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I had no plans to fish today, but I woke up at 4am with a kayak on my roof from yesterday...so I made a game-time decision to go fishing.
I have been fishing the Patapsco over the last couple of years and I tend to fish the same areas despite not having success this year. I decided I was trying new water today....Arriving at the launch just before sunrise....I had no expectations. The only gear I had with me was what I had packed for Edward's Ferry yesterday. I had an ultralight rod and a light rod. I was heading into unfamiliar waters that I didn't think looked "fishy"
I tried really hard for perch as I had the UL and light rods as well as big nose spinners and beetlespins. I could not find the perch!!
I reluctantly put on two paddletails that were from a previous trip to Eastern Bay and proceeded to troll. within about 10 feet, the ultralight went down hard .... there is barely any line left on this reel....but yards the bail spun and line went down to the bare spool. I landed a beautiful 21" striper. I continued to troll when birds started diving into the water right next to my kayak...they were feeding underneath me and both rods went down :--)...I love when that happens...it was freaking awesome. I caught 10 stripers....on the wrong rods with "old raggedy" paddletails over the next half hour or so. I caught a few more during dead slack tide which surprised me.
After tubing behind my sister's boat on Saturday, kayaking the upper Potomac yesterday and paddling to new waters on the Patapsco today, my shoulders started to feel a little sore and I headed back in....I was still catching fish on the way back in, although more sporadically.....the last few hundred yards, I actually took off the paddletails and allowed my line to uncurl behind the yak as I paddled in...looking for a nap in the next half hour :--)
I have been fishing the Patapsco over the last couple of years and I tend to fish the same areas despite not having success this year. I decided I was trying new water today....Arriving at the launch just before sunrise....I had no expectations. The only gear I had with me was what I had packed for Edward's Ferry yesterday. I had an ultralight rod and a light rod. I was heading into unfamiliar waters that I didn't think looked "fishy"
I tried really hard for perch as I had the UL and light rods as well as big nose spinners and beetlespins. I could not find the perch!!
I reluctantly put on two paddletails that were from a previous trip to Eastern Bay and proceeded to troll. within about 10 feet, the ultralight went down hard .... there is barely any line left on this reel....but yards the bail spun and line went down to the bare spool. I landed a beautiful 21" striper. I continued to troll when birds started diving into the water right next to my kayak...they were feeding underneath me and both rods went down :--)...I love when that happens...it was freaking awesome. I caught 10 stripers....on the wrong rods with "old raggedy" paddletails over the next half hour or so. I caught a few more during dead slack tide which surprised me.
After tubing behind my sister's boat on Saturday, kayaking the upper Potomac yesterday and paddling to new waters on the Patapsco today, my shoulders started to feel a little sore and I headed back in....I was still catching fish on the way back in, although more sporadically.....the last few hundred yards, I actually took off the paddletails and allowed my line to uncurl behind the yak as I paddled in...looking for a nap in the next half hour :--)
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