Another productive trip on the Severn - July 10

[J.A. Veil]

The Severn continues to be loaded with bait and gamefish.

I kayak fished again this morning in the Severn following the plan I outlined in my post last evening. I fished in totally different areas than I did on Mon. I launched in Weems Creek and trolled the same four lines and reels I did on Mon. Instead of running downstream in the Severn, I headed upstream to fish two tributaries on the right shore and two on the left. Once inside the tributaries, I put the larger rods away and cast small spinnerbaits to the shorelines. The perch fishing was fast and furious -- I caught nice sized perch in all four of those tributaries plus in Weems on the way back for a total of about 50 perch. While trolling between the tributaries, I hooked about ten 12"-14" rockfish (no keepers today). Half of those came in 3 ft of water just outside a creek mouth, while the other five came in the middle of the river in 20 ft depth as I was paddling across. I saw no splashing fish and no particularly compelling marks on the sonar, but all of a sudden 3 of the 4 rods began shaking wildly.

Like Monday, I caught one 10" croaker in shallow water on a spinnerbait. I was drifting slowly and the croaker nearly yanked the ultralight rod from the holder. The other species I caught today confirms my catch last Friday -- there are some very small bluefish in the river now. That little 6" fish hit a trolled spinnerbait.

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[Shady]

Thanks for the report!
If a 10-15" Blue is a "Snapper", would the one you caught be considered a "Nipper"?

[J.A. Veil]

Thanks for the report!
If a 10-15" Blue is a "Snapper", would the one you caught be considered a "Nipper"?

Whatever it is called, I made sure its teeth were not next to my finger.

[Mark]

John,

Nice report.

Congrats on another productive outing.

Mark

[john from md]

Many people worry about falling into the water with sharks around. I worry more about falling into the water with a school of feeding blues!

Nice report John.

John

[ronaultmtd]

Big Chopper Blues in a feeding frenzy would worry me as I have seen these fish cut a 12 pound grey trout in half- but little tinker blues...not so much-

[Slobber Bob]

Thanks for the report!
If a 10-15" Blue is a "Snapper", would the one you caught be considered a "Nipper"?

Perfect live lining bait!

[J.A. Veil]

Perfect live lining bait!

According to the DNR regulations, the creel limit for bluefish is up to 10 fish per person per day, 8" minimum. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries...c=recreational Whether you keep the fish to eat or use them for bait, they are subject to the same creel limit. A 6" bluefish would not meet the minimum size criterion.

[zeebyrd]

John - great report once again! I will be heading out there this weekend.

[bignose]

"Whatever it is called, I made sure that it's teeth were not next to my finger."

Yeah, and I'd be concerned about laying any Blue over 12" across my lap in a measuring trough. lol
They do not give up, fight hard, jump, and, of course, manage to puke all over you.
But those snapping teeth are a bigger concern.
Another good reason to carry forceps, and mash your barb down.
Watching them shred a bucktail or cut a spot in half is enough to be a warning you.

Chesapeake Piranha.

[zeebyrd]

bignose - thank you for the puke warning! LOL. Really though, your description is quite informative to someone like me who is not familiar with them.

...and there I thought the perch relieving itself on me was bad enough, now there are puking blues.

[Slobber Bob]

According to the DNR regulations, the creel limit for bluefish is up to 10 fish per person per day, 8" minimum. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries...c=recreational Whether you keep the fish to eat or use them for bait, they are subject to the same creel limit. A 6" bluefish would not meet the minimum size criterion.

You're right... brain fart... I was thinking VA regs. Seems I'm constantly having to look up the regs to remember the differences between MD and VA.

[J.A. Veil]

bignose - thank you for the puke warning! LOL. Really though, your description is quite informative to someone like me who is not familiar with them.

...and there I thought the perch relieving itself on me was bad enough, now there are puking blues.

I have caught many small bluefish that have been gorging on silverside minnows. After I catch them and attempt to unhook them, they spit up the recently eaten minnows all over my boat. I have not experienced that on my kayak, but it is only a matter of time.

[bignose]

It is amazing what a bunch of Blues do to the deck on the charter boat.
Lot's of scrubbing, especially after a 8 hour hot sunny day.
Almost as unforgettable an odor as scraping the barnacles off of the bottom.
I always thought that the idea was to get the chum in the water.
At least Perch poo doesn't stink!
The secret to calming them down is to place a towel over their eyes, and while holding the towel against their head, extract your hook. Works with Rock, too!

[jsquare]

It is amazing what a bunch of Blues do to the deck on the charter boat.
Lot's of scrubbing, especially after a 8 hour hot sunny day.
Almost as unforgettable an odor as scraping the barnacles off of the bottom.
I always thought that the idea was to get the chum in the water.
At least Perch poo doesn't stink!
The secret to calming them down is to place a towel over their eyes, and while holding the towel against their head, extract your hook. Works with Rock, too!

I used to do the night time bluefish party boats in Jersey. Spent one night fishing next to a guy who was "calming" giant gorilla blues with a ball-peen hammer. Worked pretty good. They sure do bleed all over the place though.