tournament went bad...skunked! We had 45 participants and there were 5 boat tourneys out of Smallwood. There was no open water whatsoever! Bluebird skies didnt help at all...50.5 inches was the winning total. 

Went to the loch Saturday and caught this 4.76 along with a few other bass and a ton of pikerel. By the looks of her tail it won't be long until they're on beds.

Tried out my new waders for the first time! Went to the Monocacy near Buckeystown and managed to catch this little guy! Couldn't be happier though.  On a little Mepps spinner in a break behind a rock!

A bunch of aggressive fish on beds right now. I don't sight fish for them, but caught quite a few while in the areas, I finally felt guilty so started pitching hookless baits, and observing reactions. Learned a lot. 

Next week marks the beginning of operation "Early Season Channa". Unfortunately I don't think all of the Special Forces Team assembled for the job are coming home.

3 hours ago, reason said:

A bunch of aggressive fish on beds right now. I don't sight fish for them, but caught quite a few while in the areas, I finally felt guilty so started pitching hookless baits, and observing reactions. Learned a lot. 

Next week marks the beginning of operation "Early Season Channa". Unfortunately I don't think all of the Special Forces Team assembled for the job are coming home.

That's mighty fine purdy colors.  Thanks for inspiring my next trip to Bass Pro.

 

A coworker of mine has been singing the praises of a lure like this.  He uses a Sluggo though I believe.  

any ideas where i could find a topographical map of Little Seneca lake?

2 hours ago, Willbroberg said:

any ideas where i could find a topographical map of Little Seneca lake?

http://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/us_md_little_seneca-little-seneca-lake-nautical-chart.html

6 minutes ago, MDBowHunter said:

http://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/us_md_little_seneca-little-seneca-lake-nautical-chart.html

Thanks!

Heads up for you snakehead hunters. My Dad got a 10lber from Mattawoman yesterday. He did see another one but spooked it off. He said it was the same size. 

Nothing crazy, but managed this 3.5 prego at Whittier last night.  Getting the kayak out on the Potomoc Sunday for some smallie action.

 

I decided to dedicate today to fishing jerkbaits, which I have had very little success with before. I decided to try the C&O around old angler's inn. I walked about a mile and caught this 5.7 on the edge of some fast current. I am now a believer.

 

 

 

awesome man! I drive by angler inn all of the time wondering about the canal. I've been down and fished it a bit but no luck with anything of quality. Were you fishing the river itself or the canal?

13 hours ago, Fried Lemons said:

I decided to dedicate today to fishing jerkbaits, which I have had very little success with before. I decided to try the C&O around old angler's inn. I walked about a mile and caught this 5.7 on the edge of some fast current. I am now a believer.

 

 

 

Nice fish, but definitely a little disturbing to see it rolling around in the dirt.

6 hours ago, MDBowHunter said:

Nice fish, but definitely a little disturbing to see it rolling around in the dirt.

Agreed, very nice fish but keep em clean man. Poor handling for sure. Not the 1st time its been brought up either. 

The Potomac and Monocacy have me puzzled. Spent 4 hours near Buckeystown on the monocacy and caught one 5 inch smallmouth.

Had a lot of fishing time the past week and put it to good use.  I finally made it up to PA to pick up a rod I had ordered back in February.  I got a 6' ML rod from Jim at Smallie Stix.  I do a lot of hike-in fishing and was looking for a light all-around rod to carry with me.  Jim was nice enough to take me out and show me some spots up there.  Very envious of their wadeable rivers and seeming lack of greenbrier.  Caught a few smallmouth and had a blast.

Later in the week I finally managed to catch some bass in Northwest Branch, north of Burnt Mills.  I have some friends who live out that way and I fish it semi-often, usually to no avail.  But on Thursday I hiked further then normal and managed to catch about a dozen 9-12" LMBs in about an hour.  I caught them all on the same Keitech swimbait, which is kinda impressive.  

Then yesterday I went to Cash Lake for the first time.  I wasn't expecting much due to how low it was, but managed to catch a pair of bass in the weeds.

