What depth of Ledges do Rock Fish like??

[J.A. Veil]

Different times of the year, you will find Striped Bass in much different waters...late evening dusk, early mornings in the summertime in 80 degree (+) water they will be in shallow water...late fall in 50-60 degree water they will be on the edges of channels feeding on larger baitfish...and winter time look for warm water discharges from power plants...and of course, during these different phases, they take much different lures...late fall-early winter, I am pulling big crank baits...same for early spring...this time of year I have scaled back to soft body plastic four inch swimbaits and bouncing Gulp off the bottom...

For every established trend there are exceptions. This morning EMSer and I caught 23" stripers at 10:30 in full sun in less than two feet of water. I did not expect to see them there, but schools of peanut bunker were abundant offering a smorgasbord for the predators.

[Mark]

For every established trend there are exceptions. This morning EMSer and I caught 23" stripers at 10:30 in full sun in less than two feet of water. I did not expect to see them there, but schools of peanut bunker were abundant offering a smorgasbord for the predators.

As I said. Don't overthink it. Enjoy those surprise appearances. They're gifts to those intuitive anglers who ignore convention. Congrats to you and Bruce.

[rugbyfish]

If your trips are limited, I would strongly suggest you keep an angling log of each trip.

I'll second this idea. I started keeping one this past year, and it makes a big difference.

[manlystanley]

I can maybe get down to the bay 2-3 times a year. At that pace, Ill be about 162 years old before I have a clue as to what I'm doing.

Let me offer my experience, For what it is worth.

-- I come from a long lie of want-to-be-fisherman My dad was a successful business-man, so he bought the best equipment, a boat, and spent all he could on fishing. He loved it. But, caught very little.

-- He would get so angry, when some guy with poor equipment, would catch tons of fish, and all he got nothing.

-- Fast forward, to me. At 50 years old I got the fishing bug. Bought lots of equipment, and caught nothing for years.

-- At the end of each year, I was ready to chuck all my stuff and take up a new hobby. But, then by spring, I just know that I'll do better (ha!!! So, I thought)

-- But, year after year, it was the same.


-- What I found out, was that I just had poor instincts. Mark was sharing about the time he was doing everything his mentor was doing, and yet his mentor caught tons of fish--he caught little..... Man, I can relate to that.




****** So, what do you do about it???? ******


-- First, think of fishing as not going out catch something. But, to enjoy the process. Learn to love: buying the special coffee for the trip. Getting exercise, meeting new people, come back to the forum and learning new tricks.

-- For years, my moto was: "I could not even catch a fish, even if someone through one at me".

-- I love fishing. And better yet, sometimes I catch a fish. If I had to describe my attitude for years, it was: "The lovable looser--the who guy tries, but doesn't have a clue what he's doing".


-- Last year, (after 9 years) it was the first year that I actually started to consistently catch fish. This year (after 10 years) it was the first time that I caught a keeper rock fish from my yak.

-- I cannot tell you how sweat it feels to spend years learning a sport, and then actually catch something.



*** So what are my suggestions ****

-- Don't really on people going out with you to teach you. We all are busy. But, instead, go out. Post what you did, and ask for suggestions. This forum is rare, in that people help you. In the years I have belonged to this forum, I've meet up with two people. This was a huge help, but, most of the skills I've gained is from practice and comments from this forum.

-- Buy John's book: Fishing in the Comfort Zone. I bought it and read it. It is a big help. But still you'll need lot's of practice.

-- Buy Mark's book: The Simple Joys of Kayak Fishing (Tips and Tales From an Old Guy in His Plastic Boat). I plan on buying that and reading it this winter.

-- Target easier fish to catch, like perch. Last time out I targeted just rock fish and got skunked. Next time, I'm going to target both. This is a pointer I picked up form this forum.

-- Fish in the morning. Launch at dawn.

-- Even with our novice abilities, we should try to find ways to help people who post on this forum. This forum is just effective, when everyone gives. For instance, when someone posts a good catch, write back: Good catch!!

-- And again, enjoy the entire process. Enjoy the exercise, the views, the people, etc. I kind of enjoy doing things like:

-- Fishing in collage creek (at the naval academy). Watching all the cadets, watching them row, sail, etc. Having them trying NOT to notice me. It feels kind of cool.
-- I like going up to guys on big boats (like Weams creek) berthed in front of million dollar homes and saying: "What's up dude". Some guys brush me off like I'm common rabble, others are actually nice.
-- Enjoy the sights, sounds, the water, the birds, the houses, the people. Love getting out there.... And sometimes catching a fish.

Best Regards,
Stan




Best Regards,
Stan

[manlystanley]

Different times of the year, you will find Striped Bass in much different waters...late evening dusk, early mornings in the summertime in 80 degree (+) water they will be in shallow water...late fall in 50-60 degree water they will be on the edges of channels feeding on larger baitfish...and winter time look for warm water discharges from power plants...and of course, during these different phases, they take much different lures...late fall-early winter, I am pulling big crank baits...same for early spring...this time of year I have scaled back to soft body plastic four inch swimbaits and bouncing Gulp off the bottom...

