Maryland's Who's who!

[Fat Boy]

Bill, very cool video, thanks!!!

[micorps]

Well just registered as I was looking for fishing spots, I will be moving to Southern MD/Prince George County from Fairbanks, AK in July. I grew up fishing in MN and primarily fish for walleyes. I am looking to buy a boat soon and leave the pontoon in MN. Still trying to decide what to buy but would like a boat i can use in both MN and MD, but no sure if a lund Pro-V or crestliner fish hawk would be to deep for rivers in MD. Still will need to do more research.

[Fat Boy]

micorps, there is a lot of variety in Maryland, so this is a tough question. It all depends on what you want to target.

In Southern Maryland, a deep-V prop boat or a full sized glass bass boat on the Upper Tidal Potomac (targeting bass, stripers, catfish, perch, etc.) would do well with standard electronics (trolling motor, etc.). There are some walleyes to be had above DC in the Potomac or at Deep Creek Lake (about 3-4 hours away) where these boats would be OK too.

However, in the Lower Tidal Potomac and the Cheseapeake Bay if you're after stripers, bluefish, sea trout, flounder, etc., the water is brackish to salt, and you'd need to be equipped with a trolling motor and electronics that can handle salt water. I have a buddy that likes to bass fish but also enjoys the saltwater species on the bay, and recently purchased a 22' Mako that has a deck like a bass boat, a 200 hp outboard, but a walk around center console, and he teamed it with a 36V 101 lb. thrust salt water trolling motor. It's a beast on the tidal waters and he can fish for stripers in the bay, or bass in the Upper Tidal Potomac. He just can't fish much of the upper Potomac where it's too rocky and shallow except for maybe two or three small sections.

The lakes in Southern Maryland (St. Mary's Lake, Wheatley) have varying regulations, and are best suited for bass boats or semi-v boats.

If you prefer to fish moving shallow, rocky sections of the rivers for smallmouth and walleye, an aluminum jet boat is a good thing to have. Yet, there are sections of the Upper Potomac that you can run a prop boat with some care. The Eastern jet boat models are quite different than those out West, and are set up for drifting rocky ledges, drafting inches of water on the float (not just while on plane).

Also, regarding the Tidal Potomac and the Bay, it's big water, so keep that in mind.

That said, there is no perfect boat for Maryland. It all depends where you'd spend most of your time. Figure out where you'd want to fish the most, and then decide on the boat.

[micorps]

FB, wow thank you. I definitely do not want a bass boat as MN I need a more traditional style fishing boat. A good semi-v boat I am looking at is a Crestliner Fish Hawk 1750 with a 115 Mercury 4-stroke. It comes with 2 x GPS/fishfinders and bow mounted trolling motor, livewells, etc. I only fish freshwater and primarily fish Crappie, Walleye, and Northerns. I would like to bass fish more, but will need to buy plastic and spinner baits. Right now I have tons of crankbaits (Lipless, diving, top water, stock) and large variety of jigs/walleye rigs. I do not like fishing in shallow conditions and the species I am used to fishing tend to be in deeper waters, at least in MN. 3-4 hour drives is easy in my eyes since I was used to driving to upstate NY in the winter to ride snowmobiles. I was looking at the places to fish and even the potomac is freshwater in the areas I would fish. A website said everything up from the 301 bridge is freshwater and wouldnt fish any lower than that. I did plenty of deep sea halibut/silver salmon fishing here in Alaska and was fun, but not my preferred fishing.Are the lakes you fish pretty deep then? I saw Maryland has reservoirs also which i imagine are plenty deep for the type of boat i am looking for. Thank you for the input.

[wv]

Welcome "micorps"...you have joined a great group of fishermen here. We got out Monday night to Sharpsburg Pond and then hit the river on the way home. We each caught a small LMB at Sharpsburg...only about 10 inches for each one. But at the river we had our best night ever. We caught 7 SMB mostly on Yum Dingers in a white/black spotted color and one on a Strike King tube in green pumpkin/red flake. My son caught a 10 incer and a a 13 incher. I caught 5 myself - two 10 inchers, two 14 inchers and a 15 incher. All had pretty chuinky bellies and man what fighters. Only bummer was the batteries in our camera were dead.:-( Water was moving fast, a little higher than usual and a little cloudy. Really sorry we don't have pictures...normally when the river is up like it was I don't even bother to stop but I was glad I did. Keep catchin' em.

