Weekend Fishing Report

In response to outraged citizens who complained about a recent bass kill after a fishing tournament was held out of Maryland’s tidal Mattawoman Creek, the state has decided to immediately implement a number of new rules and take a hard look at future regulations regarding bass fishing contests.

The Department of Natural Resources’ Fisheries Service has decided to immediately begin registration of all large bass tournaments to see who uses the resource and to get in touch with tournament directors so procedures and catch data can be discussed and statistics that may otherwise not be known can be developed.

The service also will require that the water temperature in live-release boat tanks (that now will have to contain at least 100 gallons of water) be within 5 degrees Fahrenheit of the temperature measured at an approximate depth of 3 feet in the water body to which the fish will be released. The usual temperatures are 75 degrees — plus or minus 10 degrees, depending on the months, May through September.

If a live-release boat is not available, the tournament-caught bass must immediately be transferred to the water they came from and oxygen in release boats will need to be high.

The icing down of livewells can significantly drop water temperatures and cause immediate stress to the fish, hence it is not recommended. Instead, better aeration in livewells is called for, but the state says keeping fish in the condition of their home water is the best way to keep them alive.

I’ll have more details about this development in the coming week, including suggestions by local anglers who would strengthen these new rules even more.

Now, check below for a wide-ranging rundown on the local and distant fishing.

(Ratings key: ****=excellent fishing; ***;=Good; **Fair; *;=Poor.)

AREA 1: D.C. AND VICINITY

TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: 0-35 miles (***) — At Fletcher’s Cove (Georgetown, off Canal Road; call 202/244-0461) Ray Fletcher said: “Same old, same old,” which means the river is eminently fishable, clear and good for big catfish, maybe a few bass and walleyes.”

Downstream, early-bird topwater lure casters who switch to soft plastics or spinnerbaits after the sun hits the water can connect from the Fox Ferry Point section clear down to Virginia’s Aquia Creek. Pick a stretch of submersed grass, a river or feeder creek point and gravel bar, or sunken shoreline wood and other obstacles, and you can connect on largemouth bass. Midriver bait dunkers find willing channel and blue catfish from Wilson Bridge down to and past the power lines at Chicamuxen Creek, while white perch of all sizes are now taking up station in rip-rap nooks and crannies and in sunken wood from Marshall Hall down to Point Lookout. The rockfish trollers have been doing fair along channel edges from above the Harry W. Nice Bridge downstream toward Piney Point and beyond. The biggest excitement currently is delivered by the flounder in the Cornfield Harbor area. Bait minnow drifters score in various depths. You’ll have to do a bit of searching, but the fish are there and quite a few are above 16 inches long.

WICOMICO RIVER: 55 miles (***) — Quade’s Store in Bushwood reports outstanding croaker, spot and white perch catches made by bottom bait-using boaters and pier anglers all around the lower Wicomico and also practically in front of the store.

MATTAWOMAN CREEK: 40 miles (***) — If you get out early enough, the topwater bite can be quite good in the midst of the many grassbeds inside the creek. Spinnerbaits or wacky-rigged soft plastic worms score after the sun rises. Remember, outgoing or incoming tides are a necessity. Water that sits still, doing nothing, can be unproductive.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND LAKES: 40-50 miles (***) — Gilbert Run Park’s Wheatley Lake (Route 6, east of La Plata) offers mainly sunfish, but also a couple of bass now and then. At St. Mary’s Lake (south on Route 5, past Leonardtown, to Camp Cosoma Road) bass and bluegill will jump on a variety of lures and baits. Even topwater poppers have done well early in the day or when it’s overcast. Hot, humid weather isn’t helping, though.

LITTLE SENECA LAKE: 30 miles (***) — Black Hill Regional Park (off Route 117 near Boyds, 301/972-9396) and the nearby Seneca Creek Lake (Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, 301/924-2127) should turn up bass and sunfish, maybe a feisty catfish or two, even if it’s sweltering. The secret is to get out as early as possible and quit as early as possible.

Story Continues →