Submitted by 31Airborne

Date Fished: 6/21/2008
Water Temperature: 82
Water Clarity: 0

Launched out of Leesylvania for the FoMNTT Va East event. Water was stained - maybe 6" of viz - at the boat ramp. Much clearer over the grass beds - 2+' of viz easy. Saw 76 degrees at launch. Water warmed to 82 by 1 PM.

I found the same pattern/had the same success as Wes in previous Potomac post (save for the 7+ fish - nice job, Wes!!). Found fish often at the outer grass edge w/ PacTac Thumper Jig (Duane's version of the chatterbait), Bandit 200 (firetiger), and senkos (greens). Bites were there at slack tide but you had to be patient. Fish were holding down in the grass. They would eat the bait (esp the senko) but would not run. They just sat there. Was a little hard at first telling the difference between feeling the bait come thru grass or feeling the bite. Bite got much more aggressive as the tide started to go out.

I worked the crankbait parallel to the grass line, just ticking the submerged stuff w/ the bill. Tried to hold the boat in 7-8' while casting to the edge. Strikes came as the bait came thru grass and as it was free-running. Bites were no-doubters.

Thumper Jig bite was the best. After a disappointing topwater experience, the fish were more than willing to make up on the Thumper. I used a 2/0 trailer but didn't really need it. Fish were inhaling it.

Even though it wasn't that hot and the water that warm, I still had a few frozen 1-litre bottles on board today. They came in handy. Had one good fish throat a senko. She was a little lethargic when I put her in the livewell. I put the recirc on continuous and dropped an ice bottle in w/ her. After a few mins she perked right up. She swam away when I released her after weigh-in. A little trick I learned while in AR. Know it's not new, but it sure does work. Just something to think about as the really hot WX approaches.

Another great show by Steve and the Va East TX crew. They put 60 boats in the water in about 30 mins. We blasted off into a magnificent sunrise. God is indeed good.

A few observations: 1) Pleasure boat traffic is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down on The River (duh). I love it. 2) Got broke off three times today. Each time my line was frayed on the end. I suspect snakeheads were the culprits, but can't confirm. The bites on these three strikes were very different from the bass strikes I described above. One of the Va East anglers reported catching one 9 lbs recently. Belly full of roe. 3) Grass is looking good in The River, but it appears to be a bit more patchy than last couple years. There are stretches where you have a continuous grass line, then it'll break up and get kinda clumpy. Fish were holding on those isolated clumps. Don't pass them up. 4) Saw a bald eagle nest with three (count'em - three) eaglets. Missed a fish while watching mom feed a nice bass to them. Was worth it. Just beautiful.

Tight lines.

ATW, B

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