St. Jerome's Creek-May 15- Wednesday afternoon

[ronaultmtd]

I had a all day conference in Southern Maryland wednesday, so you know I loaded my kayak in the truck- after the end of the conference I had planned to fish from Clark's Landing, but after checking the Striper seasonal map noticed the area was in the closed to fishing zone until today, May 16th. No problem, I headed south twenty five miles to St. Jerome's creek and launched at 4:45 p.m. into a stiff SW wind - peddled to the inlet- hooked up a nice striper and released it after putting it on the Hog Trough and taking its picture- dropped back the baits and started trolling- rod doubled over and started taking drag- an hour later I pulled a fifty pound cow nosed ray to the boat- got the lure back and released the ray- dropped the lure back and the rod doubled over again- another ray- after four rays- I threw in the towel and headed back to the launch- the creek is lousy with rays- you cannot fish without hooking up a big strong ray- and then the fight is on-

Oh yeah, during one of the epic ray battles, I lost my ACK Hog Trough-did not see when or where- it was just gone-

[Sidemadder]

Sounds like a good outing despite the rays. I'd rather not have a ray or skate on my line but once in a while is exciting. Takes up too much time. I was hoping to see a pic of the rock. Do you launch at Buzz's Marina? Is Drury's Marina agood launch spot. I've been looking at at that location but have never launched around there.

[ronaultmtd]

OK posted the pix- Buzz's Marine in Ridge or the hard to find one off Fresh Pond Neck Road are where I launch in the creek- I wanted to fish until sunset yesterday but the rays were impossible to get away from- there must have been hundreds of them- I shifted to top water poppers but the fish weren't interested-and I was not going to drop another lure down deep-

[kevinfry]

gotta start killing those rays....I won't fish ST jeromes if they are thick there like last year.

[Sidemadder]

OK posted the pix- Buzz's Marine in Ridge or the hard to find one off Fresh Pond Neck Road are where I launch in the creek- I wanted to fish until sunset yesterday but the rays were impossible to get away from- there must have been hundreds of them- I shifted to top water poppers but the fish weren't interested-and I was not going to drop another lure down deep-

I went out for a few hours late in the day at Flag Harbor. Watched a t-storm cell approaching from the west for about 30 min before launching. The storm passed just to the south and I got on the water at 6:30. Spent some time getting use to the new yak and gear. Nothing was happening close to shore so I headed out to the channel buoy. Sun was going over the horizon as I approached it and saw a lot of marks on the ff once I was in the channel. Picked up a 19" rock in the first min in the channel on a rattle trap. The tide had peaked and there didn't seem to be much current. Picked up a 15 incher as I left the channel on the way back in. That was it.

[ronaultmtd]

I am thinking of going out of Clarks Landing road this afternoon after I get home from work- welcome to join me-

[chex]

oh man, the rays are here! I bet you weren't counting on such a tough workout. Good thing you got your lures back though. Were you snagging them in the fins?

[Shady]

Thanks for the report, if I ever catch another one of those it's going to meet my grill.

[ronaultmtd]

oh man, the rays are here! I bet you weren't counting on such a tough workout. Good thing you got your lures back though. Were you snagging them in the fins?

Fins, back and the nose- four fifty pounders in a row- my arms and shoulders were stiff and sore this morning-

[mytmouse]

Thanks for the report! Sucks about the Hawg Trough... I don't know they wouldn't manufacture them to float!? I keep mine tethered to the yak with some string right in my tankwell.

[beerums]

For my Hawg Trough I took a pool noodle and cut it in half than Goop'd it right to the bottom. That way if I accidentally drop it, it will float!