[nastynate]

Put the Boat in at River bottom about 6 o clock Sunday morning water was up around 3ft and cloudy. The catfish nation appeared to be finishing up a tourny from the previous night. I went up to the first shoot to try my luck for a while why waiting on my buddy to show. After he showed we ran up past the rail road peirs but before the d**n and started to fish. Right off the bat caught a keeper on a buzz bait. Sunday was a R and D type of day for me, threw everything new at the fish instead of tube, sinko, ect... and did well. Caught about 15 fish and 3 were keepers. All smallmouth.

I have seen some pesky flathead catfish showing up in the Potomac around here. Has anyone else??

They are a invasive species to this area and should be removed.

[micorps]

WV, sounds like a good day. In MN we fish the rivers when the water is high and the fish are able to move up and down the river, but i guess for bass you wouldnt want it to high as bass tend to like the cover and not a heavy current.

Right now I am trying to figure out what plastics to buy to prepare for my arrival but there is alot to choose from. So many options and colors. if you guys have recommendations please let me know.

[Fat Boy]

micorps,

Great colors for any plastics that you buy: green pumpkin(s), watermelon(s), black/blue, black, black/chartreuse, blue fleck, smoke purple, chartreuse, white, shad colors...try to imitate the forage (mostly shad, bluegills, crawfish, frogs). Basically, natural colors when the water is clear to murky, dark or bright when it's stained to muddy. You can't go wrong with green pumpkin anything.

Plastic worms (from 4" finesse to larger sizes), tubes, soft stick baits (Senko style), flukes/sluggo style baits, crawfish imitations, creature baits, grubs

I have my favorite brands, but who doesn't? Have confidence in your favorites. I like Zoom, Kalins, Yamamoto, Mizmo, Case and a few other brands...but they all work.

About your boat choices: you should be able to find plenty of water to fish with either of those boats, lakes or rivers.

[Munkin]

There are walleye in the Upper Potomac in both the Four Locks and Big Slackwater sections. I catch some every year by accident at both places and you can launch any boat under 30'. If you really want to target them Deep Creek Lake is your best bet as it is a deep clear highland lake. The other place you may want to try is Randolf Jennings as I have heard it is great for Walleye but I personally have not fished there.

Allen

[nastynate]

there are plenty of walleye in the upper potomac. Best to fish for them at night.

[micorps]

Wow those are some huge walleyes, i definitely need to get in on that. did you catch those from shore and were you using hard baits or live bait? Thank you tim

[Traveler2586]

Welcome to the area micorps.

I live just south of you in Waldorf; I can set you up with some spinner and buzzbaits to welcome you to So. MD when you get here. Fat Boy hit the nail on the head and there's not much more I can add other than showing you around the Upper Tidal Potomac.

We have plenty to offer between the Bay, Patuxent River, Potomac River, Susquehanna River, several reservoirs, the Eastern Shore rivers, and we also have Lake Anna about two hours south.

[nastynate]

They are from the shore using artificial bait. Seems like the best time to catch them is in the colder months leading up to the spawn, or when your eyelets are freezing to your braid. lol

[micorps]

All, thank you for all the help and will use it to add soft baits to the tackle box.

FB, very informative posts on lure selection. very helpful

Munkin, thank you for the places to fish, sounds like there is plenty of places to fish

Nastynate, all I can say is man would i love to catch some walleyes like that

Traveler, I will let you know when I arrive the end of July, I need to hunt for a house when i arrive and currently looking between fort washington waldorf and upper marlboro. It is still up in the air if I will have a boat when I arrive as I still have to pull my trailer with the snowmobiles, atvs, and dirtbikes.

[Bill Poch]

Ran out to the pond at Baker Park for lunch today. Turns out there are bass in there.

