. I’m pretty far down on the learning curve; please say hello!
Gary G
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