The season--and the millennium, I suppose, if you take the early
view of the calendar dispute--got off to a bang for MKFS with an awesome late-winter float
trip that bodes well for the year to come. MKFS guides Motes, Murphy, and Hayes took
to the water at the peak of last week's warm-up and enjoyed hot fishing for stout and
willing smallmouth (and other species) in the 15-20 inch range.
Butch began the festivities with a 19 1/2 inch pig that Boga'd at 4 lb.
2 oz.--not a bad way to start a year. Within the hour he had done it again with
another fish right at 4 pounds, and John Hayes added another four pounder later in the
day. All of the big fish came on large jig-and-pig combinations in dark colors with
red or chartreuse accents. Butch also ruled on species count: a seventeen inch
walleye and an eight-pound carp rounded out his scorecard as well as the year's first two
fly rod fish, smallmouth of 15 and 16 inches taken on Craft Fur Clousers.
Conditions were ideal for late winter fishing. The air temps were
very high with sunny conditions to spike water temps. Early readings were in the low
forties on the upper Potomac, but backwaters and banks near wood read at 43 or 44 degrees
by 11 AM. The Shenandoah was running at 46 or 47 degrees and we had readings at 50
by the peak of the afternoon.
Both rivers were in a falling situation. The Potomac had crested
at over 9 in the early week, and was still stained by Friday with visibility perhaps 20
inches in the main flow. Some creeks and backwater areas were distinctly clearer and
with direct sun the clarity was perfect for big fish hunting. Potomac level was 6 at
midnight Friday and 5.5 at Harper's Ferry by about noon. Shenandoah levels were more
moderate; Millville peaked at 5.5 early in the week and was down to mean levels by Friday.
The 'Doah was clean and green by the time we crossed the confluence on Friday
afternoon.
These levels are more important than the single day's fishing.
The Shenandoah has barely risen above means for almost 18 months, and the Potomac, usually
more volatile, has been very stable and low for a long time. Though this is
excellent from the perspective of a day-to-day float guide, it may not be the most
conducive situation for river health. We found significant remaining grass in
protected water, and some of it was still strong and green. The lack of high water
also allows for tremendous coverage of the verges of river bank areas and islands with
grasses and other underbrush, which may keep the silt down.. We haven't observed any
difference so far--though the moderate high water of last week does seem to have delivered
a disproportionate amount of driftwood and other flotsam, creating some new logjams.
Perhaps this isn't surprising considering how long it has been since the river
really came up. It also seems to have cleared the mouth of the canal at Brunswick
(though that may have been aided by some human intervention) which will earn continued
thanks from weary river guides this summer.
There's no doubt that the smallmouth are healthy. We caught
thirty smallmouth altogether; the smallest was 12 or 13 inches and the average was about
15 inches and 1 1/2 pounds--very chunky and healthy, even in their mustardy winter
plumage. A few had black spots or blotches, including one with a distinct eye-patch,
like the dog in "Little Rascals." I'd love to have one of the more
scientifically astute of you tell me what causes the black spots, though I'd settle for
the name of the dog.
The biggest fish came from typical high-water holds--protected woody
banks and backwaters. Many fish came from a more typical winter hold--deeper flats
with good flow and large ledge or chunk rock bottoms. The winter-hold fish tended to
be the smaller cohort, while the bigger fish--probably 10 fish at 16 inches or
better--were in more active feeding situations, mainly protected water near drop-offs with
good rocky bottom for crawdad hunting. Most of these places are mid-river ledges or
islands, but there is one particular area that is accessible to an intrepid bank angler.
(I'll take you there for a price!)
Fish from the winter holding pattern took jig and pig and also took
tubes, grubs, and one came on a spinnerbait. For these fish, who are generally
inactive but alert, a falling lure is most effective. They tend to take with a distinct
strike while the lure is falling--a tactic that is difficult to master and requires a good
sense of where the fish are holding so that the lure can be kept close enough to the boat
to allow the angler to keep the lure on a good vertical fall and make contact with the
bottom, but not so far that the lure will drag and hang up.
The fish against the banks were tight to woody cover and vertical banks, and
were picky--and very big. These fish often hit only after two or three casts to the
same place, a sign of inactivity, and many strikes were soft or barely perceptible.
