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Really low water in the Severn and a poor bite

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  • Really low water in the Severn and a poor bite

    I launched my kayak in Weems Creek (ramp shown below in the first photo) about noon and paddled out to the main river. I can't recall seeing the water this low before. I saw quite a few sailboats leaning over on the keels.

    As I returned into Weems from the upriver side, the bar coming off the northern creek point extended out almost half way across the creek mouth -- it was less than 1 ft depth that far out, and I could not cut the corner even in my kayak. (see 3rd photo).

    The 2-3 ft water level drop moved all the pickerel off of their normal hangouts. I ended up catching one gullible pickerel in Winchester Pond, where I have not fished before. I recall that aesiegel and ictalurus both struggled in that cove too. I cannot tell if my single fish there was a result of a lack of fish or the otherwise unfriendly fishing conditions today.

    I then tried fishing in two other creeks where I have caught fish recently. I fished in many of the shoreline stretches that normally hold pickerel (these are also good perch spots in the warmer weather). In two hours of trying, I had two nibbles but no fish caught. I did take away an educational opportunity. Many of the pickerel I have caught this winter are hanging out on shallow shelves or flats between the shore and a drop off. The most productive of these have submerged branches and other wood. I was able to snap some photos showing the way the habitat looks (normally these shelves and flats are covered by 2-3 feet of water.

    Photos 4 and 5 show a very small spot that predictably holds 1 or 2 pickerel.
    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
    The location shown in photos 1-3 was a great perch spot last summer. I pulled 5 pickerel out of a 100-ft long stretch in 30 minutes here in Jan.

    Photo 4 shows a flat that has seasonal grass beds next to an older bulkhead. This location often holds perch in the summer.

    Photo 5 shows a go-to spot for perch all summer. It also produced a few early and mid-fall pickerel.

    Try to envision what these areas look like when submerged and find similar spots for yourself.
    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"

    Comment


    • #3
      Wow that is realllly low. Pic #4 in your second post is one of my favorite perch spots there
      <insert witty comment here>

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by MetroMan View Post
        Wow that is realllly low. Pic #4 in your second post is one of my favorite perch spots there
        I did my best to remove any identifiable features from the photos. I'm surprised you were able to identify it.
        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"

        Comment


        • #5
          I noticed very low water at the bay bridge too. Someone else commented on it as well. Very very low.

          Too bad you didn't catch more fish. Glad you got out on the water though!
          Mike S.
          Hobie Outback
          Chesapeake Bay Kayak Anglers
          3D Printed Hobie Hatch Bucket

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by J.A. Veil View Post
            I did my best to remove any identifiable features from the photos. I'm surprised you were able to identify it.
            I fished at the location of pic #4 last summer a couple of times too.. It never let me down, but it seemed like the Perch were pretty much everywhere in the Severn last summer. Hope they're back in force again this summer!
            Ryan
            Blue 2016 Hobie Outback
            Chesapeake Bay Kayak Anglers, Inc

            Comment


            • #7
              Cool pics even if the fishing wasn't that great. It's clear to see why those spots are so fishy.

              I wonder if Winchester Pond will hold more fish in the summer when things heat up. It seemed like it was a little deeper than the other spots you've showed me.
              Yellow Hobie Revo Rube Goldberg
              Yellow Tarpon 120

              Comment


              • #8
                Yea, I passed over Mill Creek on St. Margaret's Rd. in Arnold about 10:00 today and it was one big mud flat. Big blow out tide from the previous day's howln' winds.
                Hobie PA 12

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                • #9
                  Our local beach on the Chesapeake was a s low as I've ever seen it. We were walking the sand bar and found a half dozen little hog-chokers gasping for breath half buried in the sand! The first i have ever seen. we got them to shallow water and watched them rebury themselves as fast as a wink. Really fun!
                  Attached Files
                  14.5 ft Sand colored Malibu X-Factor "the promise"
                  2010 Hobie Outback "the Gift Horse II"

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                  • #10
                    It was very low....despite it being high tide on Sunday at Piscataway Creek. It was SUPER LOW......

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by J.A. Veil View Post
                      I did my best to remove any identifiable features from the photos. I'm surprised you were able to identify it.
                      I like that spot too... when I can beat Metroman to it! Never have seen it that low before! Crazy!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I fished in the Patapsco in Elkridge (freshwater) for trout yesterday and noticed that was quite a bit lower than normal. I wonder if that could even be related to the blowout tide across the entire bay...
                        Ryan
                        Blue 2016 Hobie Outback
                        Chesapeake Bay Kayak Anglers, Inc

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I had a power plant rips trip that got cancelled today, so I took the kayak out again. This time I stayed in Weems Creek for 2 hours. The water level had risen to the point of being a "typical" low tide -- it was still low, but much higher than yesterday's epic water levels.

                          For the most part, the pickerel were not home in the places where I have been catching them. Even though the water was high enough to provide some habitat, the fish had not yet come back (or if they were there, they were not biting). I ended up catching 7 pickerel -- all but one were in areas in which I have not previously caught pickerel this year. I fished six of my regular spots and caught only one pickerel out of all those locations. That was an interesting result. One 50-yd stretch of shoreline that holds a few summertime perch but never before any pickerel produced 5 pickerel today!
                          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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