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Fishbusters
Fishing Club
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Tidal
Water Fishing Report
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Our Saturday and Sunday evening bottom fishing trips out of Point Lookout, MD are known for double header big hardhead croaker with limits of rockfish. Croaker by the cooler full is the norm. A variety of other bottom fish make this charter one of the best during the entire season, year after year. Don't miss it.
Last year everyone filled their freezers with coolers full of croaker, rockfish limits, blues and some nice size flounder. Make your reservations early and don't miss out on the fun.
Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms, Jr. says the club's trophy striped bass trips will be in April and May from Solomons. Trolling the mouth of the Patuxent river at Solomons Isle has been the hotest spot in the Bay for the last couple of years.
Sunday and Saturday evening rockfish chumming and bottom fishing trips for croaker, trout and flounder start on the first Saturday evening in June. Early August is also a good time for this fishery but late June thru late July is the peake of the hardhead and large (not trophy 36 inch plus) size 20 to 30 inch rockfish catches.
Trollers will score on trophy rock by when trolling eels, spoons and jigs at the Chesapeake Middlegrounds, just east of Point Lookout, MD and the mouth of the river at Solomons. Fishbusters has small group make-up six pack charter trips for trophy fish in April and May.
Cow size female striped bass will begin their annual migration up the Atlantic Coast to New England as they follow the alewife, herring, gizzard, winter and hickory shad out of the bay. April, May and late November and December are best for the Bay.
There will be a commercial cap on what is known as the "reduction fishery harvest" in the Chesapeake Bay of 110,400 metric tons of menhaden annually. Menhaden appears to be in real trouble, the striped bass of the Chesapeake Bay look as if they have been on a starvation diet (a certain sign that all is not well with their favorite food supply) and the people who are paid to watch over our resources will permit the continued "harvesting" of 110,400 metric tons of menhaden annually.
Anglers can expect rockfish, sea trout, flounder and blues to suffer from the lack of this valuable food source. Declaring a moratorium, officially checking on the status of the menhaden population, then deciding whether to remove 110,400 metric tons of these fish would have been a realistic solution.
Instead, commercial ships are allowed to net the living daylights out of them and then discover their numbers are so poor purse seiners and spotter planes should not have been permitted to deplete the small remaining population.
Scientists believe there is a serious local area depletion of menhaden in MD and VA portions of the Bay. The numbers of menhaden have been at an all time low for several years, poor health of predator stocks has been linked to inadequate nutrition, and water quality is continuing to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Back to Top
Starting in early June, our charter trips start out light spin tackle chumming for big rockfish. Once anglers catch their limit the club switches over to bottom fishing for trout, croaker and flounder. Take advantage of afternoon and evening charters without the crowded conditions of the headboats.
Anglers are encouraged to fill their freezers with game fish in June and July due to the alage blooms that will start in August. Summer heat and water pollution causes low-oxygen water that kills fish, crabs, etc. This could also cause a problem for the lower Potomac River, where algae blooms turn the river bright green.
These light spin tackle chumming charter are scheduled for late afternoon and evening hours when the rockfish turn on in the chumlines and the croaker begin to feed heavily. All bait, tackle and equipment is provided and you keep all legal fish you catch.
Trollers will score on Rock by trolling eels, spoons and jigs while the majority of Chopper Blues and late migrating Cows will be caught while chumming the lumps at the Chesapeake Middlegrounds, just east of Point Lookout, MD.
Anglers will get more action by fighting these big powerful fish from an anchored chumming charter boat on light tackle than trolling with heavy line and big led weights. Blues and rock create fishing thrills when they are caught chumming that are not possible from a moving boat.
In early spring, rockfish up to twenty pounds are most abundant in the Charles County section of the Potomac. The fish leave the hot water discharge areas in May and will be found navigating the flats leading from their spawning areas.
