Fishbusters Fishing Club
Phone: (301) 292-8377
Email: info@fishbusters.com

Fishing Reports

Largemouth

Fishbusters Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms says that as the water warms up, largemouth will become more active. Look for the big females to start feeding at the Wilson Bridge Spoils Cove and any deep water off the main channel in 20 foot depths.

Big trophy size females must start to feed heavily in March in order to keep their egg sacks healthy an build up their energy reserves for the rigors of the spawn. They will be more susceptible to Jig & Pork Pig trailers with plenty of artificial scent. 7-inch Power Worms and live minnows also have been productive baits when fished slowly along the bottom.

As the water temperature enters the mid-40s fish 10 to 30 foot depths near steep drop-offs along the channel bends and inside creek points. Hop the lure along the bottom, pausing frequently. Strikes are light and will stop the bait cold or slowly move off towards deeper water. Pay close attention to the line movement and when in doubt, strike with authority.

Coordinator Vincent Sessoms uses 1/16 to 1/8 to ¾ ounce crappie marabou jigs and natural earthworm. West colors are white and yellow & green. When the water temperature rises to 50 degrees and the fish move shallower, lighten the weight to the ¼ to 3/8-ounce range. Plastic worms and lizards fished on a Carolina rig are good choices and colors should include tequila sunrise, cherry seed and watermelon seed.

Vincent recommends that good places for early season largemouth are the north side of Crescent Island near Belle Haven Marina, the north and south points of Smoot Bay, the south point of the Spoils Cove, Fox Ferry Point, the south point of Roosevelt Island, the retaining wall at the Kennedy Center and the stair stepping ledges in the Washington Channel along the War College wall.

The outside bends of the Occoquan River is a prime area for fish ledges and drop offs. Boating anglers should search the channel drop looking for submerged structure and any type of cover. Good perch and crappie catches have also been made at The Spoils, Fort Washington Light and the Hilltop area of Nanjemoy Creek using live minnows on a red bead spinner hook and bottom rig. Yellow and white feather jigs and shad darts baited with a minnow are also effective when using a slow, stop and go retrieve along the bottom.

Fishbusters Computer Coordinator Sidney Russell reports that the spring will see largemouth bass busting loose on white spinnerbaits, firetiger cranks and white twister tail grub. Submerged creek beds have been the natural highways for the larger bass as they are on the move during their spawning mode.

Anglers are marking lots of fish when they position their boat in the deepest part of the creek channel and cast to submerged structure and weed beds along the banks. Jigging pig-n-jigs in black and blue have also been effective around structure while Carolina rigged lizards work best dragged across the flats.

Hot spots on the Potomac have been the Sea Wall at Haines Point, Jefferson's Tidal Basin and Lady Bird Park. Further up river, the bank of the Potomac from Fletchers Boat House to Chain Bridge on the Maryland Shore has been closed by the National Park Service.

Boating anglers will score on large and smallmouth bass, crappie, catfish, shad and rockfish when fishing the tidal pools created by the rocks. Smallmouth bass will be at their peak from late May through June. Small brown hair jigs with black pork rind are effective in the upper Potomac with the hot spot being from the Dickerson Power Plant to White's Ferry.

Big catfish up to fifteen pounds have been taken on clam snouts, night crawlers and cut herring between Fort Washington and Mattawoman Creek along the Potomac river channel edges at the mouth of most feeder creeks. When the bass begin to move up on their spawning beds, top water plugs and buzz baits will become more effective as the bass become more aggressive.

Freshwater coordinator Carl Latham says as water temperatures hit the 50 - 60 degree mark, pre-spawning bass will move into intermediate and shallow depths, except during cold fronts. Anglers should concentrate on areas near good spawning grounds. 55 - 62 degree temperatures are the spawning range for Smallmouths & Spotted Bass with the 58 - 65 degrees range best for largemouth. 65 - 85 degrees puts these fish in a post spawn period.

The best fishing will be in the lower part of these ranges. Expect bass to scatter as the optimum temperatures of 78-80 degrees can be found in a wider range of areas. Water above 85 degrees holds less oxygen causing bass to become doormat and often suspend over structure. If possible, bass will seek cooler water areas in springs, windy banks and feeder creeks or feed at night.

