The Bass College

If you like the Potomac, you are going too hate the Nanticoke!!  Just a warning! lol

TJM10304 at August 5, 2012 at 5:46 PM

I would love to head out on the nanticoke with you DelawareBass...also, I'm always looking for someone to fish the Potomac with...

I will be there from the 5th through the 8th or 9th. at Everstart. The Potomac that is. lol

haha, yeah, im thinking the nanticoke wont be as fun as the potomac from all that ive read...my main goal is to learn as much as possible...put together a limit and have fun...expand my bodies of water fished...Also, I joined my first bass fishing club and will be participating in my second tournament as a boater, fourth tournament ever overall, which will be held on the nanticoke...

Guys the Potomac is world class, all I said is the Sass has been hot the last two years, now 3 and 4 years ago it was nothing comparible to the Potomac even though del buddy federation tournament weights have been higher the last 3 years on the Sass, but that could be the timing of the tournaments but only last 2 years I have fished it, it has been better then Potomac, but maybe it has just been the times I have been there... I don't fish like you guys and can't go all the time, I have a buddy that does the buddy federation tournaments, always makes the state team, and fishes for fun.. I usually make a few pre fishing trips with him to each spot the federation fishes, and also hit a few just for fun.... We haven't been to upper bay in a month but he is going up this weekend to fish a 5k pay out tournament with a friend of his that loves the place and makes probably over 10k there fishing tournaments, he also has a house in florida and a 2nd bass boat down there to fish lake okeechobee but he still loves the Sass, but the Potomac is a long ride for him, living in Jersey.... Last time I was up there with my buddy we were fishing next to Scott Martin while he was filming and prefisihing for a tournament. The frog bite up there was unbelievable last year, 4-5 pounders all day long.. Potomac is great and I almost feel you take it like I was saying it sucked, but my exact statement was talking about the last 2 years.. One of the coolest tournamnet held on the potomac and for a good cause is the PVA bass tour I am sure you have heard of and probably have participated in.... I am sure we all wish we lived on lake okeechobee but we don't and most of us has to fish what we can and the times we can... but as long as we are all out there fishing thats what matters

Yep you got it its just that I dont feel the same way about the Sassafras having fished that just as much as the Potomac over the last 20 years, thats all. Not even on the best day is the Upper bay Rivers close to the Potomac at all, just in certain seasons in certain spots, to me its worth the extra hour and a little more gas to go there. Its not even the money in the tournaments its which ones that are there for the Pro Staff, the college guys, and younger members learning tournaments, etc its just a better over alll place to be. But, Ill meet you up on the Upper Bay in the late fall or Spring once each time if you want to get out and film and have some fun?? Tom and I will meet you and maybe another member, it will be fun. Well film compare notes, etc see what happens.

Upper Cheseapeake > Potomac

Things have changed.

The Potomac was better 10 years ago, not so much anymore. Bigger bags coming outta the bay say it all. None of your personal experience matters. If you want fact, look at the numbers. Both get hit equally hard by respectable tournaments. Compare the last 3 years and get back to me.

No Thanks I am fishing the Potomac Thats what I like and thats what I am doing. I will most likely move there soon. Tom will be there, joanthan Miller is very close by, and so are several other of our Pro Staff  I cull through 4 limits a day most of the time, every major trail is there, I like the river better, so thats what I am spending my time and money on. I may even have a house at Red Mill also, but its not where I will spend most of my time. You do know I fished the Upper Bay rivers almost 5 days a week for 15 years right?

I have seen great days there, it will have swings where there will be big bags and big fish from various spots, etc it changes, but thats not the point at all. Its not considered a WORLD CLASS FISHERY becasue it isnt, and even if it was it isnt where we want to be right now. The Potomac suits all our needs for the near future. Thats all. When a Bassmaster Open comes to the Upper Bay again, if it ever does, we'll fish it, but not instead of the Potomac! lol 

BassmanKVB at August 5, 2012 at 11:09 AM

I guided on the upper cheasapeake bay 3 to 4 days per week  for about 8 years from early spring to late fall focusing most of my efforts on the Sassafras. I know the river intimately. You can pull up on a small school of bass all in the 4 to 7 pound class at times. Ive done it with clients and in tournaments several times. When its hot its really hot.....the problem however is its not always hot and when that river is slow .....its really slow. Day in and Day out you will not find a better place to fish in our area than the Potomac River period! New York is the closest thing but its just to far to go on a regular basis. The upper bay has precise areas that are really good. I can launch my boat in any creek from Nanjemoy to downtown DC and in 1 to 2 hours have a reliable pattern figured out. The river is just flat out LOADED with 2.5 to 3.5 pound bass. Most days honestly  you can catch 35 to 40 bass just throwing a reaction bait. Every creek holds bass. Of course some hold more and bigger bass but EVERY Creek has numbers of bass. You dont have major areas of dead water like you do on the Nanticoke and Upper Bay. Dont get me wrong Im not knocking either one of those rivers I love them both they just aren't the potomac. It truly is WORLD CLASS. As far as having big stringers Ive caught 30 plus pound 5 fish limits from Red mill and Ive had days at shallcross where ive caught 15 bass in 8 hours all over 5 pounds up to 8 and a half. That doesnt make either of those places better than the Potomac. When you are debating what makes a place better or truly "WORLD CLASS" there are a number of  factors and criteria( size,habitat,fish population,spawning areas etc). The list of truly World Class fisheries is a very small one and in our area almost non-exsistent ....................... So small in fact it is a list of ONE! THE POTOMAC RIVER!

