Maryland's Who's who!

[basser89]

BH was at 56 last weekend.

Thanks for the sanity check Hellbenderman!     Good to know my little thermometer isn't too far off. LOL

[basspro15]

Whats up guys! My name is Andy.  I live in essex right by dundee creek.  I fish the upper and lower parts of the susqehanna river along with the rest of the upper bay like gunpoweder and middle river areas.  I also fish the tidal potomac. Im still learning the river but its def a good spot.  I drop in 2 marshall hall on the potoma.  Its only 2 ramps but its open 24/7 & its free.  I can get to mattawomen w a 15 min boatride south.  I bought my 1st bassboat 3 years ago. A nitro z6 w/a 115hp mercury. I have been bass fishing since I was a kid, mainly from the sure.  Im interested in learning new spots and anything else I can about bass fishing! 

[basspro15]

I see alot of u guys fish black hills.  Ive never heard of it & have no clue where it is? 

[Hellbenderman]

Hey Andy. Sounds like we should be asking you. I have never fished up your way, but have always heard great things about the upper bay and the mouth of the Susq. Do ever fish the Baltimore Reservoirs, Liberty, Pretty Boy, Loch Raven, etc.? I'm sure you will get plenty of advice. This is a nice thread. Watch. So, I'm going to Black Hills tomorrow. Friday might be better, but there will be only a few boats out tomorrow. There will be a gentle wind and I'm hoping to bump into a couple spots where the temp has hit 60. I'm looking through my tackle and there are about 20 things in there I could be using that I have caught fish on this time of year, and it is hard to choose. I will have several rods and something different on each one. At this point, I am selecting a Revolution Jig with a Yum Crawbug on board because I caught a really nice one last year, Mar 31 under the exact same conditions. The other three rods, I will fish your suggestions. You tell me what you want me to try, and be specific, and I'll give some of your suggestions a serious try for 15 minutes or so, and report back as to the size and number of the fish I caught using your method.

I'll be your avatar...hahahaha...in 3-D! Be specific, as in go into this kind of water, say, 5 feet with trees down and slow roll a yellow spinner bait over the timber making sure you bump into a lot of the logs, etc. So, if you're thinking of heading to BH this weekend, let me pre-fish for you. It is so hard to resist going back under the bridge, so that is where I will probably go. So, let me know what you want me to try!

[basspro15]

hey hellbenderman, Iam heading to mattawomen on saturday.  I was out there last weekend and the fish were still holding to deep cover.  I think the water is still too cool for them to move up.  There were about 50 bassboats around me and seemed as tho no1 was catchn ne.  Hopefuly w this warmer weather the water temp will b up! I also use numerous rods.  I have a crankbait rod w 20lb flurocarbon. My fav is a #4 sexyshad.  I bump it off of the fallen timber.  I like to pause once i feel it hit the structure.  I use a 7' spinnerbait rod w 15# flrocarbon and I tend to use alot of boogie baits with that.  When Im pitchn and flipping I love to use 30# braid with a large pumpkin zoom lizard w a pegd weight. if that isnt workn i like a black/blue pig n jig. My go to is a shad color zoom super fluke weightless! When everything else fails I throw that into the weeds and it usualy produces for me!

[BrianinMD]

Andy, Black Hills is a park near Boyds Md, in Montgomery County. The name of the lake is Little Seneca. Its an electric only lake, there is one boat ramp just inside the park. Can be tough to fish at times but holds some real nice Largemouth, Crappie, and Tiger Musky. If I remember correctly it is around 500 acres.

Hellbender, look forward to your report, I won't be able to fish until after work on Monday or Tuesday but interested to see how the bass are biting.

[basspro15]

hellbenderman, I can not fish any of those resevoirs unfortunatley.  Once I put my boat into tidal water i have to leave it out of water for awhole year b4 i can put in in freshwater.  My friend Tony & I used to rent boats at lock raven all the time when we were kids. We usually did ok.  Most of the freshwater resevoirs dont allow boats w gas motors to launch in them.  Even if u only run ur trolling motor.  I would love to be able to fish triadelphia liberty and lock raven!   Where is black hills??

[basspro15]

Brianinmd, can I take a gas motor in black hills if i keep it up and dont use it? I know I can in piney run and centennial lake.

[BrianinMD]

You can have a gas motor on, when I had a boat I left it in the water and no one said a word. I got checked a couple of time by park police and there was no questions asked about it.

Do you fish out of Glen Cove? I have a tourney there on May 1st and have never been anywhere close to it before.

