Fished for: Largemouth Bass
Date Fished: 7/18/98
Boat Name: Shelly's Stratos 285 Pro XL
Water Temp: 81 Degrees
Water Clarity: 6" to 1'
Seas: Smooth
Weather: Partly Cloudy All Day
REPORT:
SPECIAL NOTE:
Jeffrey Wible, President of the Beltway Bassers, Silver Springs, MD posted a report in the WEB and Russell Amidon of Seaford, DE (Lower Sussex Bassmasters) responded by asking Jeffrey to fish the Pocomoke River. Shelly Ewell of Georgetown, DE (Ocean Pro Basshunters). Russ’s best fishing buddy also offered to take someone out. They are active members in the Delaware BASS Federation and both know how to fish for Largemouth Bass on the Nanticoke, Wicomico, Pocomoke and Choptank Rivers.
Jeff and I were put on the fish and told what to catch them with. The camaraderie and knowledge gained on this trip was priceless. We were fortunate enough to meet Russ’s family (one to be proud of) and a special thanks goes out to his wife Ann for putting up with a house full of bass fishermen. Both Russ and Shelly are a honor to the Delaware BASS Federation.
REPORT:
Shelly Ewell and I fished for LARGEMOUTH BASS on Saturday, 07/17/98, from 6:30 AM until 4:15 PM, on the Pocomoke River. All bass were caught on lures using spinning or baitcasting equipment and then released. We caught the last hour of an outgoing tide when we started.
There are some excellent lily pad areas located on the Pocomoke River and its tributaries. The water color was slightly murky in some areas of the river, but the majority was dark and that color is average. This is a productive Largemouth Bass fishery and a beautiful river. We fished all day and during that time we caught a total of 3 hours of an outgoing tide (1 hour in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon).
BEST PATTERN-Bass were holding in or on the outer edge of lily pad fields. The best baits were floating soft plastic baits, buzzbaits or spoons during the last 2 hours of an outgoing tide. This was the most productive time for quantity and quality of bass.
SECONDARY PATTERN-Bass were holding tight against wood that was covered with shade. This shade creates the low light condition which bass use during the day. These bass did not have the quality as the one caught in or around the lily pads.
TOTAL LARGEMOUTH BASS CAUGHT WAS 16. Out of the 16 only 2 were dinks (shorter than 12"). The bass ranged from 12 inches to 17 1/2 inches. These bass were not weighed on a scale and the following is an estimate:
3 bass weighed 3 pounds each
3 bass weighed 2 1/2 pounds each
3 bass weighed 2 pounds each
3 bass weighed 1 1/2 pounds each
2 bass weighed 1 pound each
TOTAL ESTIMATED WEIGHT OF KEEPER LARGEMOUTH BASS-28 pounds.
BIGGEST LARGEMOUTH BASS CAUGHT ON-Gambler Stud, 5 inch, soft plastic jerkbait in white fished on an offset 2/0 worm hook (no weight attached).
MOST PRODUCTIVE LURE-Gambler, Stud, 5 inch, soft plastic jerkbait in white fished on an offset 2/0 worm hook (no weight attached).
MOST PRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUE-Cast the Stud out and slowly pull the jerkbait through the water, keeping it just below the surface. I have fished a lot of different soft plastic jerkbaits, but this is this first one that supplies all its own action. It comes through the water looking like a small snake. I strongly recommend trying one out. You have to see it to believe it. Shelly and Russ have a unique technique for putting even more action into this lure which makes it produce when other lures won’t.
OTHER PRODUCTIVE LURES:
Strike King, Jr. Grass Frog, Chartreuse
Buzz Bait, 3/8 ounce, Black/Chartreuse Skirt (mfg. ?)
Bass Assassin, Twitch, 4 inch, Albino/Red Tail
Johnson, Spoon, 1/2 ounce, Weedless, fished with a 3 inch piece of Bass Assassin, Worm, Junebug
Berkley, Power Neonz, 4 inch, Worm, Shad/Green Glitter
Rapala, Husky Jerk, 4 3/4 inch, Silver/Blue Jerkbait
FISH STORY:
Shelly was up front casting to the shoreline in a very narrow creek feeding into the Pocomoke. He was using a plastic worm and I heard him say "there’s a bass….got it on". I saw his rod bend and before you knew it the bass ran under and around a branch 3 foot deep in the water. Shelly kept the pressure on while maneuvering his boat over to where he could reach the branch. After pulling it up out of the water, trying to figure how this bass had the line wrapped around the branch, Shelly finally reached down and unhooked the bass. It was a keeper! The bass had the line wrapped in such a way the line had to be broken to free the rod and reel.
FISHING TIP-If you ever have a chance to fish with a knowledgeable fishing person, do not pass it up. The information you can learn is priceless. Always ask questions, ask questions, and ask questions. A person that knows how to catch fish will answer them all.
Good Fishing…..Tom Hughes