 |
A typical photo
of the forested,
fresh-tidal Western
Branch, north of
the MNCPPC Jug
Bay boat ramp. |
 |
Fishing was
hard fought,
with many
lure
presentations
being used.
We assumed
that fishing
on the high
tide would
have
been our
best
opportunity
to get far
up into
woodlands
and out of
the open
marsh. |
 |
We saw
numerous
bait fish,
bass,
snakes,
turtles and
the like,
with white
perch
providing
the most
action. I
took several
close-up
photos of a
brilliant
yellow,
male prothonotary
warbler, but
the photos
were out of
focus. I
also took a
photo of a
snake
sunning
himself on a
rock that
Dave (in the
front of the
boat) thought
was a
copperhead,
but in the
blurry photo
had the
right color
and pattern
but the head
looked more
rounded and
the eyes
look more
rounded too. |
 |
Our native
American
Strawberry
Bush or your
Heart's-A-Bustin'
(Euonymus
americanus),
growing from
the banks of
the river. |
 |
A view of
the Mount
Calvert
historic
site, north
of Jug Bay.
Mount
Calvert is
one of the
most
significant
historical
and
archaeological
sites in
Prince
George's
County.
Mount
Calvert's
rich
archaeological
and
historical
resources
represent
over 8000
years of
Native
American,
Euro-American
and African
American
culture.
In 1658,
Phillip
Calvert
patented
Mount
Calvert as a
1000-acre
plantation.
In 1683, An
Act for the
Advancement
of Trade
established
towns
throughout
the
Chesapeake
region to
encourage
settlement
and
commerce.
Mount
Calvert was
one such
town and
became
Prince
George's
first seat
of
government
and was
named
Charles Town
when the
county was
established
in 1696.
Charles Town
at Mount
Calvert was
the center
of economic,
governmental,
and
religious
activities
of Prince
George's
County until
the county
seat was
moved to
Upper
Marlboro in
1721. |
 |
Dave, Steve
and I
motored
south to the
Merkle
Wildlife
Management
Area in
search of
bass waters. |
 |
A lazy day
on the water
as mid day
temperatures
rose into
the upper
70's. |
 |
The Jug Bay
waters were
shallow,
brown and
silty. As
we fished
along the
spatterdock
we caught
several
bullhead
catfish. |
 |
Much of the
shoreline
consisted of
discrete
zones of
open water
creek
channels,
exposed
shallow
water and
tidal flats,
spatterdock,
arrowhead
(Sagittaria),
high marsh
of cattail
and wild
rice and
then forest
edge of ash,
gum and
maple. |
 |
Too close to
her nest.
You would
think that
the presence
of osprey
would
indicate
good
fishing, and
sure enough
that was the
case, for
lots of bait
fish in the
2-inch range
along with
catfish. |
 |
Another
bullhead. |
 |
The MNCPPC
had a tour
boat with
guides that
discussed
both natural
and cultural
history of
the fresh
tidal
Patuxent
River with
it's
extensive
wild rice
marsh lands. |
