Finally success on the Severn

[Shady]

Wife said I should go fishing, so I didn't argue. Settled in for some relaxing bottom fishing on the Severn. When I finally found them, they were chomping as soon as the bait hit bottom. Caught many doubles. Nice perch, spot, and one nice croaker all came out to play. Caught about 50 fish total, with most on smaller side, but should have a few nice meals...

[Fishinfool]

Nice report Ryan! What bait did you use while bottom fishing?

[Shady]

I used fishbites bloodworm and nightcrawlers

[Fishinfool]

Interesting. I do a fair amount of bottom fishing myself, and can catch my own grass shrimp with a small bait net. However, I catch mostly smaller perch with them. I am thinking of trying a larger bait like bull minnows to catch larger perch, spot, whatever. I'd rather catch four or five larger fish than having to wade through all the smallies to get to the bigs.

The best bait for me is peeler, but hard to find.

[Yak Fish]

All your fillets always look so perfect. You should put up a video of you filleting them. Mine don't look nearly as good!

[YaknBass]

NICE day on the yak!! like hookin up with perch on light tackle lots of fun... i fished the key bridge on wed 7/9 and after a handfull of previous trips with poor results. wed the fishing was much better with numbers of perch in the 8 to 10" range some spot and two large catfish 28"+ one short rock. so... i hope things are getting back to what i think is normal with regular holding spots producing fish. Thanks for the report!! and Thanks to your better half for tellin ya to go fish, gotta like that!!!

[Shady]

Interesting. I do a fair amount of bottom fishing myself, and can catch my own grass shrimp with a small bait net. However, I catch mostly smaller perch with them. I am thinking of trying a larger bait like bull minnows to catch larger perch, spot, whatever. I'd rather catch four or five larger fish than having to wade through all the smallies to get to the bigs.

The best bait for me is peeler, but hard to find.

In the past I've caught most of my perch casting 1" and 3" gulp minnows. Tried many of my spots for that today and only got a few... So, switched gears and tried something new. Used two of the hooks from a sabiki rig as a bottom rig. The hooks on the Sabiki rig are dressed with a flashy material and many times they were still hitting with the little piece of bait gone. So, the profile of the "lure" was then only about 1/2" long. For perch, I'm not sure the bigger bait bigger fish principle really applies, you just need to find the school of bigger ones. They seem to school with the same size fish.

[Shady]

All your fillets always look so perfect. You should put up a video of you filleting them. Mine don't look nearly as good!

Ive had quite a bit of practice with fileting panfish as it seems that's what I'm mostly able to catch...

My best tips are to sharpen the knife before and sometimes during each use. Also, I filet most fish starting on the back. I guess I could make a video...

[Shady]

NICE day on the yak!! like hookin up with perch on light tackle lots of fun... i fished the key bridge on wed 7/9 and after a handfull of previous trips with poor results. wed the fishing was much better with numbers of perch in the 8 to 10" range some spot and two large catfish 28"+ one short rock. so... i hope things are getting back to what i think is normal with regular holding spots producing fish. Thanks for the report!! and Thanks to your better half for tellin ya to go fish, gotta like that!!!

Nice, I like fishing there too, but always feel a little odd keeping fish from there. Although, growing up we used to go crabbing there and I'm sure the crabs from there would be more polluted then fish... Maybe I'll try there next time I get a chance to get out.

[mweber02]

Nice catch.

Nice, I like fishing there too, but always feel a little odd keeping fish from there. Although, growing up we used to go crabbing there and I'm sure the crabs from there would be more polluted then fish... Maybe I'll try there next time I get a chance to get out.

I'm sure the water pollution was quite different back then though.

[Shady]

I actually think it's better now, with the steel mill no longer operating and increased efforts tho clean the harbor.

[YaknBass]

all were safely released...

[Cowpokey]

Where did you put in? I want to get out for some bottom fishing with my daughter, that would definitely be fun for us.

[J.A. Veil]

I actually think it's better now, with the steel mill no longer operating and increased efforts tho clean the harbor.

Ryan -

You are correct. The combination of Baltimore's heavy industry diminishing and more rigorous water pollution control rules for industrial discharges resulted in a much lower total discharge of pollutants to the harbor between the mid-1970s and the late 1980s. I presented a paper in 1989 at a Chesapeake Bay conference. I had data to show a noticeable reduction in the pounds of industrial pollution going to the harbor. I also found some data showing improved growth of micro-invertebrates in the harbor sediments. While the harbor is far from pristine, it is cleaner than it was in the 1960s and 1970s.

[Shady]

Where did you put in? I want to get out for some bottom fishing with my daughter, that would definitely be fun for us.

I launched from jonas green park. Its simple fun fishing at its best