MARBURY, Md. – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Northeast Division will wrap up its season on the Potomac River on Sept 20-21. The “nation’s river” has been busy hosting Major League Fishing events this summer and early fall, and the fishing quality should continue improving as the weather cools.
This year, BFL anglers benefit from an expanded slate of Regionals, which minimizes travel costs and provides more opportunities to qualify for the $120,000 BFL All-American while fishing familiar, closer-to-home waters. Click here to find out more.
What to expect
Tackle Warehouse Invitationals pro Thomas Wooten has two BFL wins on the Potomac and says that the fishing will continue to get better with bass on the move as the calendar gets further into September.
“This is the time of the year when you start to get fish migrating into the creeks, and the grass bite will also still be really strong,” he said. “If you can find some good grass mats, you can get five good bites and have a shot to do well. You may not catch many fish, but that’s one of the best ways to get better quality this time of year.”
One strategy Wooten likes to apply is to pick an area and stick to it versus running and gunning or trying to chase the tides.
“The biggest thing is to find an area and settle down and pick it apart as you wait for those bite windows,” he said. “If you start running all over the river, you can spin out quickly, and your day will get away from you. The Potomac is not as influenced by the tides as somewhere like the James River, so you can still get those bite windows on a bad tide if you can capitalize on those bigger bites when they happen.”
The Piedmont Division Super Tournament hit the Potomac last weekend and the Toyota Series is slated to spend visit the fishery this weekend, so the bass should be plenty educated. However, Wooten said the fishing should still get better as September progresses.
“I really think the bite will continue to get better,” he said. “September is always a tough month pretty much anywhere you go, but if the weather starts cooling down somewhat by then, the Potomac should be fishing very well.”
Baits to bring
Wooten expects the frog bite to be a significant factor and noted that a swim jig is a must any time of year on the river. He also believes moving baits like ChatterBaits, small swimbaits and swimming worms could also play around the vegetation.
What will it take?
Rick Hawkins won the Shenandoah Division Super Tournament with 33 pounds, 5 ounces over two days, and Wooten says that’s in line with what the winner will likely have in this tournament. To make it to the second day, he predicts somewhere between 12 and 13 pounds should do it.