Basser714

Maybe if anyone here has any connections at the DNR or Fisheries, maybe request to get some Shad dumped in there, or a boatload more minnows. Thanks. Otherwise, we are not going to need a bigger boat.

Bullhead Minnows heh - that indeed could be those little silver fish i see in the shallows, that i have just referred to as shad.

Thanks for the feeback. It indeed confirms my suspicions. I would have thought any old fisherman working the same body of water year to year should improve... but I regressed. So it sounds like it was not just me. I saw what I would say were large schools of pan fish in 2010 but lord knows they probably got cleaned out pretty good. Tough economy, you know. Pan fishing ground zero. I dont know if pans health and well being are a factor or not. If I see any Shags eating our shads, I am going to bring my red rider and plink their ***** to scoot them on their merry way. Even at risk for shooting my eye out. It would be great B89 if you could work your ends to get the DNR to get things back moving forward. And anything you can do on those pesky panshore fisherman eerrr cormorants - that would be great. I killed myself to beat my personal best last year and failed miserably.

Hello boys, I am back from my winter slumber. Its time to dust off the rods and place an order at Bass Pro. BH Guides, i have to admit I thought I was going to be landing bigger fish at BH in 2010 than I did in 2009, but it didnt happen. The biggest I got last year was a 5lb, the year before a 6. It was more than that, many less 4s and 5s, lots more 2's and 3's etc. Was anyone else expecting bigger bass in 2010 but didnt really see it?

Great looking fishes hellbender. I went out and tried my same tactic that landed my 6 a year ago. I tossed out my big worm deep, and got 3 very light very faint bites over the course of an hour, but when I set the hook, they had spat out the goods.

Smallies for Lunch! He is covered in dirt from flopping around after straightening my hook. I would guess he was about 2- 2.5 pounds or so. I cranked my lizard like a spinnerbait and he pounced on it. Bouncing and working the bottom slow was useless along the lower upper.

I havent been able to fish much at all this year. But reading about the cant feel bites Hell mentioned, I am reminded of a trip exactly a year ago when I got my worlds record catch, never felt a thing, saw my line moving upwind / upcurrent. Keep tight lines and eyes on the line using worms this time of year and you may get a big reward. I gotta get out, reading these posts is making me want to call in sick.

Ok so yeah what's up with the cheese alert? I need a new lure so hook us up (no pun intended) I have been real busy this summer but need to get out more often to salvage the year.

I went back out today, hell bent on catching a bass! I knew they were there, but I got shutout for 1.5 hours, than caught 5 in 15 minutes. The weekend is saved! I had to switch colors to green pumpkin to get bites, none of my normal colors worked. Well, it was that or the arriving storm or low pressure front, the timing was the same. Thanks for sharing your thoughts WV, I agree the cooler temps probably slowed the expected spawn.

I got out to black hill this weekend, and it seems that we are still in prespawn, but that the fish are not feeding as aggressively. Is that normal right before the spawn, for the voracious feeding of the past few weeks to slow down, or was it more likely the colder weather we had the past few days? I figure they would be still feeding, and its more the cold weather. Since i got shutout, i figured i would ask. I didnt even see much walking the shore. Good luck all

I worked the Potomac just north of chain bridge during lunch. The river was a bit high and cloudy. In my hour there, I only saw a small small jump out of the water. There were some tiny bait fish near shore at least. There arent many smalls there, but the few i got last year were big. A buddy reported some action on the BH south side... the water is warming up fast I imagine, but do expect action to slow down just a tad with the cooler weather predicted.

AHHHH! Good for you. I was stuck on shore roaming the forests.

Checked out Lake Frank for the first time. Water was about 50 degrees and with no action I moved up to Rileys. It was still muddy and a bit high. We didnt get any smalls, so we ran to BHills and worked the eastern side to complete the shutout. Not a bite all day, but it was fun. Hundred times better than work as usual.

yep its been clear and cold in my parts

HBM hell yeah that helps. Trying to confirm which one the left creek is... i assume its by boat, leaving the dock, and head left after the boat rental. Looking at this link to a satellite image, its easy to see where the shallow warm water would be... on the east side http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS322US322&q=map+20878&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Gaithersburg,+MD+20878&gl=us&ei=2mK1S6zvDYO78ganwqHIBA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAsQ8gEwAA

I went to the south cove at Black Hill for an hour and had no bites. My old thermometer read 51 degrees again. The link below estimates water temps, and shows BH estimated to be at 48 based on recent weather events. Of course, it doesnt say at what depth but I assume its at the surface. Again, I believe the north side of most all lakes should be warmer.

