I was using greens in the Pumpkin/Watermelon ranges and Junebug/Redbug worms.  Every time I lost a worm I would swap out to a different color/worm and it didn't seem to matter.  

 

The Culprits I tried hopping, dragging, and slow-crawling with the reel. Nothing seemed to tempt them, which is odd as they would gladly hit the flick-shake worms deadsticked on the bottom.  

 

As for the jig, it is just a tungsten "bell" formed onto the hook.  I like them as they are relatively snag-resistant and when they get stuck-in they really seem to hold on, but the missed hooksets bug me. I might try to bend them out a little so the hookpoint isn't as inline with the eye.  

Brian usually does this but he didn't this time....

 

There is a FOBA tournament at Black Hills tomorrow, I'm posting just in case someone might see this and not be shocked at all the boats there in the morning.  I think last count was 17 or 18 boats and we'll be launching at 6AM and pulling out at 3PM.  Will be a bit hectic around the ramp around those times.  

 

The tournament itself is not open, you need to be a member (but membership is always open )...But if you're there and want more info feel free to ask anyone.  Anyone is welcome to hang out at the weigh in if they want too...We do catch-weigh-release (MLF Style) at BH because of the funky size limits so there won't be any fish to see, we just run through the results/standings.  

 

If you are there and see a black/blue Skeeter, that's me...Feel free to say hi.  

Ok fellas as mentioned in a previous post i will be spending next week in Williamsport MD. I am leaving the boat home as this vacation is primarily for my daughter. I will be fishing on foot from anywhere 15 - 20 min from Williamsport. Mostly interested in smallmouth and largemouth. I have tubes, neds, crankbaits, ect. Lure selection will not be an issue. If anyone has any information on areas I would greatly appreciate it. PM is fine if you dont want to put it on the main board. Any information is appreciated and I will take care of any area I am directed to. 

 

The Rat strikes again!  I picked up a smaller 40 sized one and it seems to get hit just as much as the big 50's.  

 

I had a painful day today fishing a Huddgill.  I had six bass on and didn't land a single one.  All where solid hits and I had weight on enough to bend my rod anywhere from 5-15 seconds.  Two of the six came to the surface and thew the lure, the rest just came off during the fight.  One of them was painfully big too, he grabbed it right at the bank, I had like 10' of line out, didn't stand a chance.  I know they are a low-hookup lure, but it is driving me insane.  I have a Mattlures top hook but the action stinks compared to the Hudd and a SG gill with two small trebles, but it does not seem to get hit nearly as often as the Huddgill.  I am going to keep at it but man it is so frustrating.  

Did you check the Hudd hook? Maybe it's just slightly dull...how about the barb?

 

When I frog fish, I go for a double hook set just to make sure, I reel down very quickly and snap the rod straight up.

Ok fellas as mentioned in a previous post i will be spending next week in Williamsport MD. I am leaving the boat home as this vacation is primarily for my daughter. I will be fishing on foot from anywhere 15 - 20 min from Williamsport. Mostly interested in smallmouth and largemouth. I have tubes, neds, crankbaits, ect. Lure selection will not be an issue. If anyone has any information on areas I would greatly appreciate it. PM is fine if you dont want to put it on the main board. Any information is appreciated and I will take care of any area I am directed to. 

 

 

Here are a few smallies from Williamsport and a few from the tournament bag Saturday.

We weighed in a respectable 16.41

Got out to Mattawoman with @fishwizzard yesterday morning at dawn just as the tide was coming in. Started hitting grass edges with poppers and scored a snakehead on the Evergreen OB.

 

 

Fishwizard also stuck with a topwater plan and was throwing a BBZ40 rat and got slammed by a 3.5lber about 6 feet from the boat. (Leaving a picture of his bass out unless he's OK with posting it).

 

I switched up to a popping frog because the popper was catching a lot of submerged grass and got rewarded with a new PB snakehead, a bit over 8lbs.

 

 

Got a few more hits on toads and lost a couple in the thick pads, and the bite was too sporadic to stick around in the heat and left by 10:30AM and got some George's BBQ on 210 on the way out.  

 

Very fun day and learned a few things fishing with Fishwizard.

I had a blast, it was my first time fishing out of a non-kayak boat and oh man is it so much nicer pitcing the big rat without having to worry about keeping my balance.  

 

George’s BBQ is amazing and I am shocked and disappointed that I had never heard of it before.  I have been going to B&J Carryout for years but somehow never found George’s!

 

I had also never seen a SH anywhere close to 8lb before, just trying to force it’s mouh open to get the fishgrips in was a challenge.  

 

I learned a ton about SH fishing and heavy cover fishing in general from Junger and had a great time overall.  

Nice! SoMd has a bunch of really good BBQ places. Try T&Js or Randy's next time. There is a newish place on 381 in Brandywine near the firehouse, and a few guys set up roadside on weekends.

 

T

33 minutes ago, reason said:

There is a newish place on 381 in Brandywine near the firehouse, and a few guys set up roadside on weekends.

