07-24-2004, 04:09 AM
[left]The middle Potomac presents many fishing opportunities this time of the year and Mike Bowman sent in a report from an excellent trip he experienced. Peter Ziff caught his first bass on the Potomac River Saturday afternoon. We started at![[Image: 0721potomc_lmb_pz.jpg]](http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/art2004/0721album/0721potomc_lmb_pz.jpg)
5 pm and drifted down between the islands on the Maryland side of Watkins Island, (below Seneca brakes and above Great falls). The bass action was hot! They slammed a 4 inch black worm with a bright yellow tail, that was rigged hook rigged weedless. Thanks to Jill Pollack for figuring out how much the bass loved it last week. We landed at least 15 bass, with at least twice that many hitting the worm but not taking the hook. With great commotion in the boat, Peter learned how to take the hook out of a flopping fish. As we headed back to Penny Field lock at sunset, we trolled with a spinner bait and we could barely get anywhere without having to stop to reel in another fish. The lower section of the Potomac has been providing good largemouth bass fishing early in the morning and late in the evening. Fishermen report good fishing around the bridge foundations of the Wilson Bridge using tubes, jigs and crankbaits. Farther down the river the grass beds in Broad, Piscataway and Mattawomen Creeks are holding bass and providing good top water action. Creek ledges and sunken wood are good locations to use crawfish colored crankbaits and smaller jig and pig combinations. Most veteran bass fishermen would agree it is a good idea to downsize some offerings this time of the year. Many bass fishermen are talking about using small lures such as 4” plastic worms and the Mann’s Baby 1-Minus crankbait.[/left] [left]The reports from the Baltimore County reservoirs this week have been sparse, but it would be a safe bet that the bass action there is still an early morning and late evening situation. Small crankbaits and Carolina rigged 4” worms or drop shot rigged worms worked over points and sunken structure is always a good bet this time of the year. Rick Skapura of Eldersburg, Maryland had a little surprise on Sunday while fishing Rocky Gorge. I was hesitant to head out on Sunday July 18, considering the forecast. I’m glad I did! This is the first tiger muskie I’ve ever caught. This guy hit a 2 oz jigging spoon in 25 feet of water off of a point about 100 yards from the Route 29 Bridge at Rocky Gorge. After biting holes in the net and hooking itself in the belly it was released (spoon removed of course) and sped away in good shape. It weighed 15 lbs on a digital scale and was 36” in length. Jim Gronaw from Piney Run Park sent us a report from last Friday’s night bass tournament. The winning anglers were working the deep edges of the hydrilla beds with spinnerbaits. There was only 2/100’s of an ounce between 1[font "Tahoma"]st[/font][font "tahoma,verdana,helvetica"] and 2[/font][font "Tahoma"]nd[/font][font "tahoma,verdana,helvetica"] place; that’s close![/left][/font]
5 pm and drifted down between the islands on the Maryland side of Watkins Island, (below Seneca brakes and above Great falls). The bass action was hot! They slammed a 4 inch black worm with a bright yellow tail, that was rigged hook rigged weedless. Thanks to Jill Pollack for figuring out how much the bass loved it last week. We landed at least 15 bass, with at least twice that many hitting the worm but not taking the hook. With great commotion in the boat, Peter learned how to take the hook out of a flopping fish. As we headed back to Penny Field lock at sunset, we trolled with a spinner bait and we could barely get anywhere without having to stop to reel in another fish. The lower section of the Potomac has been providing good largemouth bass fishing early in the morning and late in the evening. Fishermen report good fishing around the bridge foundations of the Wilson Bridge using tubes, jigs and crankbaits. Farther down the river the grass beds in Broad, Piscataway and Mattawomen Creeks are holding bass and providing good top water action. Creek ledges and sunken wood are good locations to use crawfish colored crankbaits and smaller jig and pig combinations. Most veteran bass fishermen would agree it is a good idea to downsize some offerings this time of the year. Many bass fishermen are talking about using small lures such as 4” plastic worms and the Mann’s Baby 1-Minus crankbait.[/left] [left]The reports from the Baltimore County reservoirs this week have been sparse, but it would be a safe bet that the bass action there is still an early morning and late evening situation. Small crankbaits and Carolina rigged 4” worms or drop shot rigged worms worked over points and sunken structure is always a good bet this time of the year. Rick Skapura of Eldersburg, Maryland had a little surprise on Sunday while fishing Rocky Gorge. I was hesitant to head out on Sunday July 18, considering the forecast. I’m glad I did! This is the first tiger muskie I’ve ever caught. This guy hit a 2 oz jigging spoon in 25 feet of water off of a point about 100 yards from the Route 29 Bridge at Rocky Gorge. After biting holes in the net and hooking itself in the belly it was released (spoon removed of course) and sped away in good shape. It weighed 15 lbs on a digital scale and was 36” in length. Jim Gronaw from Piney Run Park sent us a report from last Friday’s night bass tournament. The winning anglers were working the deep edges of the hydrilla beds with spinnerbaits. There was only 2/100’s of an ounce between 1[font "Tahoma"]st[/font][font "tahoma,verdana,helvetica"] and 2[/font][font "Tahoma"]nd[/font][font "tahoma,verdana,helvetica"] place; that’s close![/left][/font]