basser89

I still have a few 1st gen Accurists that I still use and they work as well now as they did then. As others have said, there's lemons out there from all the companies.

Steve, I wish I could comment on the water temps but I can't seem to ever remember to take my thermometer with me when I go. :-[ Weekdays are usually alot better but I've also gone early in the morning before on the weekends and been lucky a few times as well. Tubes and cranks have probably produced the best for me but I'm planning on throwing some spider grubs in there this winter as well. There's a couple key spots I try to hit (if fishing pressure allows) and they're all along that stretch. If the whole stretch is covered. I do know 2-3 spots down south of there that I can hit as well. The one spot is a hike though so I don't usually go there unless its absolutely unavoidable.

You're right about it being a lot more expensive! And it hurts twice as much when one takes a bait! I haven't had the opportunity to figure 8 one yet but the rush I get when I see one tracking a bait is right up there! Even get the jimmy leg if its a beast! ;D

Depends on your timing Steve. Yeah, I've been there plenty of times where its been all but shoulder to shoulder but I've had other times where I've had to whole place to myself and did well. Mostly in numbers but I've seen larger smallies come out of there as well. If its crowded at the discharge and the canal isn't frozen, that area can be very rewarding too! I live in Williamsport, so yeah, I've fished there for several years now as well. Unless levels are up, there's not many places to fish if the discharge itself is crowded. I've seen that small area pretty close to shoulder to shoulder too. I actually think there's more spots to fish at Dickerson than Williamsport.

Nice smallie and striper! Congrats!

Hey wv, I fish year round. When the lakes get iced over, there are 2 warm water discharge areas I fish on the Potomac that I can still hit. They do get crowded when they're running the warm water but if you beat the crowds, the action can be good! If there's no ice on the river, I'll still get my boat out from time to time in the winter as well and have done ok with smallies, walleye and musky in november and december too. But you're right, the action does slow down. I've only managed a couple of outings on the Potomac (from shore recently). The best day I had was below one of the dams. Only had 2 small smallies, a 2 1/2lb largemouth and a 19" walleye. Jerkbaits and cranks did the trip on that outing and the water was super shallow! Not sure what the cost of the out of state license would run you. I pretty sure MD does the reciprical charging so my guess is, it would cost you the same as the out of state license for WV. Hope this helps!

Congrats! Low 40 inch range? What did you catch her on?

Cool deal! Wish I would have been able to join ya! Maybe another time.

I've used both (in 10, 14, 17 and 20#) and prefer Siege. To me, Elite has more memory than Siege. Both do cast well and are abrasion resistant but the memory causes me to give the nod to Siege.

BrianinMD and I hit Black Hills after work today. We decided to hit the channel that runs back to the stick ups area (by the visitors center). Brian managed 2 small bass on the upper end of the channel before I got there, then we hit the back end of the channel when I finally showed up. We both blanked back there. Brian did see one bass break the surface way out in the middle of the channel. We have a visitor briefly too. Just about at dark, an owl lit in a tree just about above Brian's head. LOL

Yeah, the frog was probably my top producer there this year. I hope they get things turned around in there by next year. It's a fun place to fish if you only have a little time to get out. I've actually caught fish from one end of the pond to the next. I'd say the more productive area for paralleling the shore is down by the reeds. I've heard people tell me, never witnessed, citiation size bass from down on that end. I've had most of my better fish come from out off the shore.

Hey Steve, The past 2 years, the grass has gotten out of control at the pond at Middletown but I can assure you, the bass are in there, some good ones too! I've caught citation size bass in there. My best out of Cunningham is a 5 and a half pounder (from shore) and I've seen better ones than that in the spring!

I've heard they're in there but I've never seen any yet.

Hey Steve, Welcome to THE boards! There's a lot of great anglers on here that you can learn from! Probably the most popular spot I've fished this year in Frederick county has been the community pond in Middletown. I got to fish Cunningham with BrianinMD earlier in the year. If you see me around, be sure to stop and say hey! If you have any questions about local waters I may be able to help you with, let me know!

Gonna melt? ;D I never liked you. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Actually, its up in the air on what I do this weekend anyway. The ex can't make up her mind on what's going on this weekend (concerning our daughter). Go figure.

I can't believe I forgot to mention the BPS Magnum Flippin Tubes!!! Thanks for the reminder BRR!

Interesting! And of course, they're calling for rain this weekend. :-/

Congrats jake! That little BUM of a partner of yours was supposed to let me know how y'all made out! LOL! I really miss fishing at Pinchot! Jealous I be! ;D

I'll second that one! Love their fluro!!! I have also had success with the BPS XPS Extreme Crank and Static Shad crankbaits and the Lazer Eye Series spinnerbaits.

Great posts Hellbenderman! And I apologize that I hadn't replied back to your email yet!!! I've seen the same thing with with the muskies. I can tell you they stopped stocking Tigers in there back in '04. If you do tie into a musky, you can bet it's going to be keeper size or larger! The last tiger I fought with at Black Hills was pushing 40-45" (yeah, it won that battle). I don't believe bass are the tigers main forage. I think you're going to find they'll go for bluegill and crappie first. Basser, check your PM's. I got you some Potomac info. Hope it helps!!!

Yeah, with the Hancock gauge, I like to see it around 5-6' maybe a little higher at times but 5-6' puts the Potomac at a good level for Dickerson. Its entirely possible you did see a musky. From the DNR reports I've heard about, there's starting to be a population of them down in that neck of the river. Outside of Dickerson and the Landers area, the furthest south I've fished on the Potomac has been Dam 3. Oh yeah, check your PM's and shoot one back at me.

Congrats on the new PB! I'm going to say 6lbs 4oz.

Last time I was at Dickerson was 9/24 but only fished the canal. Not sure what gauge you're checking but the half a foot rise I see (I reference the Hancock gauge) at the levels its at now, isn't going to make that much of a difference. I'd like to see the levels come up another foot to foot and a half. To me, that would put the sections of the Potomac back at a decent level again.

Something I do (usually in the winter when I can't get out) is tie my own! I use them mainly for smallies in the Potomac. The jigheads I've been using have just been a regular ball head jig with no weedguard. Its a pretty rewarding feeling when you catch one on a bucktail you made yourself! The way I usually fish them is just drift them along with the current and pop them off the bottom from time to time. That's what's worked best for me. Actually tie a few BIG ones (on a saltwater darter jighead w/no weed guard) up for musky before too and caught a decent one swimming it.

I think I can speak for MskSlyr on this one since I was there. She was actually pretty thick. but (as the pic shows) did taper off so she'll definitely be putting on more weight! Wish I could see her in the spring but the land owner doesn't allow anyone to fish the pond until well after the spawn is over. I wasn't too far off on my guestimate on the weight before he weighed her. I guessed 7 1/2. If I had to take a swag at a prespawn weight, I'd say she'll be somewhere around 9-9 1/4. Just a guess though. MskSlyr has landed a 10lbr out of that pond before so they definitely can hit double digits there!