Weather impact question for river Smallmouth

[Brian Martalus]

I have gotten a pass from the Missus for a solo late afternoon /evening upper Potomac smallmouth session this weekend.  I am considering tomorrow or Saturday, depending on the weather. Tomorrow is forecast to be cloudy/muggy in advance of a cold front. Saturday is supposed to have a chance of thunderstorms throughout the day, but timing is not certain.  If I can get out of work an hour early tomorrow,  would a pre front situation have a better chance of a good smallmouth bite?

[roadwarrior]

I hope you got out.

[Brian Martalus]

I got out last night-I had hoped to be on the water by 4pm so I could work up and down some likely spots around a creek mouth but work and traffic delayed me and I wasn’t fishing till about 6. I got a nice 12-13 inch smallie on one of my first casts on a whopper plopper and it had bait fish literally coming out of his belly/mouth. I saw several more big splashy rises in an eddy just below the creek mouth but sadly I didn’t get any more fish on a few top water lures and a small shallow diving crank bait that is usually successful. The weather was showery with storms around and the drive home sucked in heavy storms. So much for a slight chance of widely scattered showers! Next time I will get on the water earlier and perhaps target some Potomac tribs where I have had success as the fish densities are higher and it’s easier to find fish.