 

T

If you mean “Texas 202” in Brandywine then I cannot recomend it enough.  Their brisket is out of this world, wet, fatty, and perfect the dozen times I have had it.  The sauce is the closest to a real TX sauce as I have found around here. They also serve bodain, which I have never found before in MD. 

58 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

If you mean “Texas 202” in Brandywine then I cannot recomend it enough.  Their brisket is out of this world, wet, fatty, and perfect the dozen times I have had it.  The sauce is the closest to a real TX sauce as I have found around here. They also serve bodain, which I have never found before in MD. 

Stop it! We'll have all your beltway buddies coming down here.

The winter shows/flea markets do a nice job with pit beef samiches too...

The Peruvian chicken in Waldorf (where the Sports Authority used to be) is very good, get lots of green sauce.

1 hour ago, reason said:

Nice! SoMd has a bunch of really good BBQ places. Try T&Js or Randy's next time. There is a newish place on 381 in Brandywine near the firehouse, and a few guys set up roadside on weekends.

 

Hah, well, I want the guy to stay in business so I try to send people his way.  He shares a parking lot with Crab Boss, which also rules.  

 

They both are randomly closed all the time, so it’s best to call first.  

 

 

I'm so envious of you guys in SoMD and all the awesome BBQ/crabshacks. These guys would make a killing if they opened up on 355...must be the cost of rent.

 

We have Mission BBQ which is a great spot to go with the kids, pretty good pulled pork and brisket...but their ribs are meh.

31 minutes ago, Junger said:

I'm so envious of you guys in SoMD and all the awesome BBQ/crabshacks. These guys would make a killing if they opened up on 355...must be the cost of rent.

 

We have Mission BBQ which is a great spot to go with the kids, pretty good pulled pork and brisket...but their ribs are meh.

MD is tough for bbq.  There are some good spots up by Bmore and I have found others scattered around the state, but so much of it (esp the pork) is dull and over sauced with sweet gross katsup tasting trash.  

 

Fishing is all good times and fun, BBQ is serious f’ing business. 

I fished Black Hills this past Sunday. While I was taking the kayak out by the bridge I saw a Snakehead shallow protecting its fry.  Fish was at least 24 inches if not more. So, let's hope they don't screw up that fishery.

1 hour ago, Bill Poch said:

I fished Black Hills this past Sunday. While I was taking the kayak out by the bridge I saw a Snakehead shallow protecting its fry.  Fish was at least 24 inches if not more. So, let's hope they don't screw up that fishery.

Did you get pictures or call the DNR?  There are signs with info to contact if you see SH at BH.

Have heard there have been multiple caught there also. With the amount of grass and food there it they take hold they will flourish and get large quickly. With that clean water they will taste great, any I get will become dinner.

14 hours ago, Junger said:

Did you get pictures or call the DNR?  There are signs with info to contact if you see SH at BH.

I did both. Not the best pic though.

Does DNR still poison/drain ponds when they find snakeheads? 

Definitely a SH, hope they don’t drain and poison the fishery. 

3 hours ago, BrianinMD said:

Have heard there have been multiple caught there also. With the amount of grass and food there it they take hold they will flourish and get large quickly. With that clean water they will taste great, any I get will become dinner.

Agreed, I think if they do take hold, they’ll be kept in check by all the fishing done there.

Was only a matter of time...I really hope that authorities somehow catch some of the people transplanting them and make an example out of them.  I don't think they'll poison BH to get rid of them, its big enough that it would probably be cost-prohibitive to do so.  

Does anyone here spend a lot of time on Rocky Gorge? I'm getting an Ultrex and I think being able to sit at the console and stare at my graph while moving down the lake could open the place up to me. Are there smallmouth? Is the largemouth fishing good?

On 7/10/2018 at 6:58 AM, ptomacbass said:

Does anyone here spend a lot of time on Rocky Gorge? I'm getting an Ultrex and I think being able to sit at the console and stare at my graph while moving down the lake could open the place up to me. Are there smallmouth? Is the largemouth fishing good?

Never seen a smallie out of there; plenty of largies though.  I'm breaking in my fishfinder over there this Sunday.

Went to Clopper Lake from 7PM-8:45PM, it was posted that they close at 8:30PM, but I talked to some people and they don't close the gates until dark. 

 

This is the second time I've fished here in the last 20 years or so. First time was in the spring and the water was really cold, and the lake was crystal clear so I could see the huge drop off about 30 yards from the banks. This time, the bank flats were full of hydrilla and I couldn't see where the drop offs were. I was throwing a Rico popper the whole time, and I started from the boathouse and went all the way to the right almost to the dam, only hits from bluegills. I headed back to the boathouse where I parked my car at 8:30 and threw 2 more casts near the boats and picked up two small guys.

 

 

I'm not sure how to fish this lake from the bank, since I think all the good fishing spots are only accessible by kayak or a pond prowler.

 

I have walked the entire lake a few times and there are a few spots on the far side from the boathouse and a few more scattered around the lake, but yea, it is not super great for bank fishing.  I don't make it out that way very often though, just when fishing with friends on that side of the beltway.