One quarter to one half ounce jig heads on a four inch Sassy Shad or Bass Assassin plastic body in shad, white, yellow or blue is best. The fish can be marked while cruising in five to fifteen feet of water looking for perch and herring. A steady retrieve works best during the strongest part of a moving tide.
Once the water warms up in June, most of the big rock leave the Bay and head up the coast; however a few remain with the school size rock and can be taken while chumming. Small group charters allow anglers to fight and land these larger fish without the crowed, arm-pit to elbow crowded circus conditions created by the weekend headboat crowd.Back to Top
Fishbusters Coordinator George Harvey reports that last year's afternoon and evening trips out of Point Lookout produced coolers full of big [15 to 20-inch] croaker with some doormat size flounder and big trout mixed in. Members often enjoyed big double-header croaker on every drop when the fishing turned on at sunset.
Scattered runs of big croaker will produce catches out of Cobbs Island and Bushwood along the Potomac. These fish will bite best in the afternoons with the larger fish taken mostly at night on squid, shrimp, bloodworms and cut spot. Pier anglers can expect to see sporadic runs from dusk to dawn throughout the Chesapeake before the bigger fish stage in deeper waters of the Bay for summer.
Spot come in late June or early July and grow rapidly. Jumbo spot are rarely found over 3 years of age. The best bait is still bloodworms or peeler crab. Though their numbers are slowly declining in the coastal bays, jumbo spot are still available in good numbers but are harder to locate. Late July, August and early September is the best time for jumbos.
Jumbos normally prefer to school with trout, small croaker, white perch and flounder. If blues, rock or cownose rays move into the area, spot tend to move off to shallow water. 15 to 30 foot depths are best and they can often be taken during the day when other species are laying low.Back to Top
Since 1993, the average weight of flounder has improved from a low of 1 pound to 2.4 pounds by 2004. Over the past 5 years, the average size of flounder has improved, yielding more keepers.
Regardless of where you go in the Mid-Atlantic, early spring migrating into the coastal bays to spawn will hold along the channel drop-offs, moving deeper and shallower with the tide. On a high tide expect to find them on top of the drop and on a low tide, look for them on the deeper edges. Once you've caught a few fish keep drifting at the same depth due to the fish holding at the same depth in most areas.
Always look over a fishing map for the areas with the greatest differences of depths in a small area. Drops from five to 30 feed within a distance of 50 yard are magnets for flatfish chasing bait.
FLATFISH BAIT- Live bull minnows are especially effective when anchored due to the trauma live bait experiences being dragged across the bottom. Try hooking two live bull minnows, one through the lips and the other through the tail on the same hook. The squirming of their bodies with a lift and pause retrieve is irresistible to most predator bottom feeding game. Keep baits fresh and minnows lively. Cut bait should be kept in the cooler until use.
Flounder depend on scent to find their food making it important to change baits frequently. Other strip baits besides squid include bluefish belly, sea robin, herring, mackerel, shark and flounder belly. It's illegal to clean flounder at sea.
Filet flounder belly strips from a legal flounder, one of those in your bag limit. There is not much meat on the belly anyway so nothing is lost by taking strips from the belly of barely legal size fish. It is best to leave the rest of the fish intact and keep it until you reach the dock to avoid questions from DNR.
A bait and jig combo can also be effective. A floater jig is a bucktail jig with a styrofoam head rather than lead. Rig this lure with the line running through a fish finder plastic sleeve and snap.
Tie the line to a barrel swivel at the end of the main line. A 12 to 36 inch leader is attached to the jig, depending on the species of fish and fishing conditions. A lead head jig tied to the end of a rig instead of a sinker is also an additional fish attractor.
Not only does it give the appearance of bait but motivates fish to steal the bait on the hooks from the competition. Adding a strip of cut bait or minnow and soaking the jig with fish attractant also appeals to flounder.
Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms, Jr. says Potomac River anglers will experience excellent runs of white perch throughout the spring. 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 Fetcher's Boathouse and Chain Bridge.