Look for largemouth to be moving from the sharp drop-offs in the main river or creek channels to the shallows nearest these areas as the water warms up. Use the last of the incoming and first of the outgoing tide to fish the weed beds. Bass on the move will take rattling cranks, flat tail or swimming power grubs and Gitzits in pepper, pumpkinseed, watermelon or motor oil.

Good signs of big fish in spawning areas will be fleeing minnows or swirls along the surface, creating perfect conditions to throw Sluggos, jerk and stick baits when the weeds are thick. Allow these lures to settle while being twitched, poped and jerked slowly along the edge of the weed bed. Other hot plugs have been Bombers in fire tiger, Rebels or Ratlin' Rogues. Remember that all bass must be fifteen inches to keep and should be released until mid June when the spawning season ends.

DNR claims that the upper Potomac north of Chain Bridge has become the best walley fishery in the state. Use plastic and bucktail jigs in river eddies and holes. Walleyes hate sunlight and warm water. They prefer rock structure of submerged wood until sunset when they travel to the shallows to feed on baitfish and crayfish. Use a minnow attached to a jig or fish spinners very slowly along drop-offs and points. Don't be surprised if a monster size muskie attacks the same bait. Use Mepps bucktail spinners for these fish with an ultra thin wire leader.

Trout

Coordinator Vincent Sessoms reports that hatchery stocked trout are available in Prince George County’s Melwood, Tucker and Cosca ponds. The Northwest Branch in PG and Montgomery Counties has 2,000 trout deposited. In Charles County try Hughesville and Myrtle Groves ponds. Lakes Waterford in Anne Arundel County; Montgomery County’s Lake Needwood; plus Howard County’s Elkhorn and Centennial lakes. Use cheese flavored baits, earthworms, corn or liver on a No. 8 to No. 12 size hook, weighted with a couple of split shots.

Fantastic trout action can be found at Beaver Creek near Hagerstown, MD, just over an hour's drive from downtown Washington, D.C. These limestone streams never freeze. They allow fly fishing only and are located just downstream of the state's Albert Powel Fish Hatchery.

Use a 3 weight fly rods drift salmon-egg patterns near the bottom in four feet of water is the key to success for rainbow trout in the 12 to 16 inch range. Orange salmon egg imitations fished in deep channel have produced 8 lb fish.

Even in July and August these streams stay cool enough for trout to thrive. Limestone natural spring streams gushing up to 3,500 gallons of cool water a minute. Trout anglers should plan a trip to the fabled limestone streams of MD and south-central PA's Yellow Breeches, Falling Spring and the Letort. Virginians should know about limestone waters in the Shenandoah Valley such as Mossy Creek, Smith Creek and the North River.

Other hot spots that turned on early once the weather broke last month have been nice trout out of Lake Centennial and crappie plus yellow and white perch out of Courthouse Pond in Upper Marlboro.

The spring stocking of trout continues and the following waters were stocked in the last month. Lake Needwood, Wheatly Lake, Calvert Cliffs, Hutchins, Hughesville have all been stocked. Jennings Run and Battie Mixon Pond in Allegany Co. have received stockings. Additionally Blair's Valley Lake, Big Pool, Rainbow Lake and Taneytown Pond pre-season stockings have been completed and the Middle-Patuxent River Delayed Harvest and Special Areas stocked.

Reports of the weekends trout fishing in areas that were open, spoke of crowded conditions. Apparently the Patapsco River was very crowded but everyone caught fish. Fishermen living in areas that do not traditionally hold trout such as the Eastern Shore or Southern Maryland always enjoy the infusion of stocked trout to their local waters.

Smallmouth

For big bass use a 1/4 to 3/8 dark brown bucktail jig with a #101 pork trailer in black, brown or frog. Remember, this section of the river is catch and release only and all bass must be returned alive. To get there take Route 28 west; three miles past Poolesville, MD, go left at the blinking light. Look for a sign that says Dickerson; bear left at the plant and follow signs to the fishing area.

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  The upper Potomac smallmouth action has been steady around the Dickerson Power Plant, as the output is much warmer than the river. Due to the heated discharge, the Maryland shoreline will remain ice free for a couple miles down stream, even in the coldest winter weather. Use small to medium shiners or white & yellow twister tail grubs on a 1/8-oz. lead head jig on a #1 bronze thin wire hook. The smallmouth will get two to three pounds while catfish can be in the 10 o 15-lb. range.

