First time on the Potomac

[jeepcrazy]

Hey guys,

I got out on the Potomac for the first time yesterday.  It was pretty murky, but it was fun to get out somewhere where I can run my outboard for a change. 

I have a few questions:

1) Is there a better place to put in other than Leesylvania?  The park closes at 830 and having to be out of the water that long before sundown really cost us some of the evening bite.  I was looking forward to frogging those grass beds at low tide but it just hadn't gotten down that far by then.  (We fished the beds off Aquia but didn't have a lot of luck with anything other than texas rigged lizards)

2) When is the "right time" to fish out there?  We were in a transition from high to low tide the whole time we were out and practically couldn't buy a bite. 

3) Any advice for managing your trolling motor in the grass?  I found that unless I had it on full-throttle the weeds would wrap around the motor.  Ultimately this happened to the point where the motor wouldn't run at all.  After things cooled off it seems fine, but boy it scared the crap outta me!

Thanks for any advice!

[Bigs]

operating a trolling motor out there is grown man business. I have a brand new 82 pound thrust and once my batteries have a few hours of use on them out there then the struggle really begins. Only on full charge can I cut right thru everything. Thats just part of fishing out there. And leesylvania has just about as good of a ramp as ur gonna find on the river. Flukes have been workin well out there lately.

[Dan:]

Are you coming from Front Royal to launch? If so, Pohick and Occoquan would be a shorter drive. I think Occoquan is open until dusk but I think Pohick closes at 7 or so. I think you should call the parks and ask about night time boating. I think some of them will allow after hours boaters to stay as long as you have a certain pass.

2. Anytime is the "right time" as long as you fish the right spots. There are lots of topics about fishing tides if you do a search.

3. Get a stronger trolling motor. Otherwise, if you get wrapped up, pull it up and clean the weeds off.

[soccplayer07]

sharpen your blades. i can get through the thick stuff quite well.

I'm using a 72lbs motor on 24 volts.

[Sam]

Check out Hope Springs Marina on Aquia Creek.

You go through Stafford to get to Hope Springs Marina.

I don't think they close so you can fish until dark.

Aquia Creek is a good place to fish.

Don't fish the grass all the time. Fish along and parallel to the grass, too.

Use a trick worm or Manns Minus One on top of the grass. Senkos also can do well thrown in the grass openings.

Check out the docks and piers, too, but be careful not to get hung up in the grass getting to them.

Rough water at the mouth of Aquia Creek so be careful if you venture out into the river to get to other places.

[Sam]

I forgot to add frogs and spinnerbaits to the list.

White spinnerbaits with a white trailer.

You may want to try a trailer hook to see if it will get hung up in the grass.

I caught some on a KVD Sexy Shad crankbait by ripping it out of the grass. One bass hit it when it hit the water's surface, too.

Give those white War Eagles a try. 

[jeepcrazy]

Thank you very much for the replies!

I do come from Front Royal, so it's a bit of a hike.  I'll check out Hope Springs for sure! 

My trolling motor is only a 55lb 12v so I'm sure that was part of my issue.  I'll just do a better job of cleaning off the salad from now on!!

[Bigs]

I agree on the war eagle spinnerbaits, that is the only one I ever use on the river. I have dozens of others but none ever get any use unless Im fishing somewhere else like Lake Anna.

55 pounds of thrust just isnt enough. Get a 70 or 80 pound, I seen some on craigslist lately used. As far as sharpening the blades it will help a little but once stuff gets wrapped around in clumps it doesnt matter how sharp they are esp if the wind starts blowng u up into the grass at low tide when ur just tryin to fish the edges.

And I think Hope Springs is twenty bux to launch btw. Pohick is only 8 bux during the week to launch, not sure bout the weekends tho. Problem with pohick tho is that it is very shallow around low tide in that area so u gotta know what ur doing. It can be tough to get on plane during low tide back there. Leesylvania is a nice place to launch due to the fact that mattawman is less then two miles away and its not too shallow or dangerous to navigate around there.

[jeepcrazy]

Thanks for the advice on the spinnerbaits!  I'll definitely check them out.  I'm probably going to leave the trolling motor as is, as I'm in the market for a new boat.  (Something bigger where I can take both kids fishing)

Thanks for the tips!  I'm looking forward to getting back out there again.  If anyone experienced out there wants to get out, let me know!  I'm available weekdays too. 

[SydneyBass]

Hope Springs is a good launch point but just be prepared for an expensive ramp fee.  I think its over $15.  There is also another marina near Hope Springs, its called Willow Landing Marina, last time i was there the ramp fee was $10.  good luck

[VekolBass]

Regarding getting through the grass with an under-powered motor there are a couple options. One is the "salad shooter" method where you partially lift the motor out of the water except for the motor body and the blades, hold it with your hand, and then chop through just the top layer of grass. This avoids grass tangling around the motor shaft. It is however, very noisy. A second option is not to use the TM. Pull the engine out of the water and use a push pole--very quiet, but you can't fish and push at the same time--and you have to move constantly from the bow to the back. It is a good method for punching mats (which is a grass fishing technique that works well starting now, and lasts through the summer).

Your last option is to buy a TM with more power--that's what I plan to do when my current 55lb finally dies.