I hope Hellbender is having a great day out there. Maybe you can file your report tonight! If you say its slow, I may head down to the lower Potomac tomorrow. I heard the creeks temps dropped down there, but imagine they will be climbing soon. I get fishing reports from the link below, but usually use the search feature since its for all states. To get the lower potomac, you have to search for Tidal Potomac. Or you can just browse the entire list. http://www../bassfish/reports/index.html Here is the latest update for the Tidal Potomac: Date Fished: 3/29/2010 Water Temperature: 52 Water Clarity: 1 foot We experienced a five to ten degree drop in water temperatures over the week. The most stable temperatures were in the main river and in the first 1/3 of the creeks. We concentrated our efforts in the most stable areas that had decent water conditions and had good success through the week on a variety of patterns and baits. The high end of the tide would find us on main river rocky points or gravel banks where grass was present. Slowly worked rattle baits or quick diving crank baits were productive as were Mann's grubs or Berkley Chigger craws. More and more quality keeper size bass were found on grass flats near the mouths of creeks or in main river bays where bass showed a preference for a red eye shad, Storm Thin Fin, Chatter Baits and plastic creature baits or jig and craw combo's. Good bass could be caught on the lower ends of the tide along creek ledges bordered by emerging spatterdock fields. We'd work the shallow parts off the ledge with jerk baits, rattle baits, spinner baits or chatter baits. The deeper parts of the ledge were plied with grubs and Chigger Craws. Wood continued to show nice bass that were attracted to Chatter Baits or a slow rolled spinner bait followed up with a craw or jig and craw combos as well as plastic worms. Waters should start to warm again by weeks end with 80 degree temperatures predicted.

Black Hill was 56 recently? Sweet. I presume the southern end i usually work has got to be colder than the northern end. I havent calibrated my therm but think its close to accurate. I need to work the northern part of the lake and calibrate it that way! Friday the weather is going to nice. Will have to toss some beer and suntan lotion in with the army of soft plastics I have horded. POR just peaked at 11.5 feet and is coming back down.

I am cough thinking about getting sick on Friday. I wonder what the water temps will be at Black Hill. Those deep reservoirs... i expect it to be maybe 51 or 52 degree's max. Maybe 10 Mile will be warmest and maybe have some fish there already. The upper is going to be raging I imagine. i was thinking Dickerson/canal could be a backup plan. I sure hope this latest rain doesnt rough up the smallies. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=01638500&agency_cd=USGS

Black Hill Report - Water 50 degrees and a bit stained in Pesky Polluters Cove - near the bridge. I shored it for about 2 hours and can definitively report no bites at all, on worms cranks or spinners on all depths up and down the cove. Saw two boaters go by. I did run into the MD State Record holder for Blue Cat at Dicks. My next trip to Piscataway may be for cat. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/tournament/staterecords/bluecatstrec.html

I have heard the northwest part of lakes heat up first. I presume its the same with reservoirs and Black Hill. I thought about making the hike into 10 mile for my next shore expedition... my two trips to the southern end landed me nothing. Thanks for the report hellbent

Went to Piscataway today. Water was 59 degrees, and muddy. We combined for 6 large including a 4 pounder and the rest ~2 or less. Spinner baits and soft plastics worked, jigs and cranks... failed. A commercial fisherman had the ramp all blocked when we were leaving. They hauled out 6 big tubs of catfish. Their boat looked like a tank on the water.

Breaker 89 I was down near the bridge on shore. I havent had any luck yet though... spinner bait you say. Definitely appreciate your post in here for us locals. I am not sure where the bass are yet but am really happy to see you landed some, as I willl be there again soon.

Went to BHill tonight. Saw something big splashing across the lake, but no bass sightings. Water temp was 49 degrees at shore.

Hey everyone. I have made my first expedition of the year to Bass Pro Shops. Needless to say, all my tackle boxes were already packed to the gills from last year. Who cares, its time to use errr lose some. So I am thinking the warm weather predicted for later this week a perfect time to get back out. I heard this Tidal Potomac report thanks to Reel Bass Adventures: