Mattawoman 2/28

[mchottie]

Launched at Slavins at 1330pm, talked with DNR pulling out, they had the electric shock flat bottom fish zapper.

As I was geared up to launch, a bass angler in a REALLY nice blue metallic flake was also pulling out, said he had one of his best days this year with largemouth, and also got a few yellow shorts.

I had a rough day, lost two blue cats 22-24" yakside (should have snelled new hooks) but my trusty chartreuse 1/8 oz curl tail glitter landed a huge crappie (first of this species i'd ever caught) awesome to cross off another species from the bucket list. Picked him up in the shallow flats trolling along the structure edges. Water temp was 53*

Its still pre-season, so rookie mistakes were made, lost eater bluecats, FF battery died halfway so I ran aground several times not having experience knowing the deep channels. All-in-all a great 62* February day. My 1/8 oz with grub landed in a tree, but I did pickup two 1/4oz dipsey sinkers and a 1oz pyramid, all located in trees from bank fishermen of past.

DNR was hot-to-trot as soon as I pulled out, fully checking all my paperwork and gear. I'm not sure what exactly you could posses from Mattawoman that is illegal, but I guess that's the regulations...

[Mark]

Nice photos, Michael.

I wonder what the DNR guys were zapping? Too early for SH isn't it?

[mjkeith13]

My FF battery died less than 10 minutes out yesterday from Slavins. The total rookie in me tested it out in the garage thinking all was fine but not realizing the battery had been sitting there unused since Oct. Felt weird without a FF. Awesome Crappie! I haven't caught one of them since I was a kid on Richard Petty's stocked pond!

[Yak67]

Good deal Michael. That's one nice Crappie

I went out the day before with Ron, Rob and Michael. We had that "Bad" catfishing day the day before. DNR fisheries guys were going out when we launched, asked them on their return trip about snakeheads, and they said they're almost under control!!! We cracked up about that. Said the blue cats are just as bad to catch as many as possible.

A short time later another DNR boat, the one with the zapper's went out on another survey in that area. Busy DNR area we guess????

Yak67
2017 Hobie PA-12 Camo
2016 Hobie Outback LE#217

[Big Mike]

Had blue cat filets at local grocery store, $8 a pound today. You probably lost $25 to $35 boatside

Looks like it was a great day. I don’t mind DNR being out, actually wish I saw them more.

[captmikestarrett]

The shocking boat is kinda odd to be there. In the past they used the bass shocked up to stock other waters. About two maybe three years ago MD DNR agreed not to remove bass from the no wake area of Mattawomen Creek due to a downfall in the population. They even stocked a huge amount of bass in the creek to boost the population. They declared the entire no wake area a "No livewell keeping area" . This was a co-operative effort to stop removal of bass from this area by tournaments. It is a not a law but a suggested off limits area for tournament directors in order to get there permits.

Perhaps just a survey on how those bass fingerlings stocked are doing.

If you see the second truck with a big fish tank and O2 tanks then they are back to there old habits.

Still thinking a survey.

Capt Mike

[J.A. Veil]

This was pasted on Maryland Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office's Facebook page: "The yellow perch spawn is on! We caught plenty of spawning condition yellow perch in Mattawoman Creek this morning (Wednesday) along with white perch (also in spawning condition), black crappie, and even an alewife. All signs of springtime approaching!"

It sounds like they were doing basic sampling.

[Steve6902]

Sunday is looking to be a great day to be out on the water in that area.