Rocky Gorge 01 April 2012

[chimo]

Fished the gorge on Sunday with a buddy who caimed he knew where to find some crappie.... Boy was he wrong lol. We fished out of Scotts cove and covered quite a bit of ground but only managed one dink crappie between us. We did manage to catch a few bass and bluegill while searching aound but nothing with any size. Our approach was to hit some deeper timber at a few spots he knew and when that failed to produce we started fan casting the shorelines, drifting minnows through the mouths of coves and trolling various hard baits between locations. Most of the fish we caught came in the very back ends of various coves on 2" curly tail grubs. Guessing they were there looking for the warmest water around. Ended up with 7 or 8 bass and 3 bluegill. Nice day to be on the water even if we couldn't figure the bite out

Chimo

[ronaultmtd]

we had similar luck at Mattawoman Creek- I think it was the barometric pressure and changes in weather conditions that shut off the bite- last night a front moved through and dumped rain-

[perchy]

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries...le.asp?ID=1313

Supposedly there are Pike and Walleye in RG, does anyone know how to catch them?

[DanMarino]

Local to Triadelphia and Rocky Gorge

I live local to Triadelphia and Rocky Gorge and I struggle at both reservoirs. I've lost count of the number of times I've been skunked and caught nothing at both places. The fishing was certainly off last year. The spring is the easiest time of year to catch fish there. I did manage a 20 inch, 19 inch, and a couple of 18 inch largemouths in the spring fishing worms near fallen trees. But after the spring, I couldn't catch much. I've spoken to one guy who caught walleyes at Triadelphia using a worm harness rig, but I've never tried it myself.

[perchy]

Hey I did have some success last year at RG trolling a shad rap behind my kayak along the weed line in august... the lake is weird with a very steep V valley type layout

[DanMarino]

Big Fish There

No doubt there are big fish in both reservoirs. From what I hear, the bass go deep around 20-22 feet in the summer. I've picked up a couple of bottom bouncer things so that I can troll worm harness rigs and floating rapala lures and have them bounce along the bottom. We'll see what type of results I get. There's certainly less weeds/grass in Triadelphia. I've found the water clarity to be much better at Rocky Gorge at the lower end near the dam. Good luck and post some photos on your trip reports to the reservoirs!

[perchy]

Here's the depth chart I use for RG... note that the numbers are in meters not feet

20 ft sounds about right that's where the weedline is in the summer. I have fished triadelphia in the fall and had success with the lucky craft pointer lures

http://www.mgs.md.gov/coastal/maps/lr/rockygorge.html

[Shady]

I've fished Rocky Gorge a few times with a friend that has a fully tricked out reservoir E-boat. We generally use footballhead jigs with pork trailers or paca chunk trailers. Pork in colder months and paca chunk in warmer months. I've never caught a lot there but caught one of my bigger bass in the past few years there pushing 5 lbs.

[Backwater]

Was that you in the ascend? If so you saw me on a blue outback. I ended up with a fat bass a few smaller ones and a small northern pike. That was my first northern. Good day over all but kind of slow. Fished live shiners and rapalas.

[perchy]

I think the upper part of the reservoir is supposed to be good right now. There is a small cartop area at Brown Bridge road, and since the water is shallower the temps should be warmer there. Good luck!

[chimo]

Was that you in the ascend? If so you saw me on a blue outback. I ended up with a fat bass a few smaller ones and a small northern pike. That was my first northern. Good day over all but kind of slow. Fished live shiners and rapalas.

That was me in the Ascend, the one without a big red tackle box on the front. I kinda feel like if I had been looking for bass I could have done ok but I went there with different expectations. My first time fishing out of scotts cove and only my second time there period so we will see how it goes the next time.

Chimo

[perchy]

BTW guys I found that smallish lures seem to work better in RG and Triadelphia (like 4 inch senkos and pointer 78s)

[Backwater]

Last year I ended up with a few stripers and a few walleye out of there when the water is warmer target 12 to 20 foot sections near coves. I think tgere are good populations of walleye in there too bad we cant fish it at night.

[ictalurus]

Sorry to hear the crappie weren't playing along. If Rocky Gorge and St. Mary's Lake are any indication, it appears that the lake crappie have gone on strike. The crappie in the Potomac tribs still seem eager, though.

[Old Cajun]

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries...le.asp?ID=1313

Supposedly there are Pike and Walleye in RG, does anyone know how to catch them?

I have fished both lakes for a couple of years. However, I have been disappointed in the quantity of fish for such large lakes. I have decided not to buy the $60 pass and focus on catching saltwater critters this year.

To answer your question--I have caught at least 5 of those toothy pikes. Major technique--accident. All have been caught on small chartreuse colored spinner baits in shallow water 1'-3'. They ranged from 25" to a little over 36". I was using my SIS 9.5' feather light--nice sleigh ride.