Pacemaker Fishing Forum

My wife and daughter were at a Volleyball tournament in Pittsburgh all 3 days this weekend.  And, my wife, being the kind hearted soul she is, said "Go Fish!"  So we did.  All 3 mornings we got out on the kayaks.  Incredible weather all weekend too.  Saturday was the Chesapeake with Joe (see earlier post), Sunday was Mattawoman (just Tyler and I), and Monday was the Algonkian Float trip with Ernie (see my post tagged onto Curly's).  It was a great weekend.

So, Sunday we decide to try Mattawoman for the first time.  Got on the water about 7:30 on an incoming tide.  What an amazing place!!!  Holy cow!  I have never fished a "fishier" place.  We launched from the Kayak launch and worked our way towards the Potomac.




Tyler started exploring some of the bays that weren't really big enough for both of us.  So, I explored some other areas.  Unfortunately, that means I didn't get any pics of his fish.  He caught 3 LMB (15/15/14).  I caught 3 or 4 bass.  Nothing big though.





BUT, the highlight of the day was my first snakehead.  I was fishing around the water plants and the shoreline with a frog and happened to look down and see several Gar swimming past the kayak.  I flicked my hand and they darted away.  Just then about 1 ft behind them and 1 ft away from the side of my kayak I see a BIG Snakehead staring at me.  It scared the....out of me!  Without thinking much I scared him off and he took off toward the water plants (away from shore).  After getting my wits back, I decided the hunt was on and threw the frog out the direction he had gone.  I got a swirl but no hit.  Now I had no idea where he went.  But I looked to shore and saw a fallen tree that looked like a great hideout.  So, I cast there and BAM!  He exploded on that frog and scared the ....out of me again!  He jumped a few times and ran and finally after about 3-4 minutes I got him next to the boat.  Luckily I had a pair of fish grippers.  But his jaws were clamped SO tight I couldn't get them in.  Finally pried them open and then yelled for Tyler to get over to me because he had the sharp knife.  We guessed he weighed about 10 lbs and was about 25-30 inches.  Unfortunately, after pics and as we were discussing how to kill him, he spun and got loose.  Luckily he fell in the water and not the kayak!  Wow!  That was a fund catch.  Sorry about the catch and release part though.



Off the water by 1pm exhausted.