[basser89]

The other three rods, I will fish your suggestions. You tell me what you want me to try, and be specific, and I'll give some of your suggestions a serious try for 15 minutes or so, and report back as to the size and number of the fish I caught using your method.

Hellbenderman,

I'll throw 2 options your way for tomorrow. First would be a 3/8-1/2oz spinnerbait (double willow) in a bubblegum color. Slow roll it in the 4-8' range around the submerged timber (works great in stained water-hint hint). The other would be a t-rigged lizard (your choice of color) on the lightest weight you can get away with, crawled on the bottom in 2-5' around submerged timber. And yes, these 2 techniques have scored my biggest bass (from shore) this time of the year.

Andy, Black Hills is located just outside of Germantown. It's great working only 10 minutes from there! Love going there at lunch to take my mind off things!  ;D

[basspro15]

yea I fish glenn cove.  Its TOUGH! There is a nice cove heading towards the d**n when u come out of glenn cove.  U cant miss the dam.  U r only about 2 miles from it.  So go to the rite when u come out of glenn cove. There r 2 coves actually. fish the furthest 1 1st then move to the closer 1.  Lots of timber n log jams.  After that I always run to the other side of the lake and fish funks run U have to go under a small railroad brige to get to it.  It looks like u wont make it under the bridge but trust me u will! Michaels run is a good spot and so is broad creek.  If the fish r on then it will b a good day. If not it stinks! its hit or miss. Let me know how u do

[Boett43]

Got to black hills yesterday cuaght one back over near the dog park, went about 12 inches . It hit a weightless texas rigged roboworm. i was fisihing it really slow too.  Still yet to see any beds, none at the canal at dickerson either

[Basser714]

I hope Hellbender is having a great day out there. Maybe you can file your report tonight! If you say its slow, I may head down to the lower Potomac tomorrow. I heard the creeks temps dropped down there, but imagine they will be climbing soon.

I get fishing reports from the link below, but usually use the search feature since its for all states. To get the lower potomac, you have to search for Tidal Potomac. Or you can just browse the entire list.

http://www../bassfish/reports/index.html

Here is the latest update for the Tidal Potomac:

Date Fished: 3/29/2010

Water Temperature: 52

Water Clarity: 1 foot

We experienced a five to ten degree drop in water temperatures over the week. The most stable temperatures were in the main river and in the first 1/3 of the creeks. We concentrated our efforts in the most stable areas that had decent water conditions and had good success through the week on a variety of patterns and baits. The high end of the tide would find us on main river rocky points or gravel banks where grass was present. Slowly worked rattle baits or quick diving crank baits were productive as were Mann's grubs or Berkley Chigger craws. More and more quality keeper size bass were found on grass flats near the mouths of creeks or in main river bays where bass showed a preference for a red eye shad, Storm Thin Fin, Chatter Baits and plastic creature baits or jig and craw combo's. Good bass could be caught on the lower ends of the tide along creek ledges bordered by emerging spatterdock fields. We'd work the shallow parts off the ledge with jerk baits, rattle baits, spinner baits or chatter baits. The deeper parts of the ledge were plied with grubs and Chigger Craws. Wood continued to show nice bass that were attracted to Chatter Baits or a slow rolled spinner bait followed up with a craw or jig and craw combos as well as plastic worms. Waters should start to warm again by weeks end with 80 degree temperatures predicted.

[Smiths.R]

I fished Loch Raven for about an hour and a half this afternoon.  The water was much colder than the last time I was there (last Sunday).  Had a couple of pickerel chase my lure, but no bass.  I figure with the warm weather today and tomorrow, Saturday might be hopping.

[basser89]

Popped over to dam 4 for a little while today. The levels were at an odd level. Yeah, its still up but not high enough for my one area but too low to really be able to work the rip rap. Shot over to the C&O in Williamsport for a little while and managed one dink on a jerkbait. Saw a good one (4-5lb range) cruising but couldn't get her to take a second look at anything.

[Basser714]

I went to the south cove at Black Hill for an hour and had no bites. My old thermometer read 51 degrees again.

