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Bennett Point Landing - First Time
I have been wanting to fish and crab the Wye River since last season because of the great and sudden variations in depth in places as well as the reputation for good crabbing. I didn't launch into the Wye last year because there was little information on the launch at the landing and a few comments suggested that it is a difficult launch for heavier kayaks. After much debate with myself, crab or fish?.. I decided I would fish and if the launch was too difficult I would move to another launch on Kent Island.
I reached the landing at about 6:00 am and was greeted with an empty landing. Calm Morning.jpg This was a great start compared to two weeks ago when I launched at Good Hands on the weekend and had to search for a spot to lay down 6 nets well beyond Hog Island due to all the boats in the area. If you are driving to the landing in the morning or evening be on the lookout for wild animals. A few deer bolted across the road in front of the car before me and I also saw a fox and a wild turkey cross Bennett Point road as I drove in.
The launch is manageable for a single person with a Hobie Outback which I think falls into the heavier kayak category. The launch is a small, soft beach at the eastern corner of the landing. There are two options for getting your yak to to water. Launch.jpg20170702_125610.jpg You can either take your yak behind the first piling but it is a tight fit or between the first two pilings but there is a drop off of 6 to 10 inches depending on which piling you are closer to. In the morning I took my Outback behind the first piling. It was a tight fit because of the stumps but it just fit. When I returned I pulled my Outback up between the first two pilings. I have the Trax 2-30 cart so other wheels about this size should work well getting over the drop off. The sea grass on the beach helps provide a firm footing. In the morning (outgoing tide) the bare ground was fairly firm but it was a bit mucky when I landed after high water in the afternoon. Also the parking patrol showed up just after I launched so remember your parking pass.
Even before I launched I could see a lot of activity in the water. The water goes past 10 foot depth very quickly and I started trolling a Gulp twister tail and New Penny paddle tail on half ounce jig heads almost immediately. I let the tide help take me down past Bruff's Island to the mouth of the river, staying on the western side of the river and going through water 15 to 40 foot deep. I worked around points but I only picked up one fish on this side in about 24 feet of water. I saw many CNRs along the way in both deep and shallow water but saw few fish in the deeper water. I also got to test the rod float on one of my medium-light rods. I had just reset the rod and put it back in the rod holder when I heard it slide out and go in the water. Neutral buoyancy was at about 5.5 feet and it is a 6.5 rod so the tip was sticking out of the water and it was recovered.
Once to the mouth of the river I turned around and made my way to Bordley Point. After crossing the fork in the river I came into fish. I had switched out my twister tail for a Zman minnow (Opening Night) and this was the bait that got all the attention. I switched out my other rod to the same lure and had multiple simultaneous hookups. I landed about a dozen Stripers in the 12 inch to 20 inch range, all in about 15 feet of water. There is some bottom structure in this area and the fish were generally near that. I was fortunate to be using barbless jig heads as the smaller fish all inhaled the entire bait up the the jig head. I guess they are not so different than some children who sometimes put too much food in their mouth. I was able to easily remove the entire lure without damage. Only one fish was keeper size at 21 inches but had lesions so I put him back. I don't have a good camera setup so I only take the time it takes me to get out the cellphone to photograph the fish if they are going on the stringer. Otherwise my friends and family have to take my word for it.
After fishing this area for a while I switched to a spinner bait and fished for perch along the Wye Island shore where there were felled trees and such. I pulled in 7 small perch in about 20 minutes. I decided I would make my way back toward the launch and trolled my Zmans as I went. I picked up another 5 or 6 fish along the way in water 10 - 15 feet deep. I stopped for lunch in a small cove on the island that provided some shade from the sun. Lunch Spot.jpg During the morning it was very quite with few boats but by noon there were more boats out on the river and a constant stream of wakes. I decided to call it a day and headed back to the landing.