These fish scatter during the summer. Larger fish are caught during the fall but they are in widely scatterd small schools throughout the river. Look for bottom structure alonmg drop-offs to hold schools of perch.
Perch are taken on bottom rigs with No. 3 size spinner.blade & bead hooks. Use blookworms, night crawlers, clam snout and shad darts.
Numerous schools will arrive every couple of days, spawn and retreat back down river. If anglers experience a slow day Perch fishing after hearing reports of hot action, it is best that they give it another try a couple of days later.
Shore anglers will catch their share by using bloodworms 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.
Cut perch, herring and shad will take their share of large catfish between Chain and Key bridges. Provided that the river stays low, the rocky shoreline of this part of the river 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.
Coordinator Vincent Sessoms reports good fishing on the tidal Potomac River. Anglers are catching large and smallmouth bass, yellow perch and an occasional walleye on dark colored grubs. Bank fishermen at the Alexandria Power Plant are catching channel catfish on chicken livers, night crawlers or live minnows.
From Fort Washington Light to Marshall Hall, slowly fished grubs, spinner baits, spoons and Bettle Spins will take bass, white and yellow perch when fished on the outside edge of bends in the creeks. Hot bass lures have been 3/8 ounce Big Mouth spinnerbait in chartreuse Colorado and gold Indiana blades, chartreuse/blue/white skirt; Buzzbaits 3/8 oz in white or black; 1/4 oz. firetiger Brush Baby crankbait; 4 inch green pumpkin Mizmo tubes with a 1/16 to 1/8 InSider and a 4 in. pumpkin seed Case Magic Stick on a 3/0 wide gap hook.
Now is the time for crappie when using small minnows and jigs around the piers in D.C.'s Washington Channel, The Spoils and Swan Creek. At Possum Point Power Plant, fishermen are catching lots of catfish, white perch and a few bass. Morgantown Bridge anglers are still catching and releasing large numbers of rockfish using half ounce bucktails and four inch Sassy Shads in white, yellow and pearl. Allowing the jigs to sink to the bottom and bouncing them along with the current caused by the warm water discharged is the best method.
The yellow perch have scattered along the river various creek mouths and can be taken from woody areas in shallow water when fishing for crappie on medium minnows or chartreuse twister tail grubs.
Live minnows and jigs will take yellow perch in the 10 to 13 inch at Allen's Fresh, MD just off Route 301 and upstream past the Route 234 Bridge. Fish the deep holes in the swampy backwaters, around blown-down trees and other obstacles.
Sportsmen say uncontrolled netting is ruining the resource. "One commercial guy can legally catch and possess tens of thousands of pounds," says Fleming, president of the Southern Maryland Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, the organization leading the fight. "Yet I'm limited to five fish over nine inches a day?"
CCA maintains that fewer than 40 commercial netters take 90 percent to 95 percent of yellow perch caught in Maryland, selling most to restaurants in the Midwest where they are a delicacy. CCA says the state Department of Natural Resources is thus failing in its mission to protect and preserve resources for the wise use and enjoyment of Marylanders. In most places yellow perch are scarce.
Captain Mike of Indian Head Charters says over a dozen nets were in the mouth of Swan Creek last spring. Mike says it will take a couple of years for the fishing to return to normal after the nets are removed.
Fishing has been closed for years on several Western Shore tributaries including the Severn, South and Magothy rivers, which used to draw crowds in March but now hold almost nothing. Some Eastern Shore streams--Tuckahoe Creek, Wye River, the Chester and some of its tributaries, to name a few--continue to produce perch, but not in historic numbers.
Fleming says that's largely because nets get them before they get to the spawning reaches. He said perch were hard to find on Allens Fresh until two years ago, when commercial netters who'd been fishing there quit for unknown reasons.
Overfishing alone is not to blame for the decline, admits Fleming, who's been working on yellow perch restoration for a decade. "Years ago, when the water was cleaner, you could afford a lot of fishing pressure. Now, with water quality degraded by overpopulation from development and other environmental problems, you can't."
