smallmouth bass

[Turtle135]

If the average size of the smallmouths on the Upper Potomac has you down go north young man!



From the Susquehanna River on 11/01/14.

[YaknBass]

nice smallies!!!

[perchy]

Gorgeous fish Dave! I've not caught a smallie in years... time to change that soon

What did you catch them on? 3/8 oz jig again?

[Turtle135]

Reaction Innovations Little Dipper on a 1/8th ounce Confidence Baits Draggin Head. Water was 51 degrees so the best presentation that day was to just let it tumble along in the current. Some other nice fish came to another angler on a Lucky Craft Pointer 100 (sweep it down to diving depth, then just allow it to dead drift down stream).

[Big Mike]

Love those Susky footballs. Well done!

[HJS]

Dave - WTG, nice looking fish. My last 2 trips to the upper Susky near Harrisburg, Oct 28 & 31, left a lot to be desired. Seems like over the years my catch-rate of nice smbass drops off dramatically once I get past mid/late-October and water temps drop into the low 50Fs or lower. For the most part this is contrary to what most fishermen report for the upper Susky The rocky shallows are my forte, actually my only forte, and it seems the bass start exiting the shallows around this time in search of their deeper winter quarters.

[Turtle135]

Dave - WTG, nice looking fish. My last 2 trips to the upper Susky near Harrisburg, Oct 28 & 31, left a lot to be desired. Seems like over the years my catch-rate of nice smbass drops off dramatically once I get past mid/late-October and water temps drop into the low 50Fs or lower. For the most part this is contrary to what most fishermen report for the upper Susky The rocky shallows are my forte, actually my only forte, and it seems the bass start exiting the shallows around this time in search of their deeper winter quarters.

Yes, the smallmouth have definitely moved off the rocky shallows and are beginning to gather near wintering holes. This section had some awesome looking shallow ledges that would have been fun to fish in the summer but were devoid of fish on Saturday. The other two guys I was with are much more experienced smallmouth anglers than I am. I took a presentation clue from one of the guys who was catching nice bass on a "Ned Rig" (just letting it tumble with the current). I was able to do the same thing with that small swimbait. The best retrieve was no retrieve at all.

[DanMarino]

Great fish Dave.
Eventually one day I'll make the drive up to PA and fish the Susqy.
Tom

[Berto]

Nice Job Dave!

[HJS]

Yes, the smallmouth have definitely moved off the rocky shallows and are beginning to gather near wintering holes. This section had some awesome looking shallow ledges that would have been fun to fish in the summer but were devoid of fish on Saturday. The other two guys I was with are much more experienced smallmouth anglers than I am. I took a presentation clue from one of the guys who was catching nice bass on a "Ned Rig" (just letting it tumble with the current). I was able to do the same thing with that small swimbait. The best retrieve was no retrieve at all.

David - Thanks for getting back. Were the locations that produced best with a dead drift still in the rocky shallows (2'-4')... or in the deeper runs and riffles (4'-8' or deeper)?

[Turtle135]

David - Thanks for getting back. Were the locations that produced best with a dead drift still in the rocky shallows (2'-4')... or in the deeper runs and riffles (4'-8' or deeper)?

two areas produced fish

1. a fairly turbulent area that had water that was 5-7 feet deep surrounded by shallower water (2-4 feet), we do not expect the bass to stay in this spot much longer, too much current, surprised they were still there at 51 degrees
2. the down current taper up area (6-8 feet deep) from what we suspect will be a wintering hole (water 10-11 feet deep)

[archeryrob]

I have a question for you Dave. Did you see many Eagles or Ospreys up there?

Washington County has many Ospreys working the river up here this year and large bass have been hard to find. I have a feeling the Ospreys have been finding them, before most of us do and there is no CPR with them.

[Turtle135]

I have a question for you Dave. Did you see many Eagles or Ospreys up there?

Washington County has many Ospreys working the river up here this year and large bass have been hard to find. I have a feeling the Ospreys have been finding them, before most of us do and there is no CPR with them.

I heard both Ospreys and Bald Eagle calls up there on Saturday but I did not see them working the water we were fishing (nothing in the shallows that day, too cold I think). The raptors get their fair share. I think the current problem on the Upper Potomac is just poor year classes (bad spawns) for those 13" - 16" smallmouth bass. There are tons of little guys in the river this season. Hopefully they will represent a strong class of better size bass in a couple of seasons. If not, I either need to invest in some ultra-light gear or get used to getting up at 3:00 to go fishing up in PA.

[DanMarino]

Dave you seem happiest when big fish are around. This year I spent about half my time using a light action or ultralight rod for Potomac smallies. Had great fun, but lost a few bigger fish due to whimpy hook sets. I'll continue using the small rods because I was having a ball with all the topwater fish I was catching.
Tom

[Turtle135]

but lost a few bigger fish due to whimpy hook sets

see, that type of occurrence would piss me off to no end!