Mid-Severn Report. 9/24/12

[Fishinfool]

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.

[ictalurus]

I'm not sure about perch movements in the Severn, but I've caught perch in shallow water well into October in the Patuxent. In fact, some of the biggest perch I've caught were on a snotty, rainy, windy day in October fishing in shallow water by Solomons Harbor. Deeper water was available to the perch nearby, but they were still in shallow. According to the guys at the Tackle Box, redfish stick around until the water temp hits 55-56*, but I haven't caught them past mid October. This year might be different, though.

[BassMoore]

I launched at Ft Armistead and fish the same way you normally do. I realized the bigger fish were no longer on the shore lines, What i managed to find was i was catching fish in 10-12 ft of water jigging. The moving baits today just were not working.

I tied on a 1/4 oz shad dart and began working it like a bass worm very slow. And started catching fish one after the other. I threw (11) 11 inch white perch back, and lots of others. I was in chase of the 12 inchers to help me win this white perch tourny.

I caught 16 rock fish over 14 inches as well. No keepers go figure.

But the bite was very slow, i had to ignite the bite today on my own. The slow drop and slow pick up method prove key. Im not sure if it will stay like that, but its twice now in two different areas where i have caught perch in a little deeper water using this method.

Ontop of this.. i caught only 2 fish all day on the shore line with a spinner bait. And caught about 100 fish in 3.5 hours using the jigging method. Might be something to try next time

[J.A. Veil]

I have made quite a few kayak fishing trips in Weems Creek over the past month. Early in that period, the perch were easy to find in the shallows. Typically I would cast small spinners or a tiny Gulp and catch 75% perch and 25% rock/pickerel. But last week during two trips in Weems, the perch were much less common in the shallows. I caught about 25% perch and 75% rock and a pickerel or two in those same locations. It makes me think that the perch may have started migrating to deeper water. To support that theory, on Fri I jigged in ~15 ft depth over shell and debris bottom for 20 minutes and caught plenty of perch on the bottom using a trout bomb with feather jig on top.

Just when we think we have the fish figured out, they switch up and fool us.

[J.A. Veil]

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 am not familiar with any public launch site at Chase Creek. Is this a community beach/ramp? If it is a public access point, I would love to know about it. Thanks.

[dsiekman]

I just got in from fishing the upper Severn. Two small rock, then a 14.5, 15.5, and 16.5. All caught on an olive green xrap trolled behind the boat. Most were holding to the piers, but one was caught in open water. I have not caught many perch lately, but I haven't really been targeting them, either. There were a lot of birds working over breaking fish. Not like a month or so ago, but more than I've seen lately. The tide wasn't really working with me and it was a little windy, but not a bad way to start the day.

[Fishinfool]

Yesterday, I noticed schools of small baitfish, probably not peanut bunker but smaller schooling up and swimming around too, but no gulls following so I didn't get the top water rig set up. I am wondering if John and I are onto something about the bulk of the large perch heading out to deeper water. Guess I'll have to dust off that oyster bottom chart John posted a few weeks back, and figure out for certain where those shell bottoms are.

[surfdog]

ive noticed that larger perch are comming from deeper water over drop and shell bottom at the mouth of the severn in front of the navy marina

[Fishinfool]

Thanks Surfdog. Think my next spot will be that area, assuming I get a calm day.

I wonder if the larger perch will come back to the shallows and under the piers again before winter? It sure is more pleasant sticking closer to shore in creeks and coves than being exposed to the higher winds and bigger wakes in the mouth of the Severn.