Once again it's been a while since I have done any writing. Summer is for fun, but if I want to true to myself, summer needs to be about chronicling my fishing adventures.
Last week I took the opportunity to head up to Wayson's Corner, Maryland to use the boat launch that leads to
Jug Bay, on the Patuxent River.
At this point the Patuxent River serves as a divider between Prince George's and Anne Arundel County. Having already caught fish in Prince George's County, I was planning on getting onto the river and paddling north and east to assure myself that I would be in Anne Arundel County. The tide was going out, so I was wondering if I would be able to find areas that might hold fish.
The paddle up the river was quite pretty.
I saw several heron as well as osprey as I paddled. Occasionally I came to a spot where the water was working its way around fallen timber and other debris along the shoreline. It created some eddies and I thought that there could be a chance of catching something in one of them. I made casts with a double drop leader into the areas. I was fishing with some cut shrimp, which I know that white perch, croaker and sometimes catfish like. I would allow myself to drift down stream a little before reeling in and repositioning. Unfortunately during one of my drifts I became snagged and had to try and free it. I say "unfortunately" because I was unable to free the snag and my line snapped off. Luckily I had another set up that I could use.
I paddled up a little further and found another spot. I made a cast and let it sink to the bottom. I felt a tap, and then another. I gave it a yank, but no luck. I missed it. I put on another piece of shrimp and made another cast to the same area. Tap! Tap… YANK - and I was hooked up. (Of course I say that like it was some monster fish.) I reeled in and found that I had caught an about 14 inch channel catfish.
After a picture or two I released him or her and tried for a couple more. But it was getting pretty hot and I was running low on water, so I headed back to the launch. As the title says that brings the count to NINE counties in the state of Maryland. Of course that also brings me to the fact that I have caught fish in all of the counties close to home. Now my adventure becomes a little more serious. Until next time … Tight Lines!
