#1. Helpful Hints for my P&S Friends- Rock Catching
I live on Kent Island and I've fished the Narrows for 8 years.
This week was under par cause of Isabel and weather changes. Isabel has resculpted the bottom terrain. I used to know it like my hand, now it's a bit of a guess. On Tuesday 10/14 there was a lot of wood and debris floating down to the Bay from the Chester River thru the Narrows. On Wed there was a new major obstruction (tree?) underwater under the south side of the new bridge (high) and between the first set of pillars (Island side) and the second set. Maybe 4 rigs were lost to that bad boy. The twin holes have moved- still trying to figure out the bottom. Remember Isabel put all of this several feet under water. The winds on the Bay Tues-Fri caused the lowest low tides I've seen in a long time.
Even the high tides looked like low low tides.
I use a drop sinker rig 90% of the time: Line from reel to a three-way swivel, on the second part tie a 3 or 4 oz teardrop sinker (lead & brass) on about a foot to 18" of line, on the third part tie a 2/O or 3/O bronze hook on a line that is about 1/3 longer than your sinker line. I use 17# Test Stren for everything. [This rig holds better in the 10+ knot current without getting stuck in the rocky bottom, and the long leader lets the hook flow parallel to the bottom and close to it where the rock are feeding. Reel in fast no matter what rig you use!]
I use crab sometimes, but 90% of the time I use FRESH alewife from Island Hunting & Fishing on Route 50 3 exits before the Kent Narrows West exit. Call ahead and "reserve" what you need at 410-643-4224.
Alewife is a local natural bait for Rock- they crave it! Scale it, take out the heart and guts after you cut the head off. Put the heart in your hook, then a small piece of guts, then a piece of fish about the size of your thumb.
This sub-par week: Tues 18 Rock (2 18's, 2 19's and a 20); Wed 9 Rock (2 19's); Thur 7 Rock (17's -no keepers); Sat 7 Rock (all 17's).
At slack tide the Rock will generally stop bottom feeding. If you see signs of small baitfish rippling the top water there are Rock underneath. Use a 2/0 hook and no weight and a piece of alewife and cast to the schooling baitfish. Let the water work your bait. The Rock will take it and start swimming hard away. Tighten the line slowly and set the hook with a wrist flick and crank of the reel.
Enjoy!
Jason, we need to find you a woman.
