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One of the most basic rules of fishing is "fish where the fish are". As a secondary premise, often fish can be found more easily in locations where the fishing pressure is low.
Weems Creek is a wonderful spot -- I fish it dozens of times each year. But because of the easy access of the Tucker St ramp, many anglers fish in Weems. I have not caught as many fish in Weems this year as I usually do. One of my strategies is to leave Weems and paddle to other Severn creeks. Some are nearby, others less so. When I saw the low wind forecast for Monday, I planned to make a long paddle to reach a tributary where I don't go often. I have not tried fishing there this year. That location receives far less fishing pressure than Weems. The calm seas made a long paddle easier for me.
I reached that spot at 8:00 am -- roughly at low tide. I cast a Bignose spinner to shaded areas and threw a white paddletail thinking that pickerel might prefer that lure. Initially the bite was slow, but as the tide began moving in, the bite got better. Over 2.5 hours fishing there, I caught 30 perch (once I reached 30 of them, I put the perch rod away). I trolled white paddletails in selected areas and caught 4 stripers to 19.5". The stripers I caught today pulled hard and were solid fish. They are beginning to fatten up for the colder months ahead.
I also caught two pickerel -- fewer than I had expected, but I think as the perch leave next month, pickerel will be easier to find. One of them hit the spinner, the other hit the paddletail. I was pleased to accomplish another Severn Slam today.
It is worth noting that there is still a lot of bait in the creeks and ponds. Some of it is tiny, slender minnows. It is fun to watch them cascade out of the way as you retrieve a lure. The larger baitfish (2" to 4") are small menhaden (peanut bunker). A 3" or 4" white paddletail is a good match for their appearance.
Weems Creek is a wonderful spot -- I fish it dozens of times each year. But because of the easy access of the Tucker St ramp, many anglers fish in Weems. I have not caught as many fish in Weems this year as I usually do. One of my strategies is to leave Weems and paddle to other Severn creeks. Some are nearby, others less so. When I saw the low wind forecast for Monday, I planned to make a long paddle to reach a tributary where I don't go often. I have not tried fishing there this year. That location receives far less fishing pressure than Weems. The calm seas made a long paddle easier for me.
I reached that spot at 8:00 am -- roughly at low tide. I cast a Bignose spinner to shaded areas and threw a white paddletail thinking that pickerel might prefer that lure. Initially the bite was slow, but as the tide began moving in, the bite got better. Over 2.5 hours fishing there, I caught 30 perch (once I reached 30 of them, I put the perch rod away). I trolled white paddletails in selected areas and caught 4 stripers to 19.5". The stripers I caught today pulled hard and were solid fish. They are beginning to fatten up for the colder months ahead.
I also caught two pickerel -- fewer than I had expected, but I think as the perch leave next month, pickerel will be easier to find. One of them hit the spinner, the other hit the paddletail. I was pleased to accomplish another Severn Slam today.
It is worth noting that there is still a lot of bait in the creeks and ponds. Some of it is tiny, slender minnows. It is fun to watch them cascade out of the way as you retrieve a lure. The larger baitfish (2" to 4") are small menhaden (peanut bunker). A 3" or 4" white paddletail is a good match for their appearance.
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