Found the bass . . .

[Jim in VA]

And wow! what a bass!! This nice 4lb. 14oz toad came out of the back of a cove off the main river. My second best largemouth ever.

I had a couple more smaller ones in the poundish range, as well as a couple of small stripers (one of which paid me back for hooking him by shaking his head and catching the tail treble hook in my left index finger. Hook went in past the barb - ouch!). After pulling out the hook with pliers and a lot of teeth gritting (yes, it hurt a LOT, but beats quitting early to go to the ER), I managed a smallie - on the Lower Potomac no less! Surprised the heck out of me.

Off by noon. Still no snakeheads, although I managed to hook a gar and get it to the boat before he shook the hook. Just as well. Didn't want to deal with his teeth!



Tight lines!

 

[mike chip]

nice fish jim... there are lots of smallies in the river...i have caught 2 so far in aquia....and way to many snakeheads

mike c

 

[Bob G.]

Nice LM Jim......and smallie too!

 

[ND Bass]

Congrats on the big bass! Dumb question: What is a snakehead? I'm not familiar.

 

[G8rmac]

Nice fish Jim. The stripers have flipped hooks into my hand more than once, too, once while the trolling motor was still running. Had a hook in one hand and a fish in the other, heading for the rocks! Makes for a good day!

NDBass-Snakeheads are an invasive species from Asia, got into a few ponds a couple of years ago, and then into the feeder creeks, into the Potomac.

A lot of money was spent draining ponds, poisoning everything, etc trying to stop them but it didn't work. They are now established in the Potomac. Very aggressive fish, supposed to eat just about everything. Law requires you to kill any you catch, no release.

Google "Northern Snakehead", they are UGLY and full of teeth.

 

[ND Bass]

Thanks g8rmac...not good. Ugly suckers for sure....



We're fighting some invasive species ourselves....more acquatic plants but still choking some lakes bad. In fact, the MN DNR is now fining boaters $1,000 if they fail to clean off weeds, empty the bilge and/or not empty their bait buckets upon leaving a lake. They have DNR folks at many ramps educating the boaters and giving them stickers once they do a survey and talk to them about the issues.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Way to go Jim!!!! That's a really nice fish. As for getting hooked, I doubt if anyone here can say it's never happened to them.. The worst it ever happened to me was because of a darn Pickerel! They seem to know just when to jump or turn or twist to get you good I saw a guy at the ramp one time with BOTH thumbs hooked together. While trying to get one out he hooked himself with the other...

Glad to see you've finally hooked a really nice one Jim..



Uncle Billy

 

[TrepMan]

Good to see you back online Uncle Billy!!



Nice fish Jim!

 

[Jim in VA]

Thanks guys! Overall a fun morning. Had some fishing line in my prop to start off from the Gravelly Point ramp but I got it off. Also pulled and checked the prop when I got home. All looked good. Did get a few minor nicks on the prop edges (barely noticeable) when running past Fox Ferry's Point at low tide. As an FYI to those that fish in that area, looks like a huge dead tree got lodged on Fox Ferry Point about ten feet from the edge of the point. Hopefully it stays there as it was a great marker for navigating through that narrow passage on the MD side of the Potomac.



NDBass - here's a picture of a Northern Snakehead. Definitely do not belong in the Potomac!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

That is a wierd looking fish!:huh:

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Supposed to be good eating.....anybody tried one yet? That's what they were imported for and some idiots put them in a pond to keep their food supply up. They are also sold in pet stores for aquarium fish. So much for the theory that the cold winter water would kill them off!! They are now part of the ecosystem like it or not. Better them than the Asian Carp if you ask me.



TOXIC

 

[mike chip]

toxic,

i have eaten quite a few... its very good.. its a firm white meat...since your supposed to kill them upon capture,, you dont feel so bad by just taking the largest portion of filet and leaving the bones behind,,,

mike c



p.s. vdgif expects these suckers to top out between 20 to 35 lbs in the river...

 

[Mike L.]

Congrats on that largemouth Jim!!

 

[Jim Corson]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4796665743_eb4dac0fd4_b.jpg



A friend of mine caught this nice 4-13 LM and i caught a 4-8 LM and a 4 pounder and like 3 over 3 pounds. Nice fish Jim

 

[Teri C.]

Nice fish! I hope to get one just like it tomorrow!

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Nice fish Jim!

 

[Dan J.]

N-I-C-E one's Jim!!