Coordinator Carl Lathan says anglers looking for that trophy largemouth tidal water bass of the season should concentrate on deep-water structure, particularly submerged eel grass, hydrilla or milfoil beds. Try slow rolling spinner baits or running cranks just above the vegetation.
Another tactic is to helicopter short arm willow leaf spinnerbaits beside vertical walls or over vegetation. This free falling technique is highly effective in the late winter and early spring seasons.
When experimenting with underwater structure, don't forget to count down the crank baits as they sink. This works good for suspended bass and helps anglers get back to the depth that the fish are holding in a hurry. Since most cranks have action built into the lure begin with a slow and steady retrieve. Occasionally alter the retrieve by darting the crank frantically for a few feet before slowing back down or letting the crank free fall.
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 and 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.
Non-boating bass anglers can take advantage of a reliable early spring Smallmouth fishery farther upstream on the Potomac at the Montgomery County Pepco power plant at Dickerson, MD. Along with the bass, anglers will find an ample supply of bluegill, catfish and large carp. Live small to medium minnows under a bobber work good for the bass and night crawlers will take just about everything else. Crayfish colors work best when using tube jigs and grubs. Also try yellow and white twister tail or crappie jigs.
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.
Anglers can take early season rockfish up to 30 pounds or more. The Morgantown Power Plant at the U. S. Highway 301 Bridge just south of Port Tobacco, MD is a winter staging area for stripers, white and yellow perch.
Fishermen will find early season action along shallow ledges or bulkheads that drop sharply into deeper water. Catch and release rockfish action is not affected by cold weather. Stripers average five to fifteen pounds and winter time bassin' in these waters is never crowded. Use white or chartreuse Sassy Shads with a 2/0 to 5/0 hook on a one half or 5/8 ounce lead jig head. Other good baits include Rattle Spots & Traps with silver sides or one to two ounce bucktails in white.
Trophy bass will stage themselves at the end of the cover closest to deep water and suspend adjacent to drop-offs. Allow the lure to splash down and begin a quick retrieve. There’s no need to get an early start due to water temperatures this time of year being at their warmest between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Even when chunks of ice float down the Potomac near the channel, the water rushing out of the plant’s discharge canal can run around fifty degrees. Live bait also works here with large shiners and bull minnows the best bet. The most common artificial lure is a 1/4 to ½ ounce leadhead jig with a chartreuse or pearl colored three to four inch Sassy Shad plastic body. Cast the jig or live bait into the fast water and allow it to sink on a tight line. When any unnatural movement is felt, set the hook and hold on.
Smallmouth will be caught along the tidal Potomac from PG and northern Charles Counties during the late winter and early spring. The yellow perch will begin schooling on the Potomac at the mouth of creeks from Occoquan south by the end of the month. 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.
Coordinator George Harvey says that as water temperatures drop into the forties, striped bass become more active and anglers can simply slightly alter their tactics when seeking largemouth action. Due to global warming most Maryland winter days ahould have a mid day air temperatures in the low forties to low fifties.
Cold snaps and windy conditions will slow fish activity down to a crawl but as soon as the bad weather subsides, the action picks up and remains steady until the next cold front moves through the area.
Coordinator Vincent Sessoms has had lots of luck jigging silver Buddies in the ¼ to 5/8 ounce range. Silver and white work best on sunny days while yellow, green and Firetiger are best when its cloudy.
When fishing tidal creeks and river shore line areas, look for holes in the 8 to 17 foot depths. Wooden structure and rip-rap attacks minnows which in turn attract the bass. Cast towards the outside channel bends along the shore and allow the lure to touch the bottom. Snap the rod up-wards to lift the lure three feet off the bottom. Allow it to flutter back to the bottom while keeping the slack out of the line. Follow the drop carefully paying close attention to your line movement. Most strikes will occur on the drop. Use 12 to 17 pound test line and a snap to connect the lure to the line.
