WV Smallmouth 2 day river trip

[Slackdaddy]

(I posted this in riversmallies)

This last Sunday-Monday I did a 2 day, overnight river trip for smallmouth on the S. Branch Potomac up near Romney WV

Well, threaded the needle on weather and water height to get an overnight trip in. The Doah was out of the question, as it was already to high.
Water was at 1.95 (S. Branch) Friday morning, but hurricane remnants coming through Sat, water was predicted to go up slowly sat night and sunday, then jumping to 6.5' on Monday night (8/31).
Talked to Jerry at the Trough general store Sat, said somehow they missed the rain, the gauge actually dropped 1/2" by 10pm Saturday.

Launched at Moorfield bridge @ 8:30AM with my Son and his friend.
I was concentrating with Buzz bait, Ned rig, and the "Dink Fest Special" (UL with 1/16 oz jig and 2" twist tail grub.).

1st 2 hours not a hit for any of us,at hour 3 we each picked up a sunfish or 2.

I finally landed a 9" and 14" smallie on the buzz bait.
around 5-6pm when the sun was low and mountain creating shade,, I hit a stretch where I land 4 smallies in the 8- 12" on the Buzz bait and 2 that spit the hook while air dancing, and 4-5 more blowups/misses.

Set up camp on the island 1 mile above the Harrison takeout, evening fished for 30 min with 1 10" smallie.

Rain started around 8am as soon as we broke camp, fish the last mile with 1 sunfish and 1 - 7" smallie.

I fished this section heavily from 2006 - 2014, the fish where not where they used to be, behind rocks in eddies, before/aft ledges, etc.
Not sure if it was just bad timing,, or has the fishing dropped off in this section, But this mirrors the Doah and Potomacaction I have seen in the last 2 years.

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[DanMarino]

Cool report. I've never fished up that far. I presume that smallmouth numbers are down all over the Potomac as the MD DNR has documented poor spawns from past years of flooding during the spawning period.

[belairfishing]

Interesting report...we were near that stretch of the river in the beginning of August - my wife's uncle has a cabin on Lost Mountain just outside of Romney. We spoke to a lot of folks about floating that stretch of the river. It is beautiful there. We spoke to the guys at the Trough Store, and I asked about the fishing. He warned me that he was about to get on his soap box, and blamed the poor fishing on the State bringing back and protecting the river otter! The river certainly looks "fishy" almost everywhere.

[Mark]

Very nice report and photos.

I agree with Tom's observation. SM bass spawns have not fared well in the high spring waters of our rivers in recent years.

MD's SM stocking program may help:

https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/D...esentation.pdf

[Slackdaddy]

Hard to believe, I have been taking my 3 kids down the trough for overnight kayak camping trips for 15 years. They are grown, married, in college and starting careers.
Only my youngest still fishes with me,,,occasionally. This was the first trip we have done since 1 last summer. In contrast we did 7-8 overnight trips in 2017, prior to the "wet decade".
for 10 years we would catch 30-50 fish a day each. last 2 years has been dismal.

Here is a picture in the trough from 2007,, they grow quick.

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[Sk1F1shB1ke]

Has anyone fished the bends area of the Potomac? I'm potentially going to float Bonds Landing to Fifteen Mile Creek launch (Little Orleans). I was curious how long that float would be? Some of us will be fishing but most will just be paddling. I imagine it could be an all day adventure, depending on flow.

[Slackdaddy]

From Paw Paw to Little Orleans was a 3 day trip for us (5 years ago), we typ fish/float 1-2 hours a mile.

Has anyone fished the bends area of the Potomac? I'm potentially going to float Bonds Landing to Fifteen Mile Creek launch (Little Orleans). I was curious how long that float would be? Some of us will be fishing but most will just be paddling. I imagine it could be an all day adventure, depending on flow.