Finally!!! 5lbs 4 oz (Potomac Report)

[Jim in VA]

After fishing out of bass boats for six years (and a lot longer than that from canoes/jon boats, etc.), I finally broke the 3 pound barrier! And what a break!! My neighbor Dave and I were fishing the Spoils early this morning. Only four other boaters in the cove, so we headed to the back. Dave hooks up with a nice 1 pounder pretty early on. I throw a 4-inch Yum Dinger to the back of the cove, wait a few seconds then BAM, the line starts spinning off the reel. Dave yells "Tighten your drag!!" Problem was I had already set it earlier that morning! Whatever was on was BIG. The fish finally stopped running from the boat and headed sideways. That allowed me to start reeling in. Figured it was a big ole catfish the way it was staying deep. Then it got close to the boat and I saw a flash of the side. WOOHOO!!! Green back, diamond pattern along the side - A HUGE bass (okay, for me it was huge!). A few more minutes of fight and I was able to lip the fish and haul it in. Here he/she is:

Got out the scale and here's what the digital read out said:

Fish went back in near where it came out. Swam away with a flick of the tail. Rest of the day went well with a few more hits and some nice ones landed in the boat - all in the 1 to 2 pound range. Dave did get a huge hit that nearly tore the reel out of his hand and bent the rod nearly double. Never did see the fish, but it was either another monster bass or more likely, a very large cat!



Off by noon just in time to put the boat back before the storms came in. Going to try again tomorrow (solo) probably down by Mattawoman.

 

[Mark Jaworski]

Congrats Jim,



Thats a nice fish for sure. How do you like that new boat.



Mark

 

[mike chip]

good job jim.

 

[Ron288 Callahan]

good job

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

WooHoo!!!!!!! Way to go JIM!! I just wish I could have been there with you!:lol:



Uncle Billy

 

[Mad Kayaker]

Congratulations Jim. I am happy for you and impressed that you lipped it! Way to go - Bill, the MadKayaker

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Nice fish Jim.



TOXIC

 

[Jim in VA]

Thanks guys! Went out today with Carter, but didn't get to Mattawoman. Stayed in the same area. Storms yesterday messed up the feeder creeks so we stayed to the main river. Didn't do nearly as well (not surprising), but managed a few. Variety was the name of the game today with perch, catfish and crappie all coming in on the lures. Carter picked up a small perch on a chartruese swim bait.



Boating was interesting. Lots of debris in the river. Must have picked up a bag while running because the speedo stopped working and the overheat alarm went off. Tried to run a little bit at slow speed. After about 90 seconds, I got too nervous to continue and shut it all down. Tried trolling towards Gravelly from there (was across from Bolling Air Force base), but that didn't make Carter happy (too slow!) so after ten minutes of that I tilted up the engine, saw no debris and trimmed it down again. Started it up and no alarm. Whatever it was must of shook loose. On top of that the speedo started working again. Hopefully, I didn't harm the engine!



Interesting day to say the least!

 

[Mike Zechman]

Hey Jim, good to see you hammered a good one, what was the length on that? Nice fish

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Nice fish Jim!!!!

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

Good one - you smashed your 3 pound barrier.

Think of it like a night drinking, you're fine 'till you go to the bathroom the first time, then it's every few minutes. Now that you 'broke the seal' they'll come more often!

 

[Mini]

Nice work!

 

[Dan J.]

Sweet lil' pig!! Good job!

 

[Mike L.]

Nice catch Jim!!!!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Nice Red X

 

[mike slader]

Thats GREAT!!!! It must of been a rush when you first realized it was a huge bass? My GF and I are still looking to break the 3lb. barrier.She caught 2 2lb. Bass yesterday and I caught 1 2lb. bass . My dad caught a 3lb. Bass last weekend which was his first time out in the new boat.