Fished for: Striped & Largemouth Bass
Date Fished: 11-1-98
Boat Name: 'Anna's Luck
Water Temp: 55 Degrees
Water Clarity: 1 Foot
Seas: Smooth
Weather: Sunny AM/Partly Cloudy PM
REPORT:
Jeffrey Wible and I fished on Sunday, 11/01/98 from 6:30 AM until 5:15 PM, on Mattawoman Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, located south of Washington, DC on the Maryland side. The tide was outgoing when we started.
All fish were caught on light spinning and bait casting equipment using artificial lures.
SPECIAL NOTE: Thanks Jeffrey for putting me on the fish, knowing the feeding pattern, and showing me the technique we used to catch 52 of the 55 fish.
LURES USED: silver plated vibrating crankbaits, jigging spoons, soft plastic baits rigged on 1/2 ounce round head jigs, skirted jigs with pork trailers (pig & jig), spinnerbaits, deep diving crankbaits 5" grubs.
TOTAL STRIPED BASS CAUGHT WAS 26. The Stripers ranged in length from 14" to 19 1/2". The most productive structure was a creek point. Landed 6 Stripers between 18" and 19 1/2". All stripers were healthy and put up a good fight.
TOTAL LARGEMOUTH BASS CAUGHT WAS 14. The Largemouth Bass ranged in length from 11" to 17 1/2". The most productive structure was a mound located outside a lily pad field.. Landed 12 Largemouth Bass between 12" and 17 1/2". Estimated total weight of keepers was 24 pounds. Biggest Largemouth was 4#.
STRUCTURES FISHED: Points, underwater timber, gravel bars, lily pad fields and grassbeds.
MOST PRODUCTIVE LURE: Silver Buddy, 1/2 ounce in silver (52 assorted fish)
MOST PRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUE: Jigging On The Bottom- cast the lure out, let it sink to the bottom, with your rod tip at 10 o’clock, lift swiftly to 11 o’clock. During this lift you should feel the Silver Buddy lipless crankbait wobble. Drop your rod tip to 10 o’clock and let the lure hit the bottom again while keeping all the slack out of your line. As soon as the lure hits the bottom lift your rod tip to 11 o’clock again. Do this while the lure is in the strike zone. You will not feel most of the strikes. The fish hit the lure on the fall. You will notice that when you go to lift the lure again. Set the hook and hold on.
OTHER PRODUCTIVE LURES THIS TRIP:
BASS ASSASSIN, Split Tail Shad, Soft Plastic Bait, 4", Rainbow Trout, #STS39332 (2 Stripers)
HOPKINS, Spoon, Smoothy, 5/8 ounce, Silver (1 Striper)
OTHER FISH CAUGHT:
10 - White Perch
2 - Bluegills (6 were keeper size)
2 - Channel Catfish (1 was 8#)
1 - Crappie (11 1/2")
FISHING TIP:
Examine the hooks on your lures. If they are dull install replacement hooks for better hook-ups. EXAMPLES: hooks manufactured by Owner, Excalibur, Gamakatsu, and VMC are just a few. For Striped Bass use barbless Conservationist Hooks made by Eagle Claw.
END NOTE:
Tom Hughes and Bill Kassakatis will be guest speakers at the next Coastal Conservation Association Maryland, Pasadena Chapter this Thursday. FREE to the public. Go to www.WorldWideAngler.com/calendar/index.html , then click November 5, 1998.
Good Fishing…..Tom Hughes
Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association
Freelance Outdoor Writer And Speaker
www.WorldWideAngler.com/calendar/index.html
Atrcle on the Silver Buddy go to--http://www.silverbuddy.com/artcle2.htm