Patience and slow work will be rewarded in these situations. It's likely that larger
fish detect the passage of the lure and then monitor it to the bottom, where they watch it
a moment before making the almost undetectable "blow-in" strike from a head-down
position. This gives little or no sensation of a strike, so timing of lure movement
is critical.
Basic cold-water jigging: Cast tight to the cover. With rod
held high, "feel" the lure to the bottom. There, give it a
"live" pause of several seconds; that is, keep it still, with tension, feeling
for any variation while accounting for current flow and boat movement. Some anglers
actually quiver their rod in this situation to impart a subtle motion to the lure.
Make the first movement of the lure very deliberate. It should be a
"lift-drop" or "crawl" rather than the more sudden hopping motion; it
helps to imagine that a gargantuan smallmouth is looking at the lure from a distance of
about one inch; you don't want to conk her in the nose with the jig. Then continue a
slow crawl or lift-drop retrieve. Many hits aren't hits at all but occur as very
slight variations in the feel of the lure; I've caught fish when the lure went heavier,
went lighter, seemed to fade to the left or right, or came up "heavy"--perhaps
the most common non-hit hit. In that situation you often feel a "hit"--a
little tic or pop--that is the fish expelling the lure that she has been holding for a few
seconds.
Hook set should be slow and deliberate, an accelerating sweep of the
rod that only continues against resistance. Even the very distinct strikes--the
"tunk"--or the ultimate jig-hit, the "katunka"--should be greeted with
a sweep rather than a yank. If rod position doesn't allow you to feel real force
against the fish, reel up and sweep her again, or you may be disappointed. It's
critical to maintain a forceful connection, since a smallmouth will usually take a
crayfish into the grinder portion of the mouth--fairly deep--and stay head-down or head
away for a moment after striking. Another good reason for a patient hook set is that
jigs make lots of bottom contact and transmit that contact in lots of different ways, so
you will have many false alarms--don't yank every time or your jig will be constantly
jerked out of the strike-zone. Cold water fish move slowly, so they will hold lures longer
than you might think. Think of it this way: every hook set begins with a rapid
"feeling" lift that may--or may not--accelerate into a real sweeping hook set.
The jig of choice is 1/4 oz. with a weedguard. Materials vary
widely, and matter sometimes. Bucktail, Craft Fur, Polafibre, or plastic are
effective; I like to keep the material short. Trailers also vary; I favor Zoom
plastic trailers in a variety of shapes. Generally the usual division of sizes
applies: larger lures take fewer fish, but the biggest fish. As for colors,
remember that you are imitating a crayfish so start with dark colors; accents of red and
chartreuse are often effective. Blue or purple is a common color as well, and before
you cite that as proof of the smallmouth's illogic gather some large crayfish and look
closely: They develop a gorgeous blue accent at certain times of the year.
Sharpen hooks often. Scents can matter, especially in the
morning or evening before the water temperature and light peaks and makes fish active, and
also in very cloudy water. Keep it slow and subtle. Remember that though fish
are slow and hesitant, they are also very hungry, so it's unlikely that your offerings are
being refused. I have seen many coldwater anglers start out fishing slowly--in the
morning when the fish aren't likely to be very active--then begin to move the lure more
quickly out of frustration as the day wears on. If anything, in the cold water, the
first change you make shouldn't be to change lures or locations but to slow it down, slow
it down.
This trip is another sign of the increasing quality of the fish stocks
in the Potomac. The larger the fish, the earlier they will feed, and this is about
as early as it gets (without becoming late). Last year we had several float trips in
March, though none delivered as many fish or as many quality fish. As on the
Susquehanna, cold water will yield the best fishing for quality fish and the season will
get underway much sooner than many anglers realize. This is spin-fishing, though as
Butch proved the fish can be taken on a fly. Conditions can be marginal for comfort,
and on a good day an angler will only get a few chances but those chances can be
memorable. The Potomac has some very large bass--perhaps seven pounders--and the
next six weeks is the time to take your shot at them.
We'll be running float trips under good conditions and by special
arrangement between now and April, when our normal season bookings open. E-mail or
call for the inside scoop.
Dave Motes
dmkfs@erols.com
Mark Kovach Fishing Services
www.mkfs.com
Dave Motes
Mark Kovach Fishing Services