Bass anglers have scored with live minnows near wood or rock structure from the Washington Channel to the Mattawoman Creek. Bass can be taken by using a slow retrieve as the bait is bounced along the bottom. Live shiners on a slip bobber have been the top bass and crappie producing bait.
Shiners will remain more active when a light wire Aberdine hook is used. Bronze seems to work better than gold and anglers can pull out of snags much easier with a thin diameter hook. live shiners fished around structure at the beginning of main tidal river channel dropoffs. Once the weather warms up, these fish will scatter and head north around Fletchers and Key Bridge to summer.
Live jumbo shiners fished on a large slip bobber in the early spring will produce some big lazy female bass looking for an easy meal. Remove fins from live bait to control the way they swim. When fishing live minnows on a bobber and split shot rig, cut off the top bottom of the caudal fin (tail). This causes the bait to swim downward towards the fish.
When fishing minnows on a bottom rig cut off the top half, this causes the bait to swim upward and prevents them from hiding in the muck and trash along the bottom.
When you are presenting live bait at the same depth as the game fish you are seeking, remove one of the pectoral fins from one of the sides and another from the same side’s stomach area. This will cause the baitfish to swim in a circular motion.
If a bass steals your minnow, immediately follow it up with a plastic twister tail grub, worm or lizard covered in baitfish artificial scent. Be sure to set the hook with authority. Any bass large enough to steal your jumbo baitfish will have a big, tough, bucketmouth.
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, lake or reservoir, 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.
Coordinator Wayne Miller says the catch of largemouth bass have improve on the Patuxent River in the upstream areas from Jug Bay to Waysons Corners. The lack of vegetation and structure make finding bass a challenge. Look for baitfish and predator fish staging themselves on dropoff, or at the mouth of streams feeding the main channel. Good catches of catfish, perch and carp are made along the lazy flowing freshwater portion.
Further down stream along the Calvert & St. Mary’s Counties shore lines, anglers will find a mix of resident white perch and rockfish. As spring turns into summer look for spot, croaker, flounder, trout and blues from here all the way down to Solomons.
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.
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.
Coordinator George Harvey says anglers looking for that trophy bass of the season should concentrate on deep-water structure, particularly submerged eel grass, hydrilla or milfoil beds. Try slow rolling spinner baits or running cranks just above the vegetation. Another tactic is to helicopter short arm willow leaf spinnerbaits beside vertical walls or over vegetation. This free falling technique is highly effective in the late winter and early spring seasons.
The PG and Charles County sections of the Potomac have suffered deteriorating grass conditions due to the pollution from the government’s under minding of clean water regulations.
As temperatures rise throughout the spring, the manure, fertilizers, pollution and runoff from waste-saturated fields will trigger algae blooms that will block sunlight and prevent the eel grass, hydrilla or milfoil beds (which were plentiful just during the 90s) from abundant growth. Without the abundance of vegetation to concentrate the bass (at the mouths of the creeks where anglers can easily get excellent catches), adjustments must be made to work structure, drop-offs and spatter dock while looking for baitfish and birds.
When locating early spring prespawn trophy bass without the assistance of these lost aquatic ecosystems, anglers should begin their search by finding structure close to deeper water near main river points and the mouth of tributaries.
Wood and stones are prime feeding stations that support snail, shrimp life, crayfish, salamanders and minnows. Look for shells on structure surfaces or snagged on lures. Use rattling lures 1/4 to ½ oz. that resemble small white perch and herring in these areas.
When experimenting with underwater structure, don't forget to count down the crank baits as they sink. This works good for suspended bass and helps anglers get back to the depth that the fish are holding in a hurry. Since most cranks have action built into the lure begin with a slow and steady retrieve. Occasional alter the retrieve by darting the crank frantically for a few feet before slowing back down or letting the crank free fall.
