8/16 Janes Island SP

[whenican]

Launched @7-ish am, was told not much happening as Aug is the slow month for fishing...tide going out. I drift w tide. Right away I catch spot on worms. I paddle against tide into 1st small creek on rt and get hits at mouth of creek, then wham! I reel in my 1st speckled trout but it's just a 6-7" baby. For a couple hrs I move up the creek, catching lil croakers and spot. Then I'm at a deadend. Turn around and drift w/ tide. I catch needlefish too. I drift out into main channel (middle of island) and make it to the outer beach, but not before landing a 10" bluefish caught blindcasting next to pier. Walking & casting this island I hook into a 10" flounder and more needlefish. Finding an old crab trap half-buried in mud I notice 3 trapped diamondback terrapins. Ultralight rod dropped, I go to rescue them but sink in stinky black mud to my knees! I lie down & pull myself out by grabbing onto the tall marsh grass there. Whew, what luck! I see a scout group from upstate NY practicing self-rescue for a merit badge. I take their photos w/ scoutmaster's cam, then ask for their help. Twas a team effort to pull trap out of the mud and let the terrapins swim free. We all paddle back.... wind changed again so I'm against the wind all the way in, casting too. Caught more spot and croakers(small) & 1 more flounder in shallow water. Twice something hit hard then let go. I saw a boater cleaning his 4 lunker croakers, all 14-17" fatboys. He also had 1 red, 20+", caught in deeper waters. Lots of peeps kayaking, half were tandems! Beautiful place too! Campgrounds, clean restrooms, nice people! I returned to launch @5:30pm, tired & hungry....and found a softshell crab platter in Crisfield calling my name....4 crabs! Yum! Locals tell me spring & fall is better fishing down here. I'll be back!

[M_Duong60]

Whoa good thing you saved the turtles and got out of that mud...looks like you had some nice pullage as well.

[Fishinfool]

Fun and very interesting report! There's really no other place like Janes. My brother and I tried to paddle all the way to the Island back in June but a 20 mph wind thwarted us. We got about 2/3's of the way there and headed back.

The key is to magically hit it sans marauding insects (and it sounds like you did), and being able to handle fairly stiff breezes that run across the widest part of the Bay.

I think the ideal time would be mid-October in a calm period, and kayak camping on the island for a few days. A group would be ideal. That way a dedicated supply kayak could be loaded up and paddled out. Eat your heart out James Michener!