Interesting...... I am so surprised. I'd think that 80+ degrees the rock rish would want to go to deeper water. But, I guess they come up to feed???


Are you saying then that the Rock fish just follow the bait fish?? So, where the bait fish are we will find rock fish???



Best Regards,
Stan

[ronaultmtd]

Yes...that is exactly right, Stan...where there is bait...I caught a 23 1/2 inch Redfish in inches of water a couple of weeks ago...the fins of my Hobie Mirage Drive were hitting the bottom...had to "feather" my drive to use it in that shallow water...and I was targeting the Redfish...knowing their habits of feeding on flats during a high tide...and moving water is key...the Redfish were feeding on minnows and chubs hiding in the grass and sod banks...and speckled trout share these habits...and mixed in occasionally are striped bass...actively feeding on tiny shrimp, crabs, and mud minnows..

[Mark]

Interesting...... I am so surprised. I'd think that 80+ degrees the rock rish would want to go to deeper water. But, I guess they come up to feed???


Are you saying then that the Rock fish just follow the bait fish?? So, where the bait fish are we will find rock fish???



Best Regards,
Stan

Stan,

In some areas of the Bay, deeper water lacks sufficient oxygen in the summer to support stripers. That is often an issue in the Severn.

Baitfish surely attract stipers. But remember, baitfish move a lot and stripers may not have found them when you see their red clouds on your fish finder or you see them bubbling across the surface from your kayak.

I have seen a lot of baitfish with no stripers feeding on them. It's mystifying at times.

But yes, when you see baitfish it's an indicator that stripers may be nearby.

[nhunter344]

Let me offer my experience, For what it is worth.

-- First, think of fishing as not going out catch something. But, to enjoy the process. Learn to love: buying the special coffee for the trip. Getting exercise, meeting new people, come back to the forum and learning new tricks.

I appreciate the response. I can definitely relate to your advice. I grew up fishing mountain streams for native brook trout. If you need tips on coaxing 5 or 6in fish out of a 30" wide trickle of water, let me know. When it comes to other fishing 'disciplines' if you will, its all a little foreign. To be honest, I enjoy being out there even if Im not catching. One of the reasons I went with a paddle yak was so I could get some exercise.

-- For years, my moto was: "I could not even catch a fish, even if someone through one at me".

My favorite has always been "He couldn't even catch a cold."

This forum is rare, in that people help you.

This I completely agree with. I'm still getting used to it. Most other forums are just a bunch of old-timers bantering back and forth in coded language and handing out verbal beat downs to anyone who asks a question. Here, while they may not give you the exact gps coords, they let you know where they went, what time, what bait, what was biting, etc.

-- Enjoy the sights, sounds, the water, the birds, the houses, the people. Love getting out there.... And sometimes catching a fish.

I do enjoy it, even when not catching. Sometimes its a little stressful when you have an easily bored 5yr old on board. He's still learning the difference between going fishing and catching. Last time out I even stopped fishing for a while while I played a (in hindsight, extremely stupid) game of tease the ospreys (I think that's what they were) with a topwater lure. Luckily I didn't hook any before I came to my senses. That was a learning experience!

For now, Ill take my bumps and do the best I can. Its my first year on a kayak and Ive caught more species than I thought. Tog, croaker, my one and only striper (27" caught on May 15th before it was legal to keep!), massive blue cats, white perch, yellow perch, pickerel, bass, crappie and hopefully a whole host of others as a drag my yak down to the gulf coast next week.

Anyone know if fishing with dynamite is legal in the Chesapeake?

Yes, Im kidding.

[baitball]

If your trips are limited, I would strongly suggest you keep an angling log of each trip. I have recorded every trip I have taken back to 2012 in a few note pads.

I can totally relate. My brain forgets those tiny details of past trips all the time, I've considered keeping a log for many years, but shamefully, I have never done so.

Q: Do you still write everything down on a pad (i.e. pen and paper) or are you technically-savvy and keeping your notes electronically?

I'm considering getting fancy and dropping my notes into an Excel document for future filtering/sorting, but I'm afraid Mark will tell me I'm overthinking it...

j/k Mark ;-)

[manlystanley]

Yes...that is exactly right, Stan...where there is bait...I caught a 23 1/2 inch Redfish in inches of water a couple of weeks ago...the fins of my Hobie Mirage Drive were hitting the bottom...had to "feather" my drive to use it in that shallow water...and I was targeting the Redfish...knowing their habits of feeding on flats during a high tide...and moving water is key...the Redfish were feeding on minnows and chubs hiding in the grass and sod banks...and speckled trout share these habits...and mixed in occasionally are striped bass...actively feeding on tiny shrimp, crabs, and mud minnows..

This is such great advice. I just wish that I could remember all the great advice I've been given. What lure do you use in this situation??

[manlystanley]

Stan,

In some areas of the Bay, deeper water lacks sufficient oxygen in the summer to support stripers. That is often an issue in the Severn.

