May 26th Slower/Lower

[ronaultmtd]

Bill and I decided to try an afternoon delight Friday evening- windy- gusts to 27 made it "sporting" but we found some half-way decent waters- the holiday weekend crowd was already at work partying on the beach, music blaring, drinking, jet skis running 60 mph, but we persevered...school stripers were obliging- mostly hitting XRaps and soft plastics...I hooked up a "poor man's tarpon" of 21 inches- not sure if it was a Hickory or American...and Bill was steady bailing school stripers on every cast up to 19 1/2 inches...the tide was running strong, but I only had one good blow up on top water- watermen had lined the channel with crab traps and the dreaded CNR were back...Bill and I both lost a lure to those damn things...between winds, waves, boat traffic, jet ski hot rodders trying to skim the sides of our kayaks at 60 mph, it was a bit of a challenge and reminds me of why I don't fish holiday weekends...but we caught probably 30 fish apiece...including a 13 1/2 inch speckled trout...

[Yak67]

Great Report Ron, you guys toughed it out in less than ideal conditions. That's pretty funny "Poor Man's Tarpon", did it come out the water shaking?? I did not know shad would be in that area? never hooked up with one yet.

Two more days of the "Googans" as they say up North, and we will be back to quiet bliss.

Yak67
2017 Hobie PA-12 Camo
2016 Hobie Outback LE#217

[Mark]

Challenging for sure, Ron.

Fishing in uncrowded waters is a great option for those of us who can do it. That's certainly my preference.

But your success and Bill's on a holiday weekend perfectly illustrates your previous post about good luck following preparation and perseverance.

[EMSer]

You are a braver man than I. Fishing amongst crowds isn't what I consider fun. Glad you were rewarded for you efforts though. Congrats!

[ronaultmtd]

Great Report Ron, you guys toughed it out in less than ideal conditions. That's pretty funny "Poor Man's Tarpon", did it come out the water shaking?? I did not know shad would be in that area? never hooked up with one yet.

Two more days of the "Googans" as they say up North, and we will be back to quiet bliss.

Yak67
2017 Hobie PA-12 Camo
2016 Hobie Outback LE#217

Oh yeah, when I hooked it on a 1/4 oz jighead with a Bass Assassin Chartruese Glow swimbait it immediately jumped swapping ends in mid-air- put on a show for sure- reminded me of a baby tarpon...I yelled at Bill that I had caught a Ladyfish until I looked at it close...

[Big Mike]

I went out of Breton bay Saturday morning - arrived at the launch at 5:15 and they were already 7 trucks with trailers parked (I assume mostly crab guys). I headed off to my usual spots and was unmolested all day while I had an average morning of fishing. I saw boat after boat launch and then zoom off towards the Potomac passing by productive water. It must be an axiom that fishing is better as far from the launch as possible. When I came off around 9 there were 25 trailers parked in every available nook and cranny with overflow lining the road. Never seen that many there, yet I felt like it was a midday morning on the water because we all know there are no fish near the ramp.

[ronaultmtd]

Mike- kayaker fishermen (women) use the kayak to catch fish- we don't have the long range from launch site ability that a 21 foot 200 horsepower center console has...and think about folks that release their catches near the launch after a day on the water when they decide they don't have enough fish or they are too tired to clean their catch...usually close to the launch...most boat launches have fishing docks that have shore fishing...and there are usually people fishing from shore...if they didn't catch fish they wouldn't be there...although Bill and I logged about 12 miles Friday on our GPS...