The link below estimates water temps, and shows BH estimated to be at 48 based on recent weather events. Of course, it doesnt say at what depth but I assume its at the surface. Again, I believe the north side of most all lakes should be warmer.

http://www.fishingnotes.com/lakeinfo.php?id=11479

[Hellbenderman]

I have good news and bad news. Let's do the bad news first. Got to BH about noon. Several boats were leaving. They had all been there since 6 am, and four boats had caught nothing. All had gone back under the bridge, but none had gone all the way back to the rocks. I was surprised when I put in at the ramp and the water temp was 54. Not far from the ramp the temp was 53....hmmmm. I ran up that big cove on the right across from the park docks....temp 54, made a bunch of casts especially on the stump field in the back right of the left fork, with as close to that Bubble Gum spinner bait as I could muster, Sean. Nada. I then went pretty much straight back to the rock pile under the bridge. Stopped for a few casts on the right side on the way. Nada. Water temp the entire arm was 53-54...about 1:30. Stopped and heavily fished the lumber just before the rock pile on the right as you head up, with a six inch Taquila Shad Culprit Lizard. Nada. Spinner bait and senko on the rock pile. Nada. Jig and Craw in the stumps and lumber. Nada. Crossed the rocks...fluked it...nada. Grew frustrated and jammed boat against the right bank where I could cast to innumerable targets and just threw everything I had at them and...Nada.

I sat there for an hour or so and while I sat there, I could watch the temp change. I left there about 4:00 and the temp had gotten up to 57...whoopie!....sheeeesh. When I headed back, shortly after crossing over the rocks, the temp dropped back to 54-55. All those coves, temp 53-54, 55 in very back. Nada on the fish. By this time I had also noticed that there wasn't anything going on back there at all. There were no little minnows about, no craw fish, no little blue gills. The only fish I saw on the graph were clustered around the trees. It was a desert. I fished shallow all the way back to the dock in all the same places you would and I knew it was useless, but I was hoping that fat one would move in at dusk, but, nada. There were five or six boats ahead of me at the ramp. All told the same sad tale. There were two boats behind me and when they came

out I asked them how they did. This is the good news. The one man had his two young sons with him and said they caught 15! I said 15? And he said, "yeah 15. Got them on minnows and bobbers." Crappie. That's great. He went up the other side and went back up the creek where he said the water temp was 63. Then the last boat came out  they caught five...bass. They had been up to the rock pile where the temp was 64. They caught them shallow with slow moving rubber stuff. Makes a lot of sense. It is very protected back there and a long way from the main lake. They were the only ones back there. I'm sorry I changed my mind and went under the bridge...curses! However, if you were planning to go to BH tomorrow or soon, don't waste your time going under the bridge. Go up the other side and catch some fish. I'm probably going to hit tomorrow as the wife wants me to take her out to see the ducks....hehehe. The other side is still be a week or two behind, I think.

[Hellbenderman]

That may have sounded confusing, as I 'm beat and fumble brained. The temp is 64 up the left side creek. Hope that makes sense. That's where the fish were caught.

[Basser714]

HBM hell yeah that helps. Trying to confirm which one the left creek is... i assume its by boat, leaving the dock, and head left after the boat rental.

Looking at this link to a satellite image, its easy to see where the shallow warm water would be... on the east side

http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS322US322&q=map+20878&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Gaithersburg,+MD+20878&gl=us&ei=2mK1S6zvDYO78ganwqHIBA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAsQ8gEwAA

[basser89]

That may have sounded confusing, as I 'm beat and fumble brained. The temp is 64 up the left side creek. Hope that makes sense. That's where the fish were caught.

I followed you completely Chris! I'm guessing with the temps you mentioned, you were in fairly clear water? I know that east arm, back at the place I call the stick ups, was pretty stained wednesday when I was there at lunch. If there's that much that much of a difference in the water clarity, I can understand why that boat was getting the water temps they were. Thanks for the report!

[Hellbenderman]

yep!

[Basser714]

yep its been clear and cold in my parts

[Basser714]

Checked out Lake Frank for the first time. Water was about 50 degrees and with no action I moved up to Rileys. It was still muddy and a bit high. We didnt get any smalls, so we ran to BHills and worked the eastern side to complete the shutout. Not a bite all day, but it was fun. Hundred times better than work as usual. 

[Hellbenderman]

There is no easy way to say this, but between four and seven this afternoon at BH I caught 16 bass, including a 5.5, a 4.5, a couple 3s , a couple 2s and so forth. All were caught in a 1/4 mile stretch. I have the pictures, which I am going to send to Sean because I haven't the slightest idea how to put them up and he probably does. If you don't want to put them up, Sean, that's ok, too. Just nice to be verified. All you need to know, I told you yesterday. All were caught in under 4 feet of water. The time is now!

[Hellbenderman]

Oh, yeah. Let's just keep this between ourselves....hahahaha...rofl.