Bill Poch

There's just something about being out in the woods or on the water in a nice secluded place all alone. The only care in the world is should I used the pumpkin seed soft plastic or red shad crankbait. We all go fishing to catch the next big one, but I'm sure we also have in common the love for nature and quiet time spent alone in it. That is until we do catch the next big one and we want the entire world to see our fish! LOL

Yep, just below the d**n, we came up river on the left hand side and were fishing the the calmer water next to the faster discharge. I knew muskie were up there, but didn't even consider I might catch one. I was hunting smallmouth.

Well, if I ever catch another one I'll be sure to have my chainmail gloves and lip him.

Hit up d**n 5 this morning with my brothers. Water temp was 51. 1 brother had a walley, but it got off once he got it to the boat, decent size. I had a nice smallmouth, but he got off when I bent down to grab him. He was a good 15". Then I had a nice surprise, my very first Muskey. 33" 12 pounds.

Don't let the potomac scare you, the upper potomac has some great smallmouth fishing. I am far from an advanced fisherman and I formally don't have many problems on the potomac. Sure, they can be down days, but not to many. I don't know if you have a boat or bank fish. I fish the potomac from Harpers Ferry, to south of Mouth of Monocacy via Jon boat, kayak, wading. Let me know which options you have to fish and I'll expand on where to go. As for lures/bait I'll give up what works for me. Texas rigged 4" zoom lizards or baby brush hogs. Last year I tried a bunch of Texas rigged plastic craws, and those were pretty good too. I tried some Zoom super flukes too, but they worked a lot better up in Harpers Ferry, than they did lower down the river. Crankbaits are pretty good. And anything topwater. That's what works for me. I have not tried the lower potomac for largemouth yet, but form the pics posted around here, it's extremely awesome fishing

Only place I got out to was dragging my wife to Bass Pro Sat. night. If the numbers for my brothers jon boat come in this week we are hitting the upper Potomac Sunday.

This was my solution. Bestop HighRock http://www.quadratec.com/products/12034_0302_07.htm I like the fact it doesn't require any drilling and is easy to take off so I don't have to have it on all the time.

Looking for suggestions to expand my fishing techniques/baits used. I have $125 B-day money to burn at Bass pro and I'd like to pick up some things I don't normally use. I fish Black Hills for LM and the Upper potomac, normally Harpers Ferry and mouth of Monocacy for SM. I've only gotten back into fishing over the past 3 years, used to do it all the time in my early 20's. Any way my current baits I feel confident using . . For LM, I go with lipless crankbaits, plastic worms normally texas rigged, and top water poppers with the occasional buzz bait. I did pick up a wacky o ring tool, so I'm gonna try that this year. For SM, it's almost strictly plastics. 4" zoom lizards and brush hogs and several different types of plastic crawdads. I tried some zoom super flukes last year and had some real good successes with those up by Harpers Ferry. I also go with topwater poppers or jitter bugs along with rebel crawfish crank baits. I'll definitely pick up a few spinner baits, but they are by far my lest confident lure I use. Either I don't know how to fish them, or I fish them wrong. Help me spend my money. I'll add that I bank fish, wade, have a kayak, and jon boat.

I checked out the pond in Middletown since I was dropping my kid of for a Bday party on Sat, it was 95% still covered in ice. The pond in Baker Park was clear of ice, but I didn't give it a shot.

Should almost hit 60 this Sat but then another cold spell bringing us back in to the low 30's. With the warmth this week would it even be worth getting out on Sat afternoon. I don't know how fast the ponds warm up, I have 2 near me. Thinking about hitting dickerson put with all the rain/snow it's going to be super muddy and I've not had luck shore fishing there.

What Brian said, there is parking and a trail at the 121 bridge. I've never launched there just fished. Welcome aboard, I'm from Frederick too. I mainly fish Blackhills, Potomac, Monocacy, and a few creeks in Fredneck. I have a kayak and share a Jon boat with my bros.

Buddy of mine hit Buckeystown park on the Monocacy last week and landed 5, and he's not much of a fisherman. I'm trying to get out there this weekend, but with a Kid and working wife, not sure if I'll make it.

I wonder if Mouth of Monocacy is open since that's not on the C&O canal?

If you had a choice to fish d**n 4 or d**n 5 on the potomac this weekend, which one would be the better choice?

The backwash area is by the boat ramp. When you 1st enter the park, your first right will go towards the boat ramp. The road goes over the lake, on the right side is the backwash area. I fish both sides of the road. Didn't have any luck last night, just 1 little guy. My brother and I threw just about everything in our tackle box at em.

Running down the Black Hills tonight to fish the backwash. Hopefully I'll have the same luck I did last week. Managed a 4 -5 pounder, of course I left my scale in the Jeep. Not this time.

Anybody put a boat in at Brunswick? I'd like to check it out with my brother on our Jon boat. Just not sure how deep/rocky it is for our outboard.

I fished Black Hills tonight from about 6 - 8:30. I hit the stick ups 1st and didn't catch a thing. Ran over to the back wash around 8:00 and managed 2 on a 4" soft plastic crawfish. 2nd one was between 4 -5 pounds on the main lake side.

Hit Potomac today. Put in a Mouth of Monocacy and floated to White's Ferry. Caught my PB Smallmouth just up from the ferry. 16.5" 2.71 pounds

You ever try to target tigers in there? I'd love to try that one day.

Waded the Potomac up by Harpers Ferry last night with my brother. Managed a few nice ones on a white super fluke. This is about the average size I was catching

Slow for me this past week. I went to Black Hills Tuesday night from about 6:00 - 8:30. Only managed 1 in the 2lb range. I took the Kayak out on the Potomac Sat. Put in at the Mouth of Monocacy and paddled up to the first island. Caught 3 smallies, the biggest only going 12". I missed a few too. I'm hitting my secret creek tomorrow night with my brother for some redemption, it's usually a pretty hot spot. Thurs I'm going to wade around Harpers Ferry and Sat. taking the Jon boat out on the potomac with my brother. I'm hoping for a better fishing week.

Wow, nice. I ran over there last night for a bit, couldn't get anything. Last week I did get a nice 4 pounder out of there though.

Ha, yes it was. You talked to my brother. I don't even think to wonder when I see someone out fishing if they are a member of this board.

My brother and I hit Black Hills up tonight, only managed 1 fish about 2 pounds.