Caught using a 4" senko on shakey head jig.

[pagliaroj]

Guys,

I was wondering if anyone knew of someone trying to unload a boat for around $2,000. I had lined one up but he is dragging his feet and it was such a great deal I am finding it hard to find anything similar. I really just want something capable of going out on lakes and the river that will hold 3-4 people.

Just as an FYI I had lined up a 1990 17ft Astroglass, with 110HP outboard, 55lb Trolling motor and trailer for $2,000. So as you can imagine my standards are high

[Munkin]

there are plenty of walleye in the upper potomac. Best to fish for them at night.

That is the best place I know to catch walleye and they really like white spinnerbaits or hard jerkbaits.

Guys,

I was wondering if anyone knew of someone trying to unload a boat for around $2,000. I had lined one up but he is dragging his feet and it was such a great deal I am finding it hard to find anything similar. I really just want something capable of going out on lakes and the river that will hold 3-4 people.

Just as an FYI I had lined up a 1990 17ft Astroglass, with 110HP outboard, 55lb Trolling motor and trailer for $2,000. So as you can imagine my standards are high

Craigslist would be you best bet.

Allen

[nastynate]

Yes it is Allen. I have seen limits caught in under a hour.

[Fat Boy]

Yep, I agree with Allen, there are some good deals on Craigslist. Check multiple cities in VA, MD, WV and PA.

Bill, nice fish anywhere, much less downtown Frederick! I also wonder about the creek if it has largemouth in it running through the center of town

[Bill Poch]

Yep, I agree with Allen, there are some good deals on Craigslist. Check multiple cities in VA, MD, WV and PA.

Bill, nice fish anywhere, much less downtown Frederick! I also wonder about the creek if it has largemouth in it running through the center of town

I've seen what looks like largemouth in the creek through the center of town but I have to imagine you can't fish it because I've never seen anybody that does. Sounds like we need to make a 2:00am run to fish there. Oh wait, at 2:00am in downtown Frederick we're likely to get robbed.

[Fat Boy]

Oh wait, at 2:00am in downtown Frederick we're likely to get robbed.

LOL, now that's funny! I'm hoping to wet a line this evening but the weather outlook doesn't look too good. I plan to get out as much as possible this weekend though as long as my wife lets me (or maybe I'll just sneak out)

[micorps]

LOL, now that's funny! I'm hoping to wet a line this evening but the weather outlook doesn't look too good. I plan to get out as much as possible this weekend though as long as my wife lets me (or maybe I'll just sneak out)

I think you need to get some supplies for home improvement projects, oh wait is lowes or home depot open at 2am, just say you are trying to avoid the long lines.

[basser89]

Work is still crazy here. I did manage to get a for a short time Memorial Day morning. I hit one of the smaller lakes over in Montgomery Village. I managed 2 small largemoths there. One on a lipless crank and another on a plastic worm. I did loose another that was a little better (guessing about 2-2 1/2lbs). That one popped off right at shore as I was trying to play it out (hooked it on the lipless crank). The only other fishing related activity I've managed lately was my TW order for a new froggin rod (the Powell Diesil series 7'2"). Its scheduled to show up tomorrow. Hopefully the weather and everything else cooperates and I'm able to test it out soon!

[micorps]

Basser, what kind of lipless cranks do you use. I have used alot but love the x-raps and clackin raps. Never tried any for bass though.

[basser89]

micorps,

I carry several brands of lipless cranks. I've had the most success with RatLTraps but I also throw Cotton Cordell Super Spots, Strike King Red Eye Shad, XCalibur One Knockers and the Norman lipless (can't remember the name off the top of my head). My theory behind carrying several brands is each brand has their own unique sound (and in some cases, a different profile). So if I figure out there's a decent lipless crank bite on, I can tweak things until I give them the one they like the best. Generally I stick with 1/2oz models but I've added 1/4oz and 3/4oz to my arsenal as well. That has proved to be a valuable addition on a few outings. I will add that I've built my collection up over several years so I'm not breaking the bank putting the collection together. Hope this helps some! If you have any questions, let me know and I'll help out the best I can.