If there is one place for a kayaker of any level of angling to make a pilgrimage to this month, it’s the concrete ships at Kiptopeake State Park. The concrete ships are actual WW2 concrete and rebar cargo ships that where partially sunk as breakwaters for the old ferry landing. These huge structures will have huge striper this month. For kayak anglers the ships are the easiest place to have a chance to land true trophy striper anywhere in the striper world.

The ease of targeting the big stripers at the ships is the location and the technique. The southern end of the concrete ships is 200 yards from the launch beach. You don’t have to be super strong paddler or have to paddle three mile to be in the fishery.

The technique is really simple.
When fishing against the ships I use one rod only. Any other rod hanging out in a rod holder might get damaged or broken while in a fight up against the ship walls. I use a short boat style rod with fairly heavy tackle. A strong conventional reel with a clicker works well but it doesn’t have to be a big reel, and it doesn’t have to hold a lot of line.

I use a Daiwa Saltiest-LW 20ha spooled with 50lb power pro braid.
The rig is super simple; on the main line I use a 2 to 4 ounce egg sinker. Below that is a swivel tied to 80lb mono or fluorocarbon leader, snelled to a 10/0 Owner Cutting point hook. We use live eels at the ships. We hook them up through the jaw and out of the nose or eye. I send the rig to the bottom and crank the line up so the eel is suspended about three feet off the bottom. I adjust the clutch of the reel so when it’s in free spool and the clicker is on, the eel and weight doesn’t fall to the bottom.I sit on the rod butt and use my paddle to hover in position while I wait for the striper to find the eel.

Around the ships the stripers usually don’t take the eel running, they will just gulp it in. When a striper grabs the eel you will only get two quick zips on the line. This is the striper sucking the eel in and closing his mouth. You don’t have to wait to set the hook, slap it in great and drive the hook in.

In the close quarters at the ships you want to keep the fight close. You don’t want the fish to get a lot of line out away from you and either get into the rubble of the ships or pass through the alleys between them. This is where the heavy tackle comes in to play, you can fight them hard and stay right with them as they pull you around. If the fish goes through the alley you can go through with him.

When the fight is over and the fish is beside your boat, don’t try to grab for a fish griper or a net. Everything you need to land them is already connected to you. I put my left foot in the water, grab the leader with my left hand, put the reel in freespool and set the rod down. Then I leader the fish between my leg and the kayak. I grab the stripers bottom lip with my right hand and with one fluid motion pull with my lip hand, leader hand and scoop him with my leg in to the boat.

The concrete ships at Kiptopeake State Park is a mecca for kayak anglers seeking trophy stripers. Get out and GET ON’EM! For more info and how-tos and the new “Kayak Fishing the Chesapeake Bay 2” DVD, go to Kayakkevin.com