Anglers will catch pickerel, crappie, bass, yellow and white perch at the bridges on the Blackwater, Transquaking and Chicomocomico Rivers as these gamefish work their way upstream to spawn. Hot spots will be the New Bridge, Decoursey and Aries Crossings. Also try the Blackwater Bridge on Route 335 near Golden Hill. Live bullminnows under a slip bobber or night crawlers on an high/low bottom rig are the best baits.

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Stripers

Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms says anglers can catch rockfish best in the fall and spring at Fort Washington Light on the Potomac. Cooler water termperatures cause the rock to school along the channel edge between Piscattaway and Swan Creeks. Light colored plastic and bucktail jigs in the 1/2 to 1.16 ounce range work best when bounced along the bottom.

Largemouth can also be taken when using a 4 to 6 inch plastic worm on a 1/4 to 1/16 bullet weight. Cover this bait with artificial scent and bounce it along the rock dropp off at the base of the Ft. Wash. Light.

As water temperatures warm, the largemouth will move into the weed beds along the Maryland shoreline from Mattawomwn Creek to the Wilson Bridge. Fish worms and lizards until the water temperatures reach 65 degress before throwing tubes, crawjigs and slow rolled single willow blade spinner baits. Jigs should have rattles and double twister tails in pumpkin, black and blue.

Coordinator George Harvey reports that Kerr Reservoir on the Virginia/North Carolina line, the bass have gone after crankbaits, pig 'n' jig combos, plastic crawdads and grubs. Much of the better fishing comes around feeder creek and main-lake points. At neighboring Lake Gaston, the bass fishing also has improved as visitors use the same kind of lures and tactics as in Kerr.

Occasionally, you'll see an eruption of feeding stripers, and if you have one rod ready that carries a sassy Shad or Rat-L-Trap lure, simply cast it past the breaking fish and then begin a steady retrieve. The fish will do the rest.

In most tidal rivers, rockfish can be found near any hot water discharge power or water treatment plant. On the Potomac, these fish congregate each winter near the Harry Nice Bridge on Rt. 301 in Charles County, MD. Five to twenty five pound rockfish stage there from November until spawning time each March when they migrate upriver. Small boats can be launched off Route 301 at the Aqualand Marina which is located at the foot of the bridge on the Maryland shoreline. Small boat anglers should be prepared to launch from an old, small, narrow cement ramp with a small old wooden pier.

Coordinator George Harvey reports that a variety of artificial lures will take rockfish including three eighths to three quarter leadhead jigs trimmed with four-inch Sassy Shad trailers in white, yellow, pearl or green. One to one and a half-ounce bucktails trimmed with white, yellow or red pork are best in deeper water. Anglers should first start fishing the shallow waters near rocky shorelines. Look for swirls and fish activity while covering the area with the trolling motor.

During windy weather or low tide conditions anglers should keep an eye on their fish-finding unit and gradually move out to the first channel drop off. Soak your bucktails with fish scent and slowly start vertically jigging the fish marked along the bottom. Coordinator Zonia Acton advises anglers that tidal Potomac largemouth can also be taken however once the water temperature falls in the low fifties, anglers must adjust their tactics accordingly.

Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms, Jr. reports the yellow perch will begin schooling on the Potomac at the mouth of creeks from Occoquan south by the end of the month. Mattawoman will see it’s first perch run in late Feb. Use live small bull minnows on a red bead spinner blade hook fished just off the bottom. Slip bobber rigs with #4 thin wire Aberdine hooks and a small shiner will take crappie hiding in structure.

White Perch

Potomac River anglers will experience excellent runs of white perch from Fletchers Boathouse (in DC just south of Chain Bridge), to Marshall Hall in Charles County. April is the peak of the season while using bloodworms, night crawlers, clam snout and shad darts. Remember, all of the perch will not make their run up the river at the same time. Numerous schools will arrive every couple of days, spawn and retreat back down river.

If anglers experience a slow day of perch fishing after hearing reports of hot action, it is best that they give it another try a couple of days later. Small schools of white perch arrive daily and success depends on being in the right spot at the right time. These fish have been schooling up in holes close to shore, especially in rocky areas. Try the rocky shores between Fletcher's and Chain Bridge.

