Got out this evening with Brian. Met up with him at Black Hills for some shoreline fishing. We hit the Stick Ups, my first time hitting there this year. Brian started without me (lucky bum gets off work before I do. LOL) with one. Checked the water temp, 56! Decided to go with a spinnerbait and at first, thought my luck wasn't going to fair real well. Lost what I figured to be a 5-5 1/2 pounder about 5 feet from shore.  :'(  Fished for quite a while with no luck on both our parts. Decided to make a little more and what a great decision that was! Within 5-10 minutes, I landed a 3lb 10oz and Brian followed it up with one about 3. About right at sunset, I noticed a new laydown to the area so walked down a made a cast up past it. BANG! She it! I knew it was a good one but wasn't sure how good it was. Put her on the scale, 6 pounds even! Sadly it was too dark for a pic with my cell but luckily Brian's cell had a flash. Not the best pic, but given the conditions, I'll take it! Thanks for the assist on that one Brian! I owe ya! Thanks for the invite as well, as usual, had a blast fishing with you! I'll post a pic once I get it downloaded from the phone.

Here's the pic of the 6lber. Will get Brian's uploaded soon!

Nice man!

Three of us went out to catch pond rats last night, good time catching a bunch of dinks to start the year.

Great start and you sure set the bar for the rest of the work crew to catch you for big bass.

Hit black hills this morning with my brother. Was pretty slow for the first hour fishing near the boat ramp. We moved below the dog park and had a lot of success fishing any vertical cover over 12''. I grabbed 3 lm 2.5, 3ish and 5lb plus on a bleeding striking spinner with a pork trailer. Then hit the canal at dickerson with no luck yet but looks like the beds may be in the begining stages. The cold bite at blackhills was a nice suprise. Looking forward to bed-fishing dickerson in the next week or two.

Hit black hills this morning with my brother. Was pretty slow for the first hour fishing near the boat ramp. We moved below the dog park and had a lot of success fishing any vertical cover over 12''. I grabbed 3 lm 2.5, 3ish and 5lb plus on a bleeding striking spinner with a pork trailer. Then hit the canal at dickerson with no luck yet but looks like the beds may be in the begining stages. The cold bite at blackhills was a nice suprise. Looking forward to bed-fishing dickerson in the next week or two.

Welcome to THE Boards pew739 and congrats on the success you had at Black Hills! You'll have to keep us posted on how the canal at Dickerson progresses! I like hitting that place too.

Wow Pew739 sounds like you had a great evening, I've usually had real good luck there using soft plastics in the stick-ups area. Caught a 4lber last year. What kind of retrieve were you using with the spinnerbait? Were  you burning it? or what . Thanks for the update too!!!

Wow Pew739 sounds like you had a great evening, I've usually had real good luck there using soft plastics in the stick-ups area. Caught a 4lber last year. What kind of retrieve were you using with the spinnerbait? Were you burning it? or what . Thanks for the update too!!!

Hey Boett,

Can tell ya the night Brian and I were at Black Hills, all 3 bass I had on were all on a spinnerbait. I throw all my spinnerbaits on a 5.1:1 reel. I was using a med/med-slow retrieve on mine. Figuring I had the bait in the 3-5' range. Was bumping stumps but wasn't dragging it on the bottom. Hope that helps some.

Fishing with Basser89 at Black Hills my biggest fish came on a spinnerbait also. Was using a 7.1:1 reel but was slowing way down. Seemed bouncing off the shallow would was the key.

My other fish came on a 5in senko after I missed the fish on a jig. Again on shallow wood.

My son and I got out yesterday afternoon. We hit Sharpsburg Pond and Middletown Pond. Nothing. It was real windy. Anyone who has fished Sharpsburg knows it's size...there was about 10 people fishing...pretty close quarters there. At Middletown the water was pretty cloudy. Did see several bass at Sharpsburg but none took any offers. Didn't see any fish at Middletown. Guess it's too early. Should have checked out the river but had to get home. So far we've been out 4/5 times with nothing.

Go away for a day or two and they re-decorate...sheeeesh!

Go away for a day or two and they re-decorate...sheeeesh!

A day or two? Where the heck you been? LOL!

Anyone having much luck? Been out 4 times in April, but didn't pick up anything.

Anyone having much luck? Been out 4 times in April, but didn't pick up anything.

I've been out a couple times since the day Brian and I were out and I landed that 6 pounder. No luck since then but my outings have been short (like around an hour or so). Thinkin things will start heating back up again soon as long as thing cold snap is over!

Weather hasnt been that great. Its spring weather one day and winter the next. Need to get some consistency going. Possibly this coming week...

Todays warm weather has me thinking about getting out. I thought I read it a few pages back, when you have that really warm first day, it sets off a feeding frenzy. And there is a cold front approaching, which I suspect also could touch off a feeding frenzy. Being spring time, it should be a feeding frenzy anyways.

Sounds like its one of those can't lose situations.

I may go hit the potomac here in DC during lunch time and see whats up.

Hit black on 4/9 it was pretty slow only cuaght one. But it was a nice Bass probaly around 3-3 1/2lbs cuaght it only about 5 feet off the bank on a plastic worm. Its lips and inside of its mouth were really red, I dont know if thats a sign they are begining to bed or if its just what they are eatting. Dose anyone that fishes blackhill know where they spawn? I haven't ever seen a bed there I dont think.

Bo - I caught one with what I presumed was a disease, a red mouth. It was in September so there was no spawn relation.

I have seen beds all around black hills, anywhere the water is shallow. I used to think the bass favor the eastern side early on, but last year friends of mine worked the southern shallows in April and had plenty of good days. So I walk the banks and look for activity and cast away.

Got out last saturday morning for a quick outing (maybe an hour and a half). Fished the C&O in Williamsport. Managed only 2 little dinks on KVD 2.5 silent runners. I'm going to be able to get out tomorrow so hopefully I'll have something to report then!

Boett, shooting you a PM shortly.

Hey Boett,

Clean out your PM's! Can't send you a message. LOL!

Hey Boett,

Clean out your PM's! Can't send you a message. LOL!

Haha I didn't realize I had so many in there, should be good now

Haha I didn't realize I had so many in there, should be good now

PM sent!

Hey, have you hit Middletown pond yet? Haven't been there since last october.

Thanks alot for the PM, I haevn't hit middletown yet this year. I might give it a try soon though hopefully the grass isn't as bad as last year. It was almost unfishable at some times.

PM sent!

Hey, have you hit Middletown pond yet? Haven't been there since last october.

I know you didn't ask me, but my son and I were at Middletown on 4/4. It was windy and cool and the water was cloudy. Only saw a few turtles laying on some weeds near the outlet. We meant to get out this past weekend but didn't make it. Probably try and get out Saturday to some MD ponds and WV ponds. I think the Potomac is out of the question for a fe days.

I know you didn't ask me, but my son and I were at Middletown on 4/4. It was windy and cool and the water was cloudy. Only saw a few turtles laying on some weeds near the outlet. We meant to get out this past weekend but didn't make it. Probably try and get out Saturday to some MD ponds and WV ponds. I think the Potomac is out of the question for a fe days.

Thanks for the info wv! Much appreciated! I JUST checked the river gauge and see the one I track (the Hancock gauge) is at 16' and starting to fall. Have the day off and I know a spot on the river where I'm pretty sure I can catch a few smallies right now! Will report back later!