Bill Poch

Looking for some help in the Frederick area. Anyone service reels? I have a Daiwa Tatula that's jacked up. All was fine, made a cast and the line released kicked in stopping the cast. Gears felt off reeling it in. I've taken the thing apart and it looks ok to me. Put it back together and it's stiff reeling it and the spool is tight when free for spinning. If I set the drag very loose the spool won't spin with reeling. I'm at a loss.

I did both. Not the best pic though.

I fished Black Hills this past Sunday. While I was taking the kayak out by the bridge I saw a Snakehead shallow protecting its fry. Fish was at least 24 inches if not more. So, let's hope they don't screw up that fishery.

So, I haven't posted at all in here over the summer. But now that fall is here the fish are getting bigger. My normal during the week fishing spot was Culler lake in Frederick since it's 5 mins away from me, has been drained, dredged, and is under going restoration this past summer. Lucky for me I work at Ft. Derick and they have a pond there that, from what I've seen, is not heavily fished. Over the summer it was a very productive but also a dink feast. In the last 2 weeks all the big boys have come out to play. They have been crushing the top water in the morning. One morning I caught 11 in an hour with a just quick trip around the pond. A few of the bigger ones Normally I get out to the Potomac in my kayak, but every time I had a chance to get out it seemed like it would rain, so didn't really get as much smallmouth fishing in as I would have liked. I also hit my least favorite place in Frederick this week, Whittier lake. I can't figure that d**n place out. I may have caught 3 or 4 total fish out of that place in the last 2 years. Anyway, finally lucked into this guy Monday night on a chatterbait. All in all, it was a fantastic numbers year for me, but I've had to wait until Fall to get into the bigger fish. Well worth the wait.

I've not tried the Mizmo tubes but the campground are a little softer than normal plastics and have salt embedded in them. They still hold up pretty decent though

I started using the campground teaser tubes last year on the upper Potomac and had my best year on that river. I primarily fished at mouth of monocacy and caught several 18 inch fish in that stretch of water. I've also notice largemouths on beds in my ponds can't resist them either.

My confidence with a spinner bait is about none. I just can't catch fish with them. I've not tried one for smallmouth. I'll give it a shot when I get a chance to get on the river. The 2 I listed are what I've found work the best for me the past 2 years on the Potomac.

I can't speak for the Monocacy because with the Potomac so close I don't mess with Monocacy. I find for the Potomac you only need 2 things, wackey rigged 4 or 5" senko and 2 3/4" tubes

Nothing crazy, but managed this 3.5 prego at Whittier last night. Getting the kayak out on the Potomoc Sunday for some smallie action.

That one actually failed me. I don't know if its because I'm dealing with such light line or not.

Thanks guys, I'll give the Alberto ago. This is my 1st year using braid. I picked up a shaky head/drop shot/light finesse rod/reel this winter and figured I'd give braid a try.

Im looking for a knot to tie a 6lb floro leader onto 15lb braid. Any suggestions?

For the record, I hate that place. I haven't spent much time trying to figure it out. With that said I did manage a 3.6 pounder last night. With Culler being renovated this year, Whittier is the next closest lake for me to fish on week day nights. So, I will be more than willing to share anything I learn from there assuming info is shared with me too. Last night I tried a lipless crank and a black and blue chatterbait. Got nothing. Tied on a 2 to 3 inch bluegill swimbait I got for xmas just to see the action. I caught this one about 10 feet from shore with a steady medium retrieve. I think it was about 5:45 in the evening.

I heard about some nice fish caught of there last year, I've not tried yet. It's the smaller one right, not the bigger one on the other side of the bridge off Monocacy rd/

I saw that and it really sucks. Caught my personal best out of there last March, 5.3 pounds. I live real close to there and it looks like I lost my best fishing spot during the week when I don't have time to run out somewhere else this year. I wonder how long it's going to take become a decent fishery again. I really had that place figured out too. I know there is another pond down by Whittier, but I can't figure that place out to save my life. I guess I'll have to try and change that. I saw you have a kayak, me too. If you want some smallmouths, put your yak in on the Potomac at the Mouth of Monocacy boat ramp. It's an easy paddle up river so you don't need to worry about somebody dropping a car downriver for take out. I've fished that area pretty hard the last 2 years and did really well last year. I would normally put in, paddle out to the Potomac and paddle up to the first island and fish/float back down. Rinse and repeat. I caught about a half dozen 18 inchers last year.