WSSC Permits

[perchy]

Hey guys, I just found out that you can now order your watershed use permits online. I know a few guys have already hit up RG with some success catching crappies pike and bass. I walked the shore at Scott's Cove for about 20 minutes to practice cast a few times. The water level is high and water is slightly stained.

Has anyone been up to Triadelphia yet?

[Backwater]

I am hitting triadelphia saturday gonna not sure which launch im going to use. From my experience lower water levels seem to turn the bite on so it may be slower. Its hard to say which areas are going to be hot at the moment because it all depends on the spawn. Im thinking higher up in the lakes towards the headwaters may be thd ticket. Anyone fishing rocky may want to launch at browns bridge.

[perchy]

Sounds great, tell us how you do!

[DanMarino]

I live 1 Mile from Triadelphia

I live 1 mile from Triadelphia and this Saturday I'm going to fish the upper Potomac for smallies instead of hitting the WSSC reservoirs. I'll probably break down at some point and get a WSSC permit, but for the moment I'll focus on the Potomac where I know I can catch fish.

Last year alone I was probably skunked 10-12 times at the WSSC reservoirs. They are tough places to fish. The main reason I've fished them in the past is that they are so close to me. I can get home from work and fish till sunset and make quick weekend trips. But as far as fish catching goes, I struggle terribly at both reservoirs.

But between now and the end of May is the time to catch them!!!! Good luck guys.

[chimo]

Anyone fishing rocky may want to launch at browns bridge.

Thats what I was thinking after last weekend. Has anyone ever worked thier way upstream from Browns Bridge to just below Tridelphia?

Chimo

[DanMarino]

Upstream from Browns Bridge

Last spring I paddled up river from Browns Bridge. You can get up at least a mile or two. I stopped before I got to the route 108 bridge. The river gets pretty narrow up that way and eventually a lot shallower. I only caught one largemouth bass up that way. Last spring the top end of Rocky Gorge was really muddy and stained and it lasted pretty much all year through October. I've always had better luck down near the Supplee launch at Rocky Gorge. The water clarity is so much better down on that end.

Triadelphia was stained and off color all year in 2011 too. All the rainfall messed it up. There must have been a lot of fertilizer washed into both reservoirs because there seemed to be a whole lot of suspended algae and silt.

I don't have the places figured out at all. I need to figure it out at some point because I live so close.

[perchy]

I think Rocky Gorge is a lot easier to fish than Triadelphia. I got skunked at Triadelphia like 10+ times in 2010... there is hardly any structure, and the fish like to stay deep like 30+ feet down. I like RG a lot better and figured that one out somewhat.

[Backwater]

Thats what I was thinking after last weekend. Has anyone ever worked thier way upstream from Browns Bridge to just below Tridelphia?

Chimo

I did this last year and did pretty well I didn't go very far upstream though because the further I got the less fish I was catching. Last spring I would launch at browns bridge and paddle down stream there are some suspended rocks that if you can see them have held fish every time for me. One of the best techniques for me last year involved a small planer board designed for walleye. Never caught walleye on it but the bass seemed to love that presentation. I have even caught a few catfish trolling which was a first for me. I stick by my story that the lower water levels turns the fish on big time. As far as clarity goes I had some nice water at Triadelphia in the fall and ended up getting into some schoolie sized stripers around that time which are a lot of fun on lighter spinning gear. I agree these two lakes are really tough to fish but once you key in on some patterns they seem to work consistently.

[perchy]

I may be out there on RG sometime this weekend. My plan is to hit the coves between Scott's Cove and the 29 bridge with a mepps spinner, pointer 78s and husky jerks and 4" swim senkos.

[DanMarino]

WSSC Reports

Please post trip reports and photos of how things go on the WSSC reservoirs. Since I can't catch much there, I'll live through you guys.

This weekend I'm hitting the prime Upper Potomac conditions for river smallies!

13

[perchy]

$60 is the same price as the tank of gas you'll burn going up there a few times

Just remember...

[Backwater]

Dan what is the paddling like there? I am open to try a new spot this weekend but I will have my GF with me and she isn't a very experienced paddler but she can hold her own well enough if the current isn't to extreme. Would love to crank on some smallies or a walleye.

[DanMarino]

Upper Potomac

Backwater,

The Upper Potomac can be a very easy paddle if you select one of the pool areas to fish. Fishing around White's Ferry, Edward's Ferry, and Riley's Lock is pretty much like fishing a lake/pond. Check the NOAA river stages for the Potomac to make sure it's not flooding, but under normal conditions these areas are easy to paddle around in.

Other areas around Great Falls, Seneca Breaks, and Harpers Ferry can be treacherous and have fast current. So you need to check the river stages before heading out.

Best of luck. Potomac smallies rule!
Tom