Almanac Coordinator Zonia Acton reminds anglers that the Mid-Atlantic tidal rivers are primed spawning ground for American shad. The spring spawning run normally begins when the dogwoods are in full bloom. The most popular baits are small, brightly colored shad dart jigs, normally tied two or more on a rig. All shad caught in MD, DC and VA must be released and anglers must travel to Pennsylvania where they are allowed to keep six shad daily from the Delaware River.
Anglers can have the most consistent early season action along the banks of most Mid-Atlantic reservoirs near power plants. A one or two degree difference to gamefish feels roughly the same as 10 degrees of air temperature difference to a human. Temperatures below forty degrees will cause most fish to be lethargic, except during warming trends. Once in the forties degree range live minnows become the best bait with silver buddies and pig & jigs taking larger fish when presented directly in front of their noses.
The Chester River has had improvements in bass catches along with the upper parts of the Choptank. Anglers have stayed away from the Pocomoke but good bass catches have been made and most of the fish don’t have lesions, yet.
Catches of 50 fish a day have been made on the Nanticoke. Anglers fishing out of Shad Landing can get excellent catches of bass this time of year without worrying about the cell from hell. Unfortunately, the state’s relaxing of pollution regulations will allow poultry farming practices to cause much more chicken waste farm run off to be deposited in to the Eastern Shore’s waterways than during the 90s.
Bob at Holiday Sports reports good fishing on the tidal Potomac River. Anglers are catching large and smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch and an occasional Walleye on dark colored grubs. Bank fishermen at the Alexandria Power Plant are catching channel Catfish on chicken livers, night crawlers or live minnows. From Fort Washington Light to Marshall Hall, slowly fished grubs, spinner baits, spoons and Beetle Spins will take Bass, white and Yellow Perch when fished on the outside edge of bends in the creeks.
Now is the time for crappie when using small minnows and jigs around the piers in D.C.'s Washington Channel, The Spoils and Swan Creek. At Possum Point Power Plant, fishermen are catching lots of Catfish, White Perch and a few Bass. Morgantown Bridge anglers are still catching and releasing large numbers of Rockfish using half ounce bucktails and four inch Sassy Shads in white, yellow and pearl. Allowing the jigs to sink to the bottom and bouncing them along with the current caused by the warm water discharged is the best method.
The Yellow Perch have scattered along the river various creek mouths and can be taken from woody areas in shallow water when fishing for Crappie on medium minnows or chartreuse twister tail grubs. The water temperatures that spur on the yellow perch spawn is at 46-degrees. Keep in mind, with this fishery, "he who snoozes loses". So make time to hit your favorite spots with small minnows and or grass shrimp in hand at the right time period.
Coordinator Vincent Sessoms says that bass fishing for amateur anglers on the Potomac has been a steady down hill effort. Several tournaments each weekend from B.A.S.S. to local clubs has put too much pressure on the largemouth population. Due to the low spawning rate of tidal water bass and impacts from high salinities, DNR stocked over 1,300 large fingerling largemouth bass in the Middle River and Seneca Creek area in Nov. 2003. For more information contact: dcosden @ dnr.state.md.us.
Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms says that cold rain and snow will cause fishing to be less than outstanding. The upper non-tidal portions of the Potomac will get fast and muddy under these conditions. In muddy cold water, the largemouth bass and crappies will go deep and ignore lures. Live minnows or worms fished right in front of their nose is the only hope. When water clears and ice melts the bass fishing had been decent along the Potomac's ledges, underwater obstacles like sunken barges, coves and little bays.
Lamar advises cold weather anglers to use smaller plastic baits including 4-inch ringworms in black, 3-inch twister tails in pumpkinseed and two inch yellow tubes. Natural color baitfish Sassy Shads will also work well. Slow rolling bettle spins along the bottom will also produce light bites that will need a quick and sturdy hookset to land lethargic bass. Use 8-lb. Test line form more sensitivity until the water warms.
