Potomac picked clean?
Anglers hope tide, current will replenish their hot spots
LA PLATA, Md. – It’s going to be another scorcher today on the Potomac River, with temperatures expected to hit the 90s for the third day of FLW Tour Chevy Open competition. With a lot of fish hauled in over the last two days, it may be that the final-round anglers will be sweating out a limit as well.
The Potomac surrendered near-record catches Wednesday, and though the weights and numbers were slightly down Thursday, all 200 pros still managed to catch at least one fish both days of the opening round. Any time that happens, there’s always the question of whether the fishery has been picked clean.
Carl Svebek, for one, said he swung for the fences yesterday in an attempt to make the finals without much regard to whether the fish would be there the final two days. The intent was to get to the final round in the first place, which he did, qualifying in the No. 8 position.
“Yesterday I went for broke and caught 14 keepers,” Svebek said. “I have beaten them up pretty good, but they seem to be replenishing.”
The river current as well as the tides could be helping the bass replenish in anglers’ hot spots, and Svebek reported the morning tide tends to offer up the best bite.
“I’m catching most of my fish in high tide, and then they’re slowing down,” he said, noting that high tide typically extends from 6:30 a.m. to about 10:30.
Expect anglers to cover a lot of water today too, he said, and they’ll probably be looking for grass.
“I’ve got one area that has a lot of milfoil,” he said. “I hope they’ll cooperate.”
Angler of the Year contenders Greg Hackney and Toshinari Namiki took off this morning one right after the other, as Hackney left in the No. 3 boat and Namiki followed in boat No. 4. Weights were cleared today for the final-round anglers, so the two are on equal footing. To take the title, Namiki must finish at least eight places ahead of Hackney.
Co-angler competition concludes today, with North Carolina angler Roger Hester currently leading the pack with an opening-round weight of 26-12. Brent Chapman led the Pro Division opening round with 33 pounds, 10 ounces over two days.
Competitors will weigh in their catches today beginning at 5 p.m. from the Wal-Mart store located at 40 Drury Drive in La Plata.
Friday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 5:45 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 62 degrees
Expected high temperature: 90 degrees
Wind: from the south at 9 mph
Maximum humidity: 56 percent
Day’s outlook: plentiful sunshine; hot