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you lose track of which day of the week it is.
I was telling that very thing to my neighbor who retired last week after a lengthy career in the energy industry. By the way, he recently bought a kayak and wants to join the OGWLF. I told him our standards are pretty low and if his reputation can sustain the hit, he is more than welcome to become a member. I expect he'll join us on the water soon.
But here's the point of my post. I thought today was tomorrow. On Wednesday, I am meeting On-the-fly (Harry) at Jonas Green between 0630 and 0700. So I headed down there at 0630 today and only when I was turning left at the light at the base of the USNA Bridge did I realize that today is Tuesday!
Not being a person to let an opportunity go to waste, I decided to unload and go out by myself. Besides, it's rare to see the Severn this calm this summer:
P1010757.jpg
I trolled a 3 inch paddletail and a bucktail, both 1/2 oz. north to the Route 50 Bridge. Each got hit about a third of the way to the bridge in 25 feet of water. But the stripers were only 12 and 14 inches.
Bait was busting the surface in many places and it was thick underneath too:
P1010759.jpg
As I pedaled toward the bridge, the shoreline structure of Severn kept whispering to me, as it often does when I troll. Before long, I heeded the call and headed toward shore:
P1010758.jpg
I put away the trolling gear and picked up a perch rod and quickly nailed 6 white perch along the above wall.
It was then that I invented "The Perch Game".
Here were the rules:
1. Catch 50 perch. Fifty is a "nice round number", to quote Cool Hand Luke.
2. Use only one lure.
3. Catch no more than 12 perch in any one area.
4. Visit no more than 5 areas.
5. Stay on the east bank of the Severn.
So I began the game and reached 12 pretty fast along the wall. I got some dinks, but most were nice 10 inchers like these:
P1010761.jpg P1010762.jpg
By the time I moved to area number 5, Winchester Pond, I had 39 perch. Winchester was the charm. Here's number 50:
P1010765.jpg
I caught it 2 hours and 20 minutes into the game.
Of course, I couldn't stop there. I left Winchester and worked the wall again for 11 more. Here's number 54, my largest of the day:
P1010766.jpg
And here's my 61 perch lure:
P1010768.jpg
A little worn but it still has fish left in it. I de-barbed the hook to release the perch faster.
Here's what I learned:
1. Riprap is best for perch
2. Reedy shorelines are next best
3. Docks are OK but not as good as the first two locations
4. Downed wood was least productive of all the areas
5. Shade makes a good spot great
6. Slow roll the spinner as if it was a winter pickerel outing
I trolled my way back to Jonas and caught another 14 inch striper on the paddletail, again in 25 feet of water.
So ended my day. The good news is that I can visit Jonas again tomorrow on the "right" day. Plus, my van is already packed for the occasion. And I invented a new game for the Severn in July. It's fun to play and easy to win.
Please join Harry and me tomorrow if you can.
I was telling that very thing to my neighbor who retired last week after a lengthy career in the energy industry. By the way, he recently bought a kayak and wants to join the OGWLF. I told him our standards are pretty low and if his reputation can sustain the hit, he is more than welcome to become a member. I expect he'll join us on the water soon.
But here's the point of my post. I thought today was tomorrow. On Wednesday, I am meeting On-the-fly (Harry) at Jonas Green between 0630 and 0700. So I headed down there at 0630 today and only when I was turning left at the light at the base of the USNA Bridge did I realize that today is Tuesday!
Not being a person to let an opportunity go to waste, I decided to unload and go out by myself. Besides, it's rare to see the Severn this calm this summer:
P1010757.jpg
I trolled a 3 inch paddletail and a bucktail, both 1/2 oz. north to the Route 50 Bridge. Each got hit about a third of the way to the bridge in 25 feet of water. But the stripers were only 12 and 14 inches.
Bait was busting the surface in many places and it was thick underneath too:
P1010759.jpg
As I pedaled toward the bridge, the shoreline structure of Severn kept whispering to me, as it often does when I troll. Before long, I heeded the call and headed toward shore:
P1010758.jpg
I put away the trolling gear and picked up a perch rod and quickly nailed 6 white perch along the above wall.
It was then that I invented "The Perch Game".
Here were the rules:
1. Catch 50 perch. Fifty is a "nice round number", to quote Cool Hand Luke.
2. Use only one lure.
3. Catch no more than 12 perch in any one area.
4. Visit no more than 5 areas.
5. Stay on the east bank of the Severn.
So I began the game and reached 12 pretty fast along the wall. I got some dinks, but most were nice 10 inchers like these:
P1010761.jpg P1010762.jpg
By the time I moved to area number 5, Winchester Pond, I had 39 perch. Winchester was the charm. Here's number 50:
P1010765.jpg
I caught it 2 hours and 20 minutes into the game.
Of course, I couldn't stop there. I left Winchester and worked the wall again for 11 more. Here's number 54, my largest of the day:
P1010766.jpg
And here's my 61 perch lure:
P1010768.jpg
A little worn but it still has fish left in it. I de-barbed the hook to release the perch faster.
Here's what I learned:
1. Riprap is best for perch
2. Reedy shorelines are next best
3. Docks are OK but not as good as the first two locations
4. Downed wood was least productive of all the areas
5. Shade makes a good spot great
6. Slow roll the spinner as if it was a winter pickerel outing
I trolled my way back to Jonas and caught another 14 inch striper on the paddletail, again in 25 feet of water.
So ended my day. The good news is that I can visit Jonas again tomorrow on the "right" day. Plus, my van is already packed for the occasion. And I invented a new game for the Severn in July. It's fun to play and easy to win.
Please join Harry and me tomorrow if you can.
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