More Severn bounty for the MKF

[J.A. Veil]

I had exchanged emails with Sun and Shadyfisher (Ryan) about going out for pickerel in the Severn. I had a short time this morning to get them started before I had to leave to meet up with some other guys to fish from their boat. Although we agreed to meet at 10:00, we all showed up early. Ryan and I headed a short distance away from the launch to jig on the structure that has been holding rockfish. In short order we each landed a nice fish. Mine was 21" and was my only rockfish. Ryan caught several and had more bites. Sun joined us a few minutes later and caught a nice rockfish, which I believe was his first Severn rock.

We soon headed off to look for pickerel. We all caught at least one pickerel on the first stretch of shoreline we tried. Before leaving to join the other boaters, I showed Sun and Ryan another productive stretch of shoreline. I saw Ryan an hour later -- he told me that the bite had been decent. I will let them add their own report.

In yesterday's post, I attempted to disguise the background of my photo showing the rockfish I caught. After thinking about it some more, I decided to leave the background in today's photos of Sun and Ryan getting their rockfish. This particular structure should not really be a surprise to any local anglers.

I did not get any photos of their pickerel today. Hopefully they can add those later.

[chimo]

Dang John, You gave my secret spot away! lol Although I seem to have better luck closer to the fishing pier just out of casting range of the guys slinging lead on surf rods Nice to see they are still holding there and you were able to tie into a few rock! To tell you the truth, I would have posted a report the day I met you down there but after talking to you I couldn't remember exactly what the law was for catch and release fishing for rock this time of year and decided to keep it to myself Thanks for the report! Good fishin

Chimo

[ictalurus]

Nice work, gents. I couldn't keep myself from looking out the window all day as I was doing chores. It looked like conditions on the Severn were perfect.

[Shady]

Thanks again for the Severn tour John, I had one of my better fishing outings of the year today. My total was 2 Striper at 17" and 21" and 8 Pickerel 12-21". I also had atleast 4 other Pickerel and Striper that didn't stick. I would consider it a rare treat to catch Striper with sea lice and peddle a little up river and catch Pickerel. I brought two nice Pickerel home for culinary experiment. One thanks to Sun and one that I caught. My wife is working on editing the footage for video I took today, hopefully ready tonight...

[Sun]

Thanks for the trip and pictures, John. It was great being on the water again, and even better catching fish! It was a pleasure to meet you, and also your "experienced angler" buddy .

Before meeting up with J.A. Veil, I stopped by Angler's to pick up some minnows and got to the launch site around 9AM. J.A. Veil and Shadyfisher85 arrived shortly afterwards, and we got started on rigging our kayaks. J.A. Veil and Shadyfisher85 were done first, so they went out first to jig for rockfish. I could see them catching fish while paddling out to them, so I was excited. I did about 6 or 7 drifts at this location, and caught one 20" rockfish that J.A. Veil posted above. I was using a white and red bucktail with a chartreuse bass assassin. My first rockfish of the year - on pretty much the last day of the year.

When things slowed down, we headed over to the cove that J.A. Veil has been catching pickerel. Our guide gave us details on what parts of the shoreline has been holding pickerel for him, and let us have a go at it. He graciously gave us a head-start before fishing hard himself . I caught a 13" pickerel on my first or second cast. I was optimistic for some hot action, but it didn't turn out that way. For the hour or so that we were there, I caught 2 more pickerel at 19" and 22". The attached photo is of the 22 incher (thanks Ryan, for the picture). I think we were all using live minnows hooked on weighted jig heads.

This was my first time fishing for pickerel, and I have to say that it was pretty fun. The large ones fought hard and it was neat to see them jump out of the water during the fight. I didn't keep any fish during this trip, but look forward to hearing about how they taste from Shadyfisher85. Maybe I'll keep one or two next time if they turn out good .

[J.A. Veil]

I brought two nice Pickerel home for culinary experiment. One thanks to Sun and one that I caught. .

Ryan -

I'm glad that you and Sun caught fish yesterday. Please take this comment as a conservation and learning point rather than any criticism. I am not against keeping fish that I catch and eating them. As a matter of fact, last evening we ate salmon that I had caught last August.

I do recommend that when you decide to keep fish, you look at the local ecological impacts of removing them from the population. Unlike striped bass, white perch, and other species that we often keep to eat, pickerel are a captive resident population in the Severn. I don't think they migrate in and out during the year. They are near the edge of their salinity and temperature tolerance range, and are not an abundant fish in Severn tidewater. If a local population is damaged by overfishing or poor water quality conditions, it takes several years to get the population re-established. (As an example, this year's pickerel catch is by far the best in the Severn since 2006).

I am very pleased that the numbers of Severn pickerel seem to have rebounded this year. The presence of so many young pickerel (10" to 15") in that particular tributary suggests that the adults are reproducing there. Yet even in this year's relative abundance, the Severn population as a whole, and the local population in that tributary are finite and somewhat fragile.

I have no problem with your decision to take two fish yesterday. However, if you return there repeatedly to fish, and take a few fish each time from the same limited population, soon the fishing in that location will be diminished. My request is that if you choose to fish those areas that I showed you, you practice catch and release (unless a fish is mortally wounded by the catching process). If you are interested in catch and keep fishing for pickerel, please do some experimenting of other tributaries to find fish and spread the population-reduction impacts around a bit.

Sorry for the sermon, but I do want to keep local winter fishing options available as long as possible.

[Shady]

John,
I appreciate and agree with your opinion. It is highly unlikely that I will take any other Pickerel from the same spot again, atleast not this winter. I just wanted to try them as I've heard they are good eating. I have not tried them yet, but I will say they were kind of a pain to clean, and unless they are really good, I will probably not keep any more.

[Southerly]

nice catch!!

[kevinfry]

If they are as boney as Northern Pike, I venture you won't keep another! I have a cottage in Canada where we have LOTS of northerns and occasionally we'll have to keep one that was hooked too deep (usually incidental catches when fishing for walleye). They have "y" bones that are a real bugger to deal with! I am not certain that is the case with a Chain Pickerel, but I feel for you if they do!

By the way, it is interesting that in that part of Ontario they refer to walleye as.....pickerel!

[Shady]

Yep Pickerel have the Y bones as well. I coated some in seasoned flour last night and fried in butter. It was good and I would say it was like a slightly softer version of Striper. If you plan to keep a pickerel, please understand what you are getting yourself into and know how to clean them with a very sharp filet knife. The regulations say that you can keep 10 fish over 14", but this is really not a good regulation to sustain the fishery. I guess the limit is set so high because no one really keeps them. However, I do believe the pickerel are much more pleantiful in the reservoirs.

[kevinfry]

if they have y bones I won't ever keep a live one.

[ronaultmtd]

Native American indians pickle bony fish to soften the bones so they can be eaten- pressure cooking does the same thing- but with so many other tasty fish available, why bother? Catch and release...saves the fishery and let's others have the same fun you had-