Ft Armestead June 4 Report

[Pat Smith]

2017-06-04 08.57.44.jpg2017-06-04 08.57.44.jpg2017-06-04 08.58.03.jpg2017-06-04 08.58.25.jpgMy brother in law and myself went out of Ft Armistead this Sunday. He had never fished from a Kayak before and I chose FT Armistead because you can fish but stay close to shor.. if there was any problems. Luckily there were not.

We hit the water around 8 am.. proceeded north to the bridge. No electronic made the trip due to a "battery charging malfunction" (I did not charge it from last year). I saw no surface bait like I usually do there so I headed a little north to a little bump I know of.... again nothing.. we headed further north to the pilings off the pier.. still nothing.. no bites, no birds, no bait on the surface.

I noticed some boats on the far shore in the next cove up (north of the pier) so we headed that way.. .they were crabbing so not much help, we went up and down the shore and off the point in that cove. We hit some small stripers (about 5 each) all in the 11 to 12 range.

I hit into a aggressive school of perch, not knowing much about them I measured the first at 11 inches and threw them all back in.. thinking them all way to small to keep and eat. Apparently an 11 inch perch is pretty large by perch standards... go figure. I would have tossed them back anyways but still I was tossing them out left and right. I got around 7 or so in the 11 inch range.

So no keepers but catching SOMETHING is better than getting skunked, or being at home.

he asked me why we did not go out to the island.. I told him because it was his first time on a kayak and was NOT going to drag his overly large behind back from that far out

On a side note.. we were using one rod with a hard plastic crank bait (we were trolling) and one with a jig head and paddle tail (opening night). My jig head had a little metal spinner on the front that would flash as it went through the water.. I didn't get a nibble on it, I had used it last year and got nothing on it either... half way through the day I swithed to a more traditional jig head and within 5 minutes had a striper on.. apparently that little spinner was a sign NOT to bite to the fish.. go figure.

[mchottie]

I fished Ft Armistead last year from shore before I picked up my first yak. Seems to be a popular launch point, i'm excited to try it out with the yak this summer. If you're ever free on a weekend let me know.

11" perch is VERY good size, anything 9.5" and up, if you can catch a dozen or so, make for some good jalapeno cilantro ranch fish tacos.

[yakscientist]

I've fished Ft. Armistead 4 or 5 times I believe, I honestly hate that spot. I think it's because I've never really spoken in depth with someone who knows the area well, so I've been fishing it blind. I have 0 fish between all those visits, though seeing the fort out in the channel is pretty cool I suppose. I would go back but only with someone who knows the area and is willing to point out some good spots to me. I much prefer Ft. Smallwood/White Rocks which is only a few miles downriver, mostly because every trip out there I've gotten into at least 1 20"+ rockfish. Usually in the late summer and fall, I hit my 2 fish limit there fairly easily. Like I said it's probably mostly just my own fault for fishing blind, but consider yourself lucky for not getting skunked.

[Pat Smith]

I totally understand you yakScientist. I consider Armistead my "home port" not because I get good luck there but for other reasons. It is close to me, easy launch, good wind protection, you can fish and stay relatively close to shore (I like that in cold weather), and it is open all night. I like it for those reasons.. It is dirty, ugly, and not GREAT fishing (I have not been to the island yet). I usually go there 4 to 5 times a year and all other locations 4 to 5 times combined. I can go there when the wind prevents me going other places, and I feel comfortable when I got night fishing by myself (again because I am pretty close to shore).

I have not fished FT Smallwood yet, but want to.

[yakscientist]

I totally understand you yakScientist. I consider Armistead my "home port" not because I get good luck there but for other reasons. It is close to me, easy launch, good wind protection, you can fish and stay relatively close to shore (I like that in cold weather), and it is open all night. I like it for those reasons.. It is dirty, ugly, and not GREAT fishing (I have not been to the island yet). I usually go there 4 to 5 times a year and all other locations 4 to 5 times combined. I can go there when the wind prevents me going other places, and I feel comfortable when I got night fishing by myself (again because I am pretty close to shore).

I have not fished FT Smallwood yet, but want to.

Yeah I do have some preferred spots, but since I live an hour north of pretty much anywhere worth fishing, I have to choose them very carefully. Usually I stick to the Severn, the Magothy (out of spriggs farm), or ft smallwood. I know that the perch bite at those first 2 places will hold me over if the rockfish aren't cooperating, but I can't say I've fished for perch out of ft smallwood yet.

[Mark]

...but I can't say I've fished for perch out of ft smallwood yet.

It's not my favorite place to fish for perch. I've caught them in open water there. But like most places where I catch perch they orient toward structure at Ft. Smallwood. The White Rocks hold them as does the riprap that lines the front wall of the park. Of course, that wall can be impossible to fish when shore anglers are present, which is most of the time. The riprap that lines the channel of the boat ramp area is often productive. Also, the far northern shoreline of residential properties straight across from the boat ramp is a good spot.

Although I've caught a lot of white perch at Ft. Smallwood, I've never been impressed with their size. I've consistently caught larger ones in Severn tributaries.

[BimmerTech]

I fished armistead quite a bit last year(was living in the city). I'm by no means an expert on the area, but I avoided the skunk every trip. A ton of shorts in the early season, but the quality of fish seem to get better later in the season. Caught limits in less than an hour on multiple trips in September and October.


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