Shore anglers will catch their share with natural bait on a high/low rig with No. 4 spinner blade hooks. Cast away from shore and allow the rig to drift with the current. Small shad darts or crappie jigs on a light spinning outfit cast diagonally into the current works great. Anglers should be sure to keep a tight line and give the jig a little action as it hops along the bottom.

Catfish

Vincent Sessoms like catching the big Mid-Atlantic trophy cats, on the James River at the Chester Ice House. Big blue catfish are caught here year-around weighing 20 to 40 pounds with early spring being the peak of their season. Use cut shad, alewives, live eels, and chicken liver or commercially made catfish stink bait. Use a fishfinder rig, 1 to 3 ounce barrel weights ahead of a black barrel swivel. Hooks should be in the 3/0 to 6/0 range on a 30 inch, 25 lb. mono leader.

Vincent says that the hot section of the river is from the Benjamin Harrison Bridge up to the 295 bridge. Search the channel edges for drop-offs from 5 to 35 feet. Anchor up on the slope and throw out 3 or 4 rods. These cats are lethargic during the coldest spells of winter but their size and weight make angling for them challenging.

Potomac anglers eill find cut perch, herring and shad will take their share of large catfish between Chain Bridges and Fort Washington Point. Provided that the river stays low, the rocky shoreline along Chain Bridge will produce nice catches on crappie on small shiners and bull minnows when floated along with the current under a slip bobber. Cool spring water temperatures have caused the largemouth bass to prefer four inch power worms in red shad, pumpkinseed and black. Pig & jigs are another early season favorite in black, brown and dark blue.

Fishing Tips

Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms says anglers paying attention to water temperature will have the greatest success this month. A one or two degree temperature difference to a bass feels roughly the same as 10 degrees of air temperature difference to a human. Temperatures below thirty-eight degrees will cause bass to be lethargic, except during warming trends.

From thirty-nine to forty-two degrees they will bite live minnows, silver buddies and pig & jigs when presented directly in front of their noses. A few good days of warmer weather will cause water temperatures to rise to the forty-three to the forty-eight degrees range and bass fishing will become outstanding. Anglers should use a surface temperature gauge to detect pockets of warmer water to assist them in locating concentrations of fish that will be more aggressive than those in cooler water.

Once spring water temperatures reach the forty-nine to fifty eight degree range, the bass will get into their pre-spawn mode. The warmest water will be in the northern end of a cove, creek, lake or river shorline which receives the most sunshine this time of year and is also protected from cold north winds. Look for feeder streams which are likely to contain run-off water that warms faster than the main body of water.

Midday to late afternoon, early spring sunny days, are more productive since the sun can warm the surface water by a couple of degrees. Bass will move to the intermediate and shallow water depths and only retreat to deeper water during cold fronts. Anglers can work areas near good spawning grounds looking for new hot spots formed from new structure imported by winter floods. Under these conditions anglers should slow roll spinner baits and hop pig and jig combos and deep diving cranks off the bottom.

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Lamar says that early in the season, sluggish winter bass require fishermen to work their lure slowle, right on the bottom. Anglers talked about dragging spinnerbaits along the bottom just fast enough to get the blades to slowly spin. Grubs and plastic worms have also been a good choice when allowed to sink to the bottom and worked with a twitch and rest routine. Crappie are schooling up in deeper water near structure such as bridge piers and channel catfish continue to provide good action in many of the tidal rivers.

Lamar Recommends that anglers put an earthworm or small crappie jig body covering the barb of the hook helps make it weed-less. 6 lb test line allows the jig to hit bottom with a small split shot 1 foot above the jig. Once you feel it bottom, bounce it by raising your rod tip 6 to 12 inches upward. Bass can't resist a small, easy meal that hits them in the head and flutters right in front of their mouths.

Cold winter water will often cause them to pass up a big bait for a small tasty, smelly, lively bait right in front of their nose. When throwing soft plastic worms and grubs, cover them with artificial jell or liquid scents. The hits are gentle and light, feeling more like snagging a twig branch along the bottom than a bass hit. Give the fish a moment to inhale the bait deep before setting the hook. Once you set the hook firmly, Keep rod tip pressure on the fish and use the rod tip to slowly lift them off the bottom. Winter bass