Kayak camping and fishing

[ski357]

This is going to be somewhat of a long post, so please bear with me. Moc's recent Janes Island post and the one from Dsaavedra on Fifteen Mile Creek got me thinking more about kayak camping and fishing. I saw recently, on FB, some guys did a beach camping trip on the lower Eastern Shore chasing specs and such. I'm wondering what everyone's experience is with kayak camping and fishing -experiences good and bad, overall thoughts, recommendations, etc. Please share any insights you might have. I went on an over night trip down the Patuxent River earlier this year that I'll elaborate on below.

[ski357]

Finally did something I've been talking about for the last decade. Did a kayak camping overnighter down the upper Patuxent in mid May (5/20-5/21). We launched from Queen Anne Canoe Launch (marker 53) and camped below Selbys Landing (marker 40) at White Oak (marker 40A) paddle in only campsite. We paddled a little over 14 miles on Saturday. The next day we returned to Selbys Landing to stow our gear in our vehicles. The original plan had been to paddle to Benedict/Hallowing Point (marker 21) where we had parked another vehicle, but we realized +18 miles on a Sunday with unfavorable tide and iffy winds was a bit beyond our scope/time constraints. We ended up shuttling vehicles around and aiming for Clyde Watson Boating Area (marker 31). We covered a bit over 11 miles according to my buddy, between the campsite, Selbys Landing, and Clyde Watson on Sunday. All in all, a very enjoyable trip and one I would repeat. I think I would prefer to focus on the area from Selbys Landing and above, more to see and less boat traffic. Would consider launching from Governors Bridge, but have concerns about strainers. We did not encounter any strainers or other significant obstacles during our trip, besides some low spots. Nice facilities at every spot. Biggest take away: don't forget your shuttle vehicle keys at the launch. Luckily, we realized this at Mt. Calvert and we're able to make arrangements. Also make sure to check the weather AND the tide before heading out. Fishing wise, we were mostly paddling to try to destinations, so we did rather poorly. We did see white perch and several species of catfish landed though. I've already booked a campsite for next spring and will be less ambitious about covering distance so we have more opportunities to fish. While the paddle in camp site was very nice and secluded, logistically it was difficult. As we were not kayaking with our camp equipment, it necessitated a bit of extra work. In regards to the weather, we barely made it to the campsite and got set up before an evening storm came through. All in all, despite the obstacles and minor snafus, a great trip.

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[dsaavedra]

Your overnighter on the Patuxent sounds like it was a lot of fun, and you learned some things to make it go smoother next time.

I would not consider my recent trip "kayak camping" by any means. We drove to the camp site with a truck loaded full of gear, it just so happened that we were camping at a campground that had a boat ramp so I had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time on the water. Every time we go camping I make sure we go to a place with water access so I can fish some new locations and it's always a fun time. So far we've done Rocky Gap, Point Lookout, Tuckahoe, Trap Pond, Janes Island, and now Fifteen Mile Creek.

When I think of "kayak camping" I think of traveling with the camping gear in the kayak, camping on riverbanks, and covering some distance during the day - similar to what you did on the Patuxent. It sounds like a really fun time, and something I'd probably enjoy, but I'm not sure anyone in my friend group is equipped or interested in doing something like that haha

[paxmule]

This is something that i have been wanting to do. I live in walking distance from the mouth of the patuxent and have wanted to do a long trip from jug bay down, but i can't ever get a friend to sign on. I stayed at milltown landing campsite next to clyde watson ramp last month and it was great. I caught catfish from the bank all night and had a blast but was solo.

[Slackdaddy]

I have kayak camped for 15+ years,, almost all of it chasing SM on VA and WV rivers.
I have been thinking about a PAX overnighter for a while.
15+ years ago my 1st DIY trip was in an overloaded canoe down the "trough" in WV.
I have learned a lot since then and much of our gear we made, our Kayaks modified specifically for multi day trips, etc.

Most of our trips are in the mountains of WV and VA.
We use guides for shuttle when we can, prefer to have our truck on their property.
When no shuttle is available I have called local barber shops and hair salons and found "rides for a fee"

Besides the actual trips, I enjoy the gear making, sewing, welding, whatever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=942mvwIt9qY

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[Jman]

I’ve done a couple kayak camping trips that were a lot of fun. I wish I had more time, so I could do more. Did Hart Miller and Assateague Island backcountry in 2015. Hart Miller was for one night in late summer and we were the only ones there, which was nice. Didn’t need to bring as much water/food so the paddle was easier. Assateague was for 2 nights in August (made it all the way to the state line and back). Didn’t do much fishing during either trip, but it was fun to see everything, especially with how clear Assateague was.