Baitfish surely attract stipers. But remember, baitfish move a lot and stripers may not have found them when you see their red clouds on your fish finder or you see them bubbling across the surface from your kayak.

I have seen a lot of baitfish with no stripers feeding on them. It's mystifying at times.

But yes, when you see baitfish it's an indicator that stripers may be nearby.

Mark: Thanks, Great advice. Before this thread, I had the thought that: Rock fish go to cooler water in the summer (e.g. deeper). But, what I didn't know, is that when the feed, they follow the bait..... (Seems so logical, How'd I miss it????)


Best Regards,
Stan

[ronaultmtd]

This is such great advice. I just wish that I could remember all the great advice I've been given. What lure do you use in this situation??

I used a gold jig spinner, a red 1/8 oz. Bomber Sea Shad jig head and a limetruese glow 4 inch bass Assassin Sea Shad to catch the Redfish...that is my version of the Redfish Magic lure...and I change the jig head to get different running depths...in this case the water was inches deep so I chose a lighter jighead...

[Mark]

I'm considering getting fancy and dropping my notes into an Excel document for future filtering/sorting, but I'm afraid Mark will tell me I'm overthinking it...

j/k Mark ;-)

Actually, I used to keep a fishing journal the old fashioned way. I wrote a summary of every outing for years in a notebook. I still have the notebooks -- probably a thousand hand-written pages. They're fun to look out because I detailed not only what I caught, where and how, but the interesting sights and people I met along the way. However, what I found with respect to fishing is that my journals were seasonally repetitive. I was catching the same kinds of fish in the same places in the same ways year after year. Also, something else happened...digital photography. I rarely venture out now without a camera. It's true that a photo is worth a thousand words. I photograph areas I fish more than the fish I catch. I believe that's why I am so tuned into visible structure and stress it often here.

In 2016 I tried to revive my journaling electronically. I created a continuing word document on my laptop for each trip inserting photos into the narrative. To be honest, I found it too unwieldy to continue. Part of the problem is that I was learning nothing new (i.e. the repetition monster appeared again) but the major problem was time. Like many people my age I am presently sandwiched between generations, caring for both parents and grandchildren. I have many demands on my time at the moment.

Nevertheless, I fully agree that documenting outings can be a major asset to a learning angler.

But I will also say that I've learned by pursuing various styles of fishing over the years that there are similarities in each of them. Once you have caught trout on a stream, smallmouth in a river, largemouth in ponds, white perch in tidal tributaries and stripers in the Bay you will see that there are patterns of sameness to the pursuit. That's why I say to don't overthink it. Learn to understand what you see on the water and you will catch fish. Their behaviors and preferences are remarkably similar across species from freshwater to tidal.

[RavensDfense]

I can totally relate. My brain forgets those tiny details of past trips all the time, I've considered keeping a log for many years, but shamefully, I have never done so.

Q: Do you still write everything down on a pad (i.e. pen and paper) or are you technically-savvy and keeping your notes electronically?

I'm considering getting fancy and dropping my notes into an Excel document for future filtering/sorting, but I'm afraid Mark will tell me I'm overthinking it...

I write everything down in a note pad. On a few occasions, I have made full-on-nerd Excel spread sheets for certain species, but found that the lack of qualitative information left something missing. Because I began the note taking as a way to remember the trips, I still like to write each entry somewhat like a story. As they have progressed, they have gotten much more detailed and include much of the quantitative information I would put in the Excel sheet.

[RavensDfense]

Actually, I used to keep a fishing journal the old fashioned way. I wrote a summary of every outing for years in a notebook. I still have the notebooks -- probably a housand hand-written pages. I was catching the same kinds of fish in the same places in the same ways year after year. Also, something else happened...digital photography. In 2016 I tried to revive my journaling electronically. I created a continuing word document on my laptop for each trip inserting photos into the narrative. To be honest, I found it too unwieldy to continue. Part of the problem is that I was learning nothing new (i.e. the repetition monster appeared again) but the major problem was time.

Once you have caught trout on a stream, smallmouth in a river, largemouth in ponds, white perch in tidal tributaries and stripers in the Bay you will see that there are patterns of sameness to the pursuit. That's why I say to don't overthink it. Learn to understand what you see on the water and you will catch fish. Their behaviors and preferences are remarkably similar across species from freshwater to tidal.

Not to downplay the useful of a journal, but I tend to agree here. Once you have a species really, really dialed in, the journal is more for story telling purposes. When I was learning to catch big reds on the ESVA, I would journal EVERYTHING....my failed trips, other anglers successful trips, and ANYTHING else I could in an attempt to learn that fishery. But now that I have it decently dialed in, the repetitive theme presents itself each year. Nonetheless, I keep on writing because I imagine one day it will be cool for my kids or someone else to read.

However, on some fish such as specks, I don't feel like I have them truly dialed in. I catch them often, but do not have the species understanding I do when it comes to reds. In this case, the journal is def used to establish a pattern and learn more.