catfishin the potomac

[c-villefisherr408]

Hey guys i had a quick question. Might sound a little dumb but i really wanna know the answer. When catfishing since a catfish is a bottom feeder is it a u must have a tide situation? I know with other fish like rock and perch u pretty much have to fish the tides if im not mistaken. Just asking this because im heading to fort washington today and cant pinpoint exactly what time the tide is so im just going off of other tides for the potomac which are around the range of 430 to 630. Ill have shrimp night crawlers and elwife for bait. Will report when i return and thanks for whatever feedback i get on this topic.

[chex]

I've had more luck hooking into cats when the tide is moving.

[c-villefisherr408]

Thanks thats what i was thinkin cuz most other fish bite better on high tide but i kno catfish cant see very well from what ive read and they go off of smell

[Capt C-Hawk]

You should have some water movement even for cats. Are you fishing from shore or your kayak? If you're in the yak you should know this is a sloppy part of the river if the wind and tides are butting heads. Here are the tide predictions for today @ fort washington, looking forward to your report.
Tides for Fort Washington, Md. starting with November 26, 2012.
Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible

M 26 Low 12:26 AM -0.1 7:03 AM Set 5:12 AM 93
26 High 6:11 AM 2.3 4:48 PM Rise 3:39 PM
26 Low 12:25 PM 0.0
26 High 6:28 PM 2.6

[c-villefisherr408]

Things got messed up so im not gonna have nearly as long as planned but im still going. And i have a whole bunch of bait so ill prob go tomorrow too. Lets see if i understand this right.. low tides 12:25 pm high tides 6:28 pm so from now until 6:28 ill still have incoming tide?

[c-villefisherr408]

Ill be on the bank too. I never yak alone and havent taken it out in 4 weeks now.

[BassMoore]

russ and i always had success with the tide moving down in mattawoman, i have caught 3 with no tide movement, but the wind gave me a drift down the river mouth.

As long as your moving i feel like you have a chance to catch fish, maybe not in numbers when the tide its stopped but from the few times ive gone they aren't non existent like some other fish are.

[c-villefisherr408]

Yeah i was thinkin the same. Fish shut off pretty much during low tide but catfish dont at all really. The bite usually decreases from what ive seen a little bit but there still being caught.

[moc]

I've had more luck hooking into cats when the tide is moving.

Me too.

[Capt C-Hawk]

Lets see if i understand this right.. low tides 12:25 pm high tides 6:28 pm so from now until 6:28 ill still have incoming tide?

You have the tide right. For future references here's a link to MD's tide charts. Just choose potomac and scroll the list till you see Ft Wash. Then choose a date and how many days you want to see.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/tides/index.asp

[c-villefisherr408]

Thank ya. Here it goes. Got to fort washington only one other person fishing and was goin for panfish. Tried to fish straight out but the current was too strong. Went to the right and tried and got snagged there too. Headed to piscataway. Very close there too. Saw 1 guy who said he kept 5 or 6 and held up a good 20 lber i would guess it weighed. I had a bite and so did my dad but no hook ups. No bites the rest of the time. Bait used was shrimp reg worm and elwife. The guy caught his keepers on cut bluegill. I think i woulda done better with a lot more time. The guy that caught the 5 or 6 was there since one. Juss sounds like a super slow day.