Upper Potomac, quick after work trip

[Turtle135]

Rapidly becoming one of my favorite times of the year. Enough daylight to sneak in a quickie after work.

The tricky part is making that quick, clean escape from the office on time. I find it best not to plan to fish, just seize the moment when events conspire and run like hell!

I was traveling light. One baitcasting combo rigged with a 1/4 ounce football jig & paca chunk and one baitcasting combo with a Lucky Craft Pointer 78.

I got lucky here. There was a boulder the size of a couch and I fortunately dragged the football jig over the top of it. This one hit so hard I did not have to set the hook.


This one took the Pointer as I just let it drift. I was wedged on a log trying to figure out where the Pointer was when the line shot out like a rocket.


The bite disappeared at dark. Can never seem to get these smallies to eat at night but no worries, nice after work quickie!

[lordofthemanor]

What section did you fish. Looking at the Point of Rocks monitoring info, the river is higher and faster than normal. I've been wanting to get out but presumed the river wasn't ready yet...
Bruce

[perchy]

Those are some healthy looking smallies. Good job sir!

[wfauby]

solid upper potomac smallies, thanks for the report, where can i get one of those measuring boards? i see a lot of you have them and i like it better than what im using now

[DanMarino]

Great job Dave! I'll be ready to hit the river in a couple of weeks!

[camelbird]

Nice smallies!... love the action and suspension of those pointer 78s

[Turtle135]

What section did you fish. Looking at the Point of Rocks monitoring info, the river is higher and faster than normal. I've been wanting to get out but presumed the river wasn't ready yet...
Bruce

Are you familiar with where Seneca Creek dumps into the Potomac? That section of the Potomac is kind of a big, wide, featureless area. I do agree, the Potomac was still pretty high. I found I can still safely fish that particular area when the water is up. There are other sections that are better for smallmouths but safety would be a concern.

solid upper potomac smallies, thanks for the report, where can i get one of those measuring boards? i see a lot of you have them and i like it better than what im using now

Those are called "Hawg Troughs" if you want to search for them online. I got mine here:

http://kayakfishinggear.com/hawgtrough.aspx

What a lot of people do (and I have not done to my yellow trough yet) is mark the lines with a Sharpie so that the length is clear in a photo like this:

[Turtle135]

Nice smallies!... love the action and suspension of those pointer 78s

Yes, those Pointers are pricey but they sure get the job done in colder water! The 78 seems to be a really good size for Potomac smallmouths.

[DanMarino]

Dave I stink at catching anything using a Pointer 78. I think I've only caught two small fish on the one I have. I'm sure my technique could use some improving though.

[Turtle135]

Dave I stink at catching anything using a Pointer 78. I think I've only caught two small fish on the one I have. I'm sure my technique could use some improving though.

I think the best way to use the Pointers in cold water is to not move them at all. Sweep them down to depth, then just let them hang in the water column (so then it comes down to letting them hang in the right spots).

Still trapped in automobile hell? If it is any consolation, we seem to be running a month behind in "spring" around here.

[DanMarino]

The engine head is now at the machine shop. It will be there for a week. So that means I get to go fishing tomorrow

[perchy]

Dan,

When I used pointer 78s, they were a dink magnet at Rocky Gorge and Triadelphia. I like the crack and american shad colors. Have you tried the pointer 100s and the DD pointers? They are pretty good also and should deter smaller fish. Honestly I think I do just as well if not better on the cheapo rapala husky jerks though.

[Turtle135]

I like the 100's for largemouth fishing. The 78's seem to match the forage pretty well on the sections of the Potomac I fish for smallmouths.

If the water is warmer (and the "retrieve cadence" is more active) then Husky Jerks and X-Raps work great. What I have noticed is that Husky Jerks are "floaters" in cold, cold water (the water is denser so they do not suspend). When you have to let the jerkbait just suspend in the water column to get them to bite, the Pointers seem to shine.

There are more expensive suspending jerkbaits out there but I'm not going down that road. Pointers are pricey enough!

[Poolz1]

Fished the upper Potomac the other day and came up empty. Taylors landing near Sharpsburg. Water was high and swift...and cold. Water temps near Harpers Ferry are near record lows right now but that should change soon with the warmer weather coming.

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[Jig Monster]

Nice ones !! I'm new to this site and the kayak world . I only fished Algonkian last year to get the hang of . Its a minute away from my house . Did pretty good with my biggest being 18'' . This section sounds like it would be right up my alley. Thanks for the report.