What really set the day off was a surprise pickerel, again in the weeds.

He was about 20" and mad as hell.  I thought I snagged a turtle at first, it was the hardest fighting fish I have ever landed from shore.  My rod handled him well, once I could get him turned and not stripping line.  

And to cap it all off, today I hit Governor's Bridge after work.  The small pond is full of weeds and grass and in full swing.  Caught a few small bass leaning out and fishing a 4" paddle tail along the weed line, but those days are numbered.  Next time the small rod stays in the car and it will be flukes and frogs until fall.  

Just my normal heads up, this Saturday is my clubs tourney on Black Hills. The ramp will be very busy just before launch at 6am and at 2:30. If I remember correctly there are 17 boats all going in and out about the same time.

1 hour ago, BrianinMD said:

Just my normal heads up, this Saturday is my clubs tourney on Black Hills. The ramp will be very busy just before launch at 6am and at 2:30. If I remember correctly there are 17 boats all going in and out about the same time.

Whack em good bud

14 hours ago, Willbroberg said:

The Potomac and Monocacy have me puzzled. Spent 4 hours near Buckeystown on the monocacy and caught one 5 inch smallmouth.

I can't speak for the Monocacy because with the Potomac so close I don't mess with Monocacy.  I find for the Potomac you only need 2 things, wackey rigged 4 or 5" senko and 2 3/4" tubes

No white spinner bait in that mix huh?

9 hours ago, Lendiesel22 said:

No white spinner bait in that mix huh?

My confidence with a spinner bait is about none. I just can't catch fish with them. I've not tried one for smallmouth.  I'll give it a shot when I get a chance to get on the river.  The 2 I listed are what I've found work the best for me the past 2 years on the Potomac.

6 hours ago, Bill Poch said:

My confidence with a spinner bait is about none. I just can't catch fish with them. I've not tried one for smallmouth.  I'll give it a shot when I get a chance to get on the river.  The 2 I listed are what I've found work the best for me the past 2 years on the Potomac.

10 4. A spinnerbait properly fished with the current can be deadly for smallies. There are times on the Susquehanna that you dont need a tube, craw, or jerk bait. Just a white or char tandem willow

Caught my PB bass today!

Felt bad laying him in the grass but atleast it was wet.  The line broke right at the bank and I couldn't control him with one hand to get the hook out and figured wet grass was better then clutching him to my chest.  I have a nice trout net, I really need to start carrying it all the time.  I also am gonna cut a small piece of tyvek to fold and carry in my little chest pack.  I can even mark lengths on it to get a rough measurement.  

I caught him on a fluke in the Fran Uhler Rec area, which is a pretty creepy abandoned park right by Bowie State.  There is no car access within about 2 miles unles you drive around a gate and have a decent off road vehicle.  Even then I saw more than one ruined tow strap on the trails, so I suspect even jeeps get stuck on occasion.  It's a great spot and I saw a ton of beds, so I will be going back.  

4 hours ago, Bunnielab said:

Caught my PB bass today!

Felt bad laying him in the grass but atleast it was wet.  The line broke right at the bank and I couldn't control him with one hand to get the hook out and figured wet grass was better then clutching him to my chest.  I have a nice trout net, I really need to start carrying it all the time.  I also am gonna cut a small piece of tyvek to fold and carry in my little chest pack.  I can even mark lengths on it to get a rough measurement.  

I caught him on a fluke in the Fran Uhler Rec area, which is a pretty creepy abandoned park right by Bowie State.  There is no car access within about 2 miles unles you drive around a gate and have a decent off road vehicle.  Even then I saw more than one ruined tow strap on the trails, so I suspect even jeeps get stuck on occasion.  It's a great spot and I saw a ton of beds, so I will be going back.  

The boards kayak anglers use seems like a decent solution to the bank hopper fish in the dirt problem. It would fit in a back pack easily and it has a ruler. Wet it, lay the fish on for a pic and problem solved. I have never priced one but seems like it would be worth it.