I launched out of the Chase Creek area about a mile or so north of the Rt. 50 Bridge at about 11:30 a.m. for my weekly pullage fix. I wanted to go out of Jonas today, but they were closed because they were paving the parking lot. I guess Joni Mitchell was right after all, LOL.
High tide was around 1:45 pm, so thought I'd timed it right. Had some leftover razor clams that I kept on ice for about a week, and they were fine. Paddled upstream to what I thought was the # 12 red marker, looking for that hard oyster bottom that J. Veil had mapped, but no luck. Caught a nice keeper perch, about a ten incher, and a few smaller ones, but nothing else.
Trolled back downstream with the bottom rig and clams plus a Kastmaster on my casting rod, hugging the drop off points, nothing. Hit the usual piers and had mostly smaller perch and spot. Ended up w/ five keepers; I'd post a photo but you all know what 5 keeper perch look like. I am thinking I wasted too much time on a good tide paddling to a new spot, when I should have stayed with what has worked in the last week or two.
I am wondering if the larger perch and borderline keeper rock/puppy drum have moved out into the bay or in deeper waters in the rivers. I usually stay near the shores in an average of 8-12 feet of water; occasionally 15 ft. around the piers.
Anyone else have thoughts? Wind was a factor, especially later in the afternoon today. Still, I would have expected more than 5 keeper perch in 3 hrs. of fishing.
High tide was around 1:45 pm, so thought I'd timed it right. Had some leftover razor clams that I kept on ice for about a week, and they were fine. Paddled upstream to what I thought was the # 12 red marker, looking for that hard oyster bottom that J. Veil had mapped, but no luck. Caught a nice keeper perch, about a ten incher, and a few smaller ones, but nothing else.
Trolled back downstream with the bottom rig and clams plus a Kastmaster on my casting rod, hugging the drop off points, nothing. Hit the usual piers and had mostly smaller perch and spot. Ended up w/ five keepers; I'd post a photo but you all know what 5 keeper perch look like. I am thinking I wasted too much time on a good tide paddling to a new spot, when I should have stayed with what has worked in the last week or two.
I am wondering if the larger perch and borderline keeper rock/puppy drum have moved out into the bay or in deeper waters in the rivers. I usually stay near the shores in an average of 8-12 feet of water; occasionally 15 ft. around the piers.
Anyone else have thoughts? Wind was a factor, especially later in the afternoon today. Still, I would have expected more than 5 keeper perch in 3 hrs. of fishing.
Comment