weems creek help [yellow perch bucket list ]

[FishMafiaTime]

new to area and would like to catch a yellow perch before we move again [military family] and will be going to weems creek tomorrow to look for some any advice on the creek or fishing gear would be awesome .

[Shady]

Well, first advice would be to not try at weems... The yellow perch population on the Severn and tribs is pretty low. Although the yellow run is pretty much over, you'd have better luck on the magothy river

[FishMafiaTime]

I was in spa creek last year at the end of April And saw these fish every once in a while top the surface so I ask people back at the ramp , they said it was a yellow perch so I looked up the fish and that was what I saw , but could of just been a fluke for that season will look for a drop in for the magothy thanks

[J.A. Veil]

Well, first advice would be to not try at weems... The yellow perch population on the Severn and tribs is pretty low. Although the yellow run is pretty much over, you'd have better luck on the magothy river

+1 -- I fish the Severn year round probably 50 trips each year from my kayak. I often fish in Weems Creek. On each of the past few years, I catch 1 or 2 yellow perch throughout the year while fishing for white perch or pickerel. They are very scarce and cannot be realistically targeted in the Severn these days. As Shady points out, they are more abundant in the Magothy. Spawning was documented near Lake Waterford last week. Shoreline anglers caught some yellows at Beechwood Park a few weeks ago, but I have not heard anything about it recently. It is difficult to get water access on the Magothy, however.

[Shady]

Although, it's not the easiest, you can put in a kayak a Beachwood. Here's my stringer from last Monday.

[Mark]

FishMafiaTime,

Weems is good for white perch and pickerel in season. As John and Shady have said, yellow perch are scarce. Depending on wind direction it's much more protected than the Severn and it has plenty of manmade and natural structure for those who like to target cast. Light spinning gear or fly rods are ideal. In-line spinners, jigs dressed with Mr. Twisters, small crank baits and colorful streamers work well. Anything with flash and movement will work. You just have to experiment to see what works best that particular day. The scenery is nice, boat traffic is tolerable and it makes for a relaxing and often productive fishing experience.

[J.A. Veil]

I just got home from Weems Creek. I saw FishMafiaTime on the water. At that point in the morning, he had had the same degree of catching success that I had -- zero. I was able to get one bump and at least one confirmed follow, as a hammer handle pickerel swam right behind the lure until I lifted it from the water. John Rentch fished with me for the first hour, then he moved off to try another location.

The water level was remarkably low and clear. I had my paddle kayak today so I stayed in the very shallow water and observed the types of trash, debris, and structure laying on the bottom. It was fun cruising underneath many docks, which is not possible under most water level conditions.

Much of the woody structure that normally is submerged was out in the air today. To my surprise, it was heavily covered with small mussels. I suspect these are false mussels, the species that has been suggested as making dogs sick in the Magothy watershed. When false mussels proliferate, the water gets unusually clear. Hopefully that will happen in Weems this summer.

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I also saw the skeleton of an 8-point buck on the shoreline. I suspect it fell through the ice and stayed submerged until the low waters. All the hair and flesh was gone.

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I saw two very small jellyfish during the trip. These were clearly jellyfish and not the comb jellies I usually see in the spring. They were about an inch across and were lower in the water than I could reach with my paddle.

It was a pleasant spring morning on the water. The surface was slick calm. The birds were very active. I saw ospreys collecting sticks for their nests, red-tailed hawk, blue herons, geese, and ducks. I had to cut the trip short because of a luncheon meeting.

[mweber02]

I just got home from Weems Creek. I saw FishMafiaTime on the water. At that point in the morning, he had had the same degree of catching success that I had -- zero. I was able to get one bump and at least one confirmed follow, as a hammer handle pickerel swam right behind the lure until I lifted it from the water. John Rentch fished with me for the first hour, then he moved off to try another location.

The water level was remarkably low and clear. I had my paddle kayak today so I stayed in the very shallow water and observed the types of trash, debris, and structure laying on the bottom. It was fun cruising underneath many docks, which is not possible under most water level conditions.

Much of the woody structure that normally is submerged was out in the air today. To my surprise, it was heavily covered with small mussels. I suspect these are false mussels, the species that has been suggested as making dogs sick in the Magothy watershed. When false mussels proliferate, the water gets unusually clear. Hopefully that will happen in Weems this summer.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15099[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]15100[/ATTACH]

I also saw the skeleton of an 8-point buck on the shoreline. I suspect it fell through the ice and stayed submerged until the low waters. All the hair and flesh was gone.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15101[/ATTACH]

I saw two very small jellyfish during the trip. These were clearly jellyfish and not the comb jellies I usually see in the spring. They were about an inch across and were lower in the water than I could reach with my paddle.

It was a pleasant spring morning on the water. The surface was slick calm. The birds were very active. I saw ospreys collecting sticks for their nests, red-tailed hawk, blue herons, geese, and ducks. I had to cut the trip short because of a luncheon meeting.

Nice rack on that deer. Too bad it ended up like that.

[DanMarino]

Fantastic report John. I'm looking forward to seeing more fish photos as the water warms up.

[FishMafiaTime]

Thank you guys for the advice and info . J.A Veil and John rentch are some great guys and was a book of knowledge about the area and look forward to fishing around them and sharing info

[EastSiideRyda]

If you come south to Piscataway you should find Yellows plenty