I am only able to get out once or twice a month and this has been the most productive and enjoyable trip so far this year. Bennett Point Landing puts you into some very good water for Stripers, Perch and unfortunately CNRs. At least today the river was not crowded in the morning and the launch was very manageable by myself. I would suggest anyone who has not fished this water give it a try. I would also recommend the island side of the river towards Bordley Point and stay in the 10 -15 foot depth range.
Jack
I reached the landing at about 6:00 am and was greeted with an empty landing. Calm Morning.jpg This was a great start compared to two weeks ago when I launched at Good Hands on the weekend and had to search for a spot to lay down 6 nets well beyond Hog Island due to all the boats in the area. If you are driving to the landing in the morning or evening be on the lookout for wild animals. A few deer bolted across the road in front of the car before me and I also saw a fox and a wild turkey cross Bennett Point road as I drove in.
The launch is manageable for a single person with a Hobie Outback which I think falls into the heavier kayak category. The launch is a small, soft beach at the eastern corner of the landing. There are two options for getting your yak to to water. Launch.jpg20170702_125610.jpg You can either take your yak behind the first piling but it is a tight fit or between the first two pilings but there is a drop off of 6 to 10 inches depending on which piling you are closer to. In the morning I took my Outback behind the first piling. It was a tight fit because of the stumps but it just fit. When I returned I pulled my Outback up between the first two pilings. I have the Trax 2-30 cart so other wheels about this size should work well getting over the drop off. The sea grass on the beach helps provide a firm footing. In the morning (outgoing tide) the bare ground was fairly firm but it was a bit mucky when I landed after high water in the afternoon. Also the parking patrol showed up just after I launched so remember your parking pass.
Even before I launched I could see a lot of activity in the water. The water goes past 10 foot depth very quickly and I started trolling a Gulp twister tail and New Penny paddle tail on half ounce jig heads almost immediately. I let the tide help take me down past Bruff's Island to the mouth of the river, staying on the western side of the river and going through water 15 to 40 foot deep. I worked around points but I only picked up one fish on this side in about 24 feet of water. I saw many CNRs along the way in both deep and shallow water but saw few fish in the deeper water. I also got to test the rod float on one of my medium-light rods. I had just reset the rod and put it back in the rod holder when I heard it slide out and go in the water. Neutral buoyancy was at about 5.5 feet and it is a 6.5 rod so the tip was sticking out of the water and it was recovered.
Once to the mouth of the river I turned around and made my way to Bordley Point. After crossing the fork in the river I came into fish. I had switched out my twister tail for a Zman minnow (Opening Night) and this was the bait that got all the attention. I switched out my other rod to the same lure and had multiple simultaneous hookups. I landed about a dozen Stripers in the 12 inch to 20 inch range, all in about 15 feet of water. There is some bottom structure in this area and the fish were generally near that. I was fortunate to be using barbless jig heads as the smaller fish all inhaled the entire bait up the the jig head. I guess they are not so different than some children who sometimes put too much food in their mouth. I was able to easily remove the entire lure without damage. Only one fish was keeper size at 21 inches but had lesions so I put him back. I don't have a good camera setup so I only take the time it takes me to get out the cellphone to photograph the fish if they are going on the stringer. Otherwise my friends and family have to take my word for it.
After fishing this area for a while I switched to a spinner bait and fished for perch along the Wye Island shore where there were felled trees and such. I pulled in 7 small perch in about 20 minutes. I decided I would make my way back toward the launch and trolled my Zmans as I went. I picked up another 5 or 6 fish along the way in water 10 - 15 feet deep. I stopped for lunch in a small cove on the island that provided some shade from the sun. Lunch Spot.jpg During the morning it was very quite with few boats but by noon there were more boats out on the river and a constant stream of wakes. I decided to call it a day and headed back to the landing.
I am only able to get out once or twice a month and this has been the most productive and enjoyable trip so far this year. Bennett Point Landing puts you into some very good water for Stripers, Perch and unfortunately CNRs. At least today the river was not crowded in the morning and the launch was very manageable by myself. I would suggest anyone who has not fished this water give it a try. I would also recommend the island side of the river towards Bordley Point and stay in the 10 -15 foot depth range.
Jack
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