Potomac Lightning Report

[Captmikestarrett]

Since Slavins is not done yet we had to launch from Smallwood and run back. No wake 80% of the trip was brutal in the heat. Fished pretty far back and managed four 3lb plus bass and one dink. Dink on worm and the rest on Splash-it's. Pretty slow evening and sun was brutal till dusk. Picked up most of the fish on the old pop pop pop fast movement from grass edges then pause and wait. Missed twenty fish from short strikes. Lost a good one due to break off. Think they all need glasses darn it. For a while I thought I lost my mojo, then wam I got a hookup on a four pound bruser of a bass.

The part that was the worst about last night was a dead zone we encountered in a really good area fishing area. This area normally has green hydrilla and lots of fish but instead was covered in red to brown algea. Clumps where floating about like raw sewage. No fish to be found. Tried to go past dead zone but it got worse farther back I went. Normally this time of the year that area would be green and fish would abound. First time I have encountered this in 15 years of guiding in this area. Really sad.....
But at the edge of the dead zone schools of hungry white perch where blitzing the minnows. For a while it was covering the whole creek whith breaking fish.
Josh outfished me good and he can cast good too. I was impressed.
Lightning was unsettling as we came in with an overheating engine.
Capt Mike

[m cress]

Where were you Capn?

[Captmikestarrett]

Mattawomen Creek on the Potomac..

Capt Mike

[m cress]

Originally Posted by Captmikestarrett

Mattawomen Creek on the Potomac..

Capt Mike

Can you orient me to that in relation to the spoils or belle haven?

[Hef]

Capt, I have a tourney this weekend and I'm launching at Smallwood. Where what is the "go-to" lure there right now and what are you focusing on?

[Captmikestarrett]

Wow you have a tourny this weekend? Not a smart move.. Lots of yahoos running around drunk is almost a certainty.

I assume it will an early morning trip. Tides are:
07/01/2006 Sat 12:13AM LDT 1.8 H 05:50AM LDT 0.4 L 12:22PM LDT 1.8 H 06:13PM LDT 0.3 L
07/02/2006 Sun 12:58AM LDT 1.8 H 06:37AM LDT 0.5 L 01:08PM LDT 1.8 H 06:45PM LDT 0.3 L

So, as you see you will launch at dead low. So go right accross from the marina and fish the grass edge just north of Trash point (Big Green Marker at shore line). It will be visable from T dock at Smallwood. Use poppers right at the edge ( 1 inch) of the defined grass. Or use horney toads a foot into the grass and bring them out. You will need to put five fish in the boat in the first hour so a long run is not advised. Next as the tide starts to run in fish the grass line back into the creek. Use spinner baits and non weighted worms like a senko or wacko. Red shad will be the color. Red hooks will help too. Keep going back in creek till weigh in. Give forty minutes to get out of creek.

That should put you in top five.
Capt Mike

[Captmikestarrett]

One more thing put two bags of ice in your live well. It will cool the plastic down and help keep your fish alive. Add stabilzer too.

Capt Mike

[Captmikestarrett]

Originally Posted by m cress

Can you orient me to that in relation to the spoils or belle haven?

South of all that 13 miles on MD side. Big creek and big boats equal big wakes..

Capt Mike

[Hef]

I appreciate it Capt. I hear what you mean about the boaters, but I'm not the tourney director. lol I'm more worried about all this damn rain and how much junk got flushed in from the creeks. Have you been on the water since all this rain?

[Captmikestarrett]

Mattawoman is same as it always been. Still good but a little murky. The swamp in the back creates a great buffer to keep the muddy water out.
Main river is two creams in your coffee..
Capt Mike

[Hef]

I appreciate it.