Some anglers like the 3-inch avocado grubs, or black four inch ring worms covered fish attractant. Be aware that in this type of fishing, you often feel only a tiny resistance as you lift the rod. It could be a bass or an underwater snag. Set the hook when in doubt and be surprised as you see a largemouth or crappie at the other end.
Other winter lures that do the job are blade baits like the Silver Buddy and Cicada, as well as small silver or gold spoons that can be fished vertically, in a jigging fashion. The best areas for this type of angling have been the Spoils Cove near Wilson Bridge, the Fox Ferry Point stretch, and the Blue Plains treatment plant; also some of the midway portions of the Mattawoman Creek.
Club Clerk Lamar Sessoms, Jr. says the cold, late winter and early spring weather will cause Potomac River anglers to experience excellent runs of white perch throughout the month while using blookworms, night crawlers, clam snout and shad darts. 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 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 Fetcher's Boathouse and Chain Bridge. Shore anglers will catch their share by using bloodworms 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.
Cut perch, herring and shad will take their share of large catfish between Chain and Key bridges. Provided that the river stays low, the rocky shoreline of this part of the river 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. Coordinator Vincent Sessoms reports good fishing on the tidal Potomac River. Anglers are catching large and smallmouth bass, yellow perch and an occasional walleye on dark colored grubs. Bank fishermen at the Alexandria Power Plant are catching channel catfish on chicken livers, night crawlers or live minnows.
From Fort Washington Light to Marshall Hall, slowly fished grubs, spinner baits, spoons and Bettle Spins will take bass, white and yellow perch when fished on the outside edge of bends in the creeks. Hot bass lures have been 3/8 ounce Big Mouth spinnerbait in chartreuse Colorado and gold Indiana blades, chartreuse/blue/white skirt; Buzzbaits 3/8 oz in white or black; 1/4 oz. firetiger Brush Baby crankbait; 4 inch green pumpkin Mizmo tubes with a 1/16 to 1/8 InSider and a 4 in. pumpkin seed Case Magic Stick on a 3/0 wide gap hook. Now is the time for crappie when using small minnows and jigs around the piers in D.C.'s Washington Channel, The Spoils and Swan Creek. At Possum Point Power Plant, fishermen are catching lots of catfish, white perch and a few Bass.
Morgantown Bridge anglers are still catching and releasing large numbers of rockfish using half ounce bucktails and four inch Sassy Shads in white, yellow and pearl. Allowing the jigs to sink to the bottom and bouncing them along with the current caused by the warm water discharged is the best method. The yellow perch have scattered along the river various creek mouths and can be taken from woody areas in shallow water when fishing for crappie on medium minnows or chartreuse twister tail grubs.
Coordinator Carl Lathan says anglers looking for that trophy bass of the season should concentrate on deep-water structure, particularly submerged eel grass, hydrilla or milfoil beds. Try slow rolling spinner baits or running cranks just above the vegetation. Another tactic is to helicopter short arm willow leaf spinnerbaits beside vertical walls or over vegetation. This free falling technique is highly effective in the late winter and early spring seasons.
When experimenting with underwater structure, don't forget to count down the crank baits as they sink. This works good for suspended Bass and helps anglers get back to the depth that the fish are holding in a hurry. Since most cranks have action built into the lure begin with a slow and steady retrieve. Occasionally alter the retrieve by darting the crank frantically for a few feet before slowing back down or letting the crank free fall.
Non-boating Bass anglers can take advantage of a reliable early spring Smallmouth fishery farther upstream on the Potomac at the Montgomery County Pepco power plant at Dickerson, MD. Along with the Bass, anglers will find an ample supply of Bluegill, Catfish and large Carp. Live small to medium minnows under a bobber work good for the Bass and night crawlers will take just about everything else. Crayfish colors work best when using tube jigs and grubs. Also try yellow and white twister tail or crappie jigs. 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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