Mattawoman fishing tips

[Southerly]

my buddy that i sold my old powerboat to has it at leesylvania presently and we're taking it to mattawoman this weekend. the boat is an I/O and does not have a trolling motor.

he's a novice fisherman, but is considering a kayak and i think you'll be meeting him before long. i used to fish for bass all the time for about 15 years, but haven't done any real bass fishing in a very long time. and have never been to mattawoman.

i'm primarily interested in large mouth bass and i'm excited because i feel like this may be some of the best bass water i could possibly access. but i realize i have some serious obstacles (primarily - me, my buddy, and boat )

Any tips would be appreciated. i mean go-to lure(s), techniques, and a good 'plan' on fishing the place from afternoon to dark at this time of year.
i plan to hit BPS for some supplies on saturday but want to keep tackle fairly simple. i'll probably just take 2 rods since i'm guest.

[new2yaks11]

Starting at the mouth of Mattawoman there are nice grass beds. If the forecast is right, the winds will have the main river pretty rough. If it's not really fishable due to the waves, head inside the creek proper and start on either shoreline and work you way towards the back of the creek. There are plenty of laydowns to fish as well as rock underwater. I've always done really well with 4" pumpkin/chart. worms, lipless crankbaits and spinnerbaits. After these rains, chartruese will not be a bad idea. You might even try some ultralight crappie jigs around the wood. I know there are catfish in the creek and I "hear" there are snakeheads, but have not been able to catch any yet.

Good luck to you and post a report if you get out.

Safe fishing.

[Southerly]

thanks - i want to avoid that overwhelmed with possibilities/lost feeling.

and i've been trying to put the snakehead population there into perspective. by some accounts, it's overrun with 'em? my buddy has torn up the lower unit twice this summer on the potomac shallows, but hasn't caught a bass. so i guaranteed we would catch bass. figure, i might as well help him start out optimistic. but in reality - i'm kind of curious what the report will be like myself,...

[new2yaks11]

I don't know that I would "guarantee" my buddy some bass but think you have a good chance of catching some. Remember you'll be fishing post frontal, windy, windy conditions after a good bit of rain. If you get some soft plastics into either the grass beds out front if it's possible or even into the laydowns and any wood you can find, I'm certain you'll get a few bass. Not telling you how to fish, but I'd toss some spinnerbaits and crankbaits, searching for fish. If no takers, I'd slow down and throw plastics or jigs. Just what I'd do. There are some really good bass in Mattawoman as well as all over the Potomac. I think as you make the turn and head back into the no-wake zone, any wood you see, fish it. I would certainly slow the presentation down and me personally, I'd be looking for some slab crappies.

Good Luck.

[Southerly]

nothing to lose on this guarantee; might as well let him start out confident!

i just wish this was from kayak because of the shallows.

for me, the temptation is all finesse fishing and if that place has as much structure as i imagine, then the problem might become getting myself to move from unproductive areas.

but i'll try and do the crankbait, move along, scope the place out a little before i get stuck. i hadn't really thought about the rain. hopefully things will be looking good by the weekend.

and i'll keep the crappie in mind.

thanks again!

[ronaultmtd]

Throw some frogs in the spatterdock- big snakeheads are in there and so re some big bass. I would try some buzz baits and big spinner baits, too.

[frettr00]

Nvm, looks like the launch area is Sweden Point Marina..