Occoquan/Potomac

[3dkicker]

The grass bed in Occoquan river is in full bloom already. Normally it takes this bed a little longer to develop when compared to other areas of the Potomac river. Usually it tops out in late July or even August but it's up now but it decided not to give up any fish today. Threw the kitchen sink and only had a few blow ups. Like the rest of the country we finally got the heat wave yesterday (105 degrees) and the water temps jumped from 76-77 degrees to 85-86 degrees. Maybe this had the fish in a funk and we even fished low outgoing tide too!!!!
Ran out of the Occoquan and hit a feeder creek and picked up a couple long skinny bass and returned when the sky started rumbling. We made a quick stop next to a dock and I caught this nice 4lb bass before we were run off the river by lightning and rain.

[Captmikestarrett]

Occoquan can be little fickle at times. It is shame you did not get to fish the golden hour over the grass. I think if you had the results would have been much better..

Capt Mike

[3dkicker]

Golden hour or happy hour??

What do you consider "golden hour" in grass?? First hour of outgoing?

We've got a little tourne this weekend and high tide is early.

[Captmikestarrett]

Originally Posted by 3dkicker

Golden hour or happy hour??

What do you consider "golden hour" in grass?? First hour of outgoing?

We've got a little tourne this weekend and high tide is early.

Are you ready for this???

8pm till 10 pm and should called golden hours..

But in an early high tide I would fish big beds (Wades/Bluebanks) with a topwater popper / Zara / and lastly toad as the hooks start to foul.

Big long heavy rods and long casts to cover miles of grass. 40lb test braided and teach the fish to surf on hookup..

I had a banner day one morning with a 8 foot surf rod and an emcast reel.
I could whip that lure way out there and cover a lot of territory in the short morning bite..



Capt Mike

[3dkicker]

I'll be fishing Anna tomorrow during "golden hours". The fish get aggressive for a short period of time but then turn off. Once they turn off it's over for a while. But I found some good fish last week so we should do well.

Answer me this....Do you find fishing topwater over the matted hydrilla is worthwhile compared to moving out and fishing topwater over the more scattered grass and deeper water? Let's say on a low tide?

Seems to me that the fish are in the matted stuff but getting them to come up and hit a bait becomes a problem.

[Captmikestarrett]

Originally Posted by 3dkicker

Answer me this....Do you find fishing topwater over the matted hydrilla is worthwhile compared to moving out and fishing topwater over the more scattered grass and deeper water? Let's say on a low tide?

Seems to me that the fish are in the matted stuff but getting them to come up and hit a bait becomes a problem.

Depends on flood stage and amount of light..
I know that really did not answer your question but let extrapulate it a little.

Moon cycles of new or full will bring extra high tides and at that time matted works best.. In between the scattered grass works better.

But when I come up to a grass bed I guess from the clarity of the water, amount of tide and amount of light if back deep is the answer or not..

I always try both.. and then let the fish tell me.

Capt Mike