rondef

My grandfather taught me to fish on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.

I am thinking of headed to Black Hill State Park in Maryland Saturday this weekend. Anyone in Northern VA interested in going with me? I have room for three other people. We will need a MD license to fish which we can purchase nearby the lake.

I was talking to my Toyota Service Advisor in Gaitherburg, MD a fellow bass fisherman. He stated that I should try fishing at Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds, MD. Has anyone fished here? What can you tell me about this lake? How is the fishing at this lake? What have you caught in this lake? I see that the lake has large mouth bass and tiger musky. He gave it a 10 on a 1-10 scale. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Tight Lines, Ron

Here is the response I got from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Ronald, The pigmentation documented in your photo is quite common in tributaries of the Potomac and the Potomac proper. Occasionally we also see fish with melanosis at Lake Anna. This phenomenon is nothing to be concerned about and is not considered problematic. Thanks for your interest and concern for Virginia's natural resources. Steve Steve Owens Fisheries Biologist Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries 1320 Belman Road Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540-899-4169 office 540-899-4381 FAX steve.owens@dgif.virginia.gov

Here is the response from the VDGIF. Ronald, The pigmentation documented in your photo is quite common in tributaries of the Potomac and the Potomac proper. Occasionally we also see fish with melanosis at Lake Anna. This phenomenon is nothing to be concerned about and is not considered problematic. Thanks for your interest and concern for Virginia's natural resources. Steve Steve Owens Fisheries Biologist Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries 1320 Belman Road Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540-899-4169 office 540-899-4381 FAX steve.owens@dgif.virginia.gov

I just sent an email to VDGIF about the LMB with the hyper-pigmented melanosis. I am waiting on a response from them about this fish and what they know about it. I will post the information as soon as they get back to me. I also sent an email to Auburn University to the attention of the "Wildlife Management Department" that is studying this problem in hopes of learning more about this condition. I will keeep you all posted on any response I get back from them as well.

I started a thread under the "general bass" area and people are saying it is a pigmentation issue called hyperpigmented melanosis and it is not harmful, however Auburn University is doing a study on this problem in TN. I am going to notify VDGIF about this in case they want to research it. The only problem may be the possibilty of VDGIF closing the lake to fishing if a study is needed.

Thanks for the information. I did not want to see a disease break out in one of my favorite fishing holes.

I don't see why you should have a problem, they are still active in VA.

This black stuff does not come off I tried to see if it could be taken off and it wouldn't come off.

I am trying to find out why this bass looks this way. It has multiple black spots all over it. Anyone have any ideas why?

I went to Mercer for a couple of hours in the afternoon today. I caught 1 dink and a 3lb LMB but am concernrd about the way it looks. It has a bunch of black spots on it. Any guesses why it looks this way? I lost a large one by the dam, I yanked to hard to set the hook when I saw him hit my crankbait close to shore, he looked to be at least three pounds. I guess I am the only one posting pictures for today.

Up went the notice, they are working on the web server.

What is up with the BPS web site? It takes forever to pull up their web site and it is even slower switching between pages on their site.

I went to Mercer on Friday and again today, it was pretty cold both days. I caught seven fish ( a 2.25lb, a 1.25lb and the others were around 1lb) total between the two days, Jason caught a 2.75lb lmb yesterday. I would go again tomorrow but I have to drive my daughter to Reagan National Airport in the moring. Good luck guys, I hope someone pulls in a hog. I want to see some pictures in this thread after your trip.

Nice smallies, I may have to try that spot one day.

The Patriots are going 19-0. GO PATS!!!!

I went fishing at Lake Curtis, what a tough day of fishing. I spent 8 hours fishing a lake that is down extremely low due to the lack of rain. I spent the first six hours trying various lures and plastics and could not get anything to bite. Finally toward the end of the day I hooked up with a 2.25lb LMB on a Rat-L-Trap. This lake is one of the toughest lakes to fish that I have fished this year. I have only caught one fish in two trips to this lake. Here is the picture of the LMB I caught.

Rob, I would go but I am going to Bass Pro Shop first thing in the morning. I plan on being there when they open at 8:00 AM. How's your daughter doing? I hope she is feeling a little better. Ron

Andy, Where is Beaver Dam?

I have only caught one LMB (1.25lbs) there and I have been there twice. I will most likely try it again and see if I can catch some LMBs.

Domion Dan, Three of us are going down to Lake Curtis and you are welcome to come on down. We are leaving Woodbridge at 7:30 AM and should be down there around 8:00 AM.

Andy, I told Jay the same thing, I guess I am just getting lucky and having my lure in the right place at the right time. Hopefully Jay will kick my butt tomorrow at Lake Curtis, he has caught fish there before and I have not, I got skunked.

Here is the 3lb LMB

I caught two more at Mercer today, a 1.25lb LMB and a 3lb LMB. Here is the 1.25lb LMB.