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Chased off the water by lightning

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  • Chased off the water by lightning

    I had planned to take my powerboat out this morning, but found the wind to be stronger that desired. After breakfast, I decided to launch my kayak in the lower Severn and fish a sheltered location. I started out working some rip-rap near the launch and caught some of the smallest perch I have seen this summer (5" - 6"). They hit a small "safety-pin" style spinner (even with the hair all fallen off) on nearly every cast. By comparison, the lures on my other two rods were hardly touched.

    At one point, I caught three different species in 5 minutes. I started with a small perch, then got a tiny (5") rock on the next cast. When I got a strong bite on the third cast, I was hoping for a pickerel. Instead it was a 10.5" perch. The pickerel came about 3 casts later. At 20", it was the largest summertime pickerel I have ever landed.

    The photo shows the pickerel hanging from my boga grip tool -- my arm was not quite long enough to get the whole fish in the picture. In the process of removing the hook from the pickerel's bony jaw, the business end of the hook broke off leaving me with a "neutered" hook. Sadly I took that lure off and looked for something else in the tackle box. I had not bothered to add any other of the good spinners in my onboard small tackle box. I tried a Cicada blade bait (caught lots of algae but no fish) and a 3" Storm swim minnow (caught 2 small perch).

    Then it started raining, gently at first, but soon a hard rain. Fortunately, I was near some overhanging trees and quickly paddled underneath them. I was not worried until I saw lightning and heard thunder 2-3 seconds later. I hoped that by sitting in my kayak under cover, I would not be subject to a lightning strike that hit the ground or the water surface. I must admit that I was relieved when the storm moved off a few minutes later.

    Since the sky was now reasonably clear, I moved out into the open water and started casting again. Within 10 minutes, light rain started, so I stowed the rods and paddled back to the launch site. Just as I finished loading things into the van, the skies opened up again.

    In summary, I had some good catches, I broke an excellent lure, and I dodged a lightning storm. That was more drama than I had planned on. I guess it serves as a good prelim for this weekend's weather events.
    Attached Files
    John Veil
    Annapolis
    Native Watercraft Manta Ray 11, Falcon 11

    Author - "Fishing in the Comfort Zone" , "Fishing Road Trip - 2019", "My Fishing Life: Two Years to Remember", and "The Way I Like to Fish -- A Kayak Angler's Guide to Shallow Water, Light Tackle Fishing"

  • #2
    Nice work before the storm. When I saw the pic, I thought you were lipping the pickerel. It's pretty wild you've been seeing so many nice pickerel this summer. Hopefully, that bodes well for pickerel fishing this winter.
    Yellow Hobie Revo Rube Goldberg
    Yellow Tarpon 120

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    • #3
      good idea getting while the getting's good! i was pondering a nice fat tide before the storm and considering a little perch fishing from shore. but did chores instead.

      now, i think i'll be waiting out muddy water conditions for a little bit.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Southerly View Post
        good idea getting while the getting's good! i was pondering a nice fat tide before the storm and considering a little perch fishing from shore. but did chores instead.

        now, i think i'll be waiting out muddy water conditions for a little bit.
        I am thinking I'll wait a few days for the water to clear up and slow down a bit, too- maybe Thursday I'll head down to fish-
        "Lady Luck" 2016 Red Hibiscus Hobie Outback, Lowrance Hook2-7TS
        2018 Seagrass Green Hobie Compass, Humminbird 798 ci HD SI
        "Wet Dream" 2011 yellow Ocean Prowler 13
        Charter member of Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club

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        • #5
          That is a pretty pickerel. I still have not caught one of those in all my years fishing this area.

          Nothing makes me pucker up more on the water than lightning.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by mmanolis2001 View Post
            That is a pretty pickerel. I still have not caught one of those in all my years fishing this area.
            Pickerel seem to be easier to catch in the winter months (Nov - March) . During the past 5 winters since I started targeting them, I have caught them in several of the Severn creeks during the winter as well as in several Magothy creeks (courtesy of fishing with the pickerel master, Virgil Poe). The local populations are somewhat fragile in that they are at the edge of their tolerance range for salinity and temperature. During some summers, water quality can spike after a storm, and whole populations of pickerel can be wiped out. During the first year I fished for them, I had one shoreline spot that produced an average of 10 pickerel on each winter outing all winter long. Since that one year, I have not caught a single pickerel in that creek (either from the shoreline or from my kayak).

            Last winter I discovered one particular spot in the Severn that could predictably produce pickerel (but was skunked everywhere else I tried). I sure hope that they survive until next winter.

            Maybe we can have a winter meet and greet on the Severn and go looking for pickerel.
            John Veil
            Annapolis
            Native Watercraft Manta Ray 11, Falcon 11

            Author - "Fishing in the Comfort Zone" , "Fishing Road Trip - 2019", "My Fishing Life: Two Years to Remember", and "The Way I Like to Fish -- A Kayak Angler's Guide to Shallow Water, Light Tackle Fishing"

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