No just read that again that pretty much explains it i think.

My personal experience with the Flats vs Potomac !!!!if you fish both bodies of water you would know that the Potomac is WAY BETTER!! 50 to 100 fish days on the Potomac, I dont think you can even compare the two, the Potomac is world class! I love fishing the flats too! I have for years, but in no way, shape, or form can you compare it to the Potomac!!!! and its not uncommon to have 40 boats in the mouth of 1 creek and all have limits of big bass on the Potomac, most of the year.

A seven pound 3 fish bag won on the Upper Bay and  the tournament lunker went two and three quarter pounds.only seven boats

Besides this post is really about the Nanticoke. What I would like to see is somebody who knows a lot about the Nanticoke to tell him some of the better areas etc that are happening right now, like I do when I go there. I just dont have time to fool with that river this year or next year even right now. Theres a lot of posts under the Potomac to talk about this also. Heres one>> http://www.thebasscollege.com/apps/forums/topics/show/7919359-potomac-river-bassmaster-tom-w-7-21-12

Well I had a feeling this would come up again....good discussion...... notice my use of the word discussion as opposed to DEBATE.  There is no debate.... the Potomac is better.

When it comes to facts call the fisheries biologists in Maryland and ask them what tidal system is healthier and holds the larger population of bass. The Potomac is the model for all tidal systems in the state and in the country for that matter.

Im not sure if you are mistaking my words as bad mouthing the upperbay. Im not its great I love it and its been pumping out some huge bags in the spring and fall consistently, and solid weights most of the year.

The bay is  somewhat pressured but Nowhere near the amount the Potomac is, yet the Potomac continues to produce huge weights. The numbers of fish arent even up for discussion, if you can honestly say they are, then I need you to come with me and Ill show you otherwise.

I feel I can safely say that anyone whos fished both will agree the numbers of bass dont compare PERIOD.

Now to the big fish.... I agree the Bay has produced some huge bags the last few years. But if you examine it closely those huge bags generally come during a short time frame in the spring as they do everywhere. To the best of my knowledge the 32lb bag caught was an 8 fish limit. Dont get me wrong thats still phenomonal but it wasnt a five fish limit.

I believe this spring there was a tourney on the Potomac that was a 6 fish limit that was won with 29 pounds. Not to shabby and most importantly 23 pounds got you a cool 18th place out of 120 boats

LOL The funny part was that exact same weekend on the other side of the river a seperate 160 boat tourney launched  a 5 fish limit tourney that won with 24 pounds and high teen weights went on through the first 20 places. That doesnt count the 3 or 4 club events and the 100 or more recreational fisherman and the guys prefishing for the following weekends events. My point is it never stops down there it gets pounded and pounded yet it continues to produce.

WHY YOU ASK........ BECAUSE THERES MORE BASS!

For one big bag a couple times a year the Upper Bay can hold its own NO DOUBT ABOUT IT........ but as an overall fishery and as a river  capable of producing  multiple 20 pound bags on the same day all while catching 4 to 5 limits even on slow days it FLAT OUT doesnt.

Keep in mind big weights arent the only FACTS to consider when forming an opinion of a fishery.

Killens and Garrisons for years every spring produced 20 to 23 pound bags with a 7 lb plus lunker to boot... that by the way beat the winners of tourneys on the Potomac and Upper Bay on the same date.

I dont think we would debate them being better than either the Potomac or Bay. LOL!

As I said in an earlier post I consider other factors as well. The cover in the Potomac is awesome!

Grass, pads, barges, docks, trees, islands, you name it, it's there, and its in every creek mixed together, not scattered apart.Theres hardly any dead water so for guys who dont know it intimately ,who want to have fun and get on a reliable pattern quickly its definitely more productive.

These are all the factors I consider, as I am NOT JUST TALKING TO ONE GUY WHO SPENDS ALL HIS TIME  THERE AND KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE THE FISH ARE.... (which by the way is impossible or they'd win EVERY major tournament that was there).........all 3 per year.   

HERE IS WHY MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE MATTERS....

.I dont know how much you fish the Potomac versus the Upper Bay..... I have fished both and guided on both IN FACT, more so the Upper Bay than the Potomac as I live 20 minutes away.

Ive fished the Susquehanna, Furnace Bay, Swan Creek, Saltpeter, Dundee, the Bush,The Northeast from Anchor, to offshore rocks and flats and creek channel swings to the docks, Ive fished the Elk, main bay grass, the Bohemia from grass to Crystal Beach,every creek in the Sassafras from above the bridge out to Lloyds and I even won a tourney out of Still Pond.

I fished all these places for years and years and in fact I even did it for a living and then on my DAY OFF I fished tournaments there. Im also friends with about 40 guys who all fish it regularly.

ITS GREAT I LOVE IT AND IT HAS BIG FISH AND GOOD NUMBERS OF THEM. BUT LET ME SAY AGAIN IT IS NOT AS GOOD AS THE POTOMAC and that my friend......In my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE is a FACT.

TJM10304 at August 6, 2012 at 8:22 PM

haha, yeah, im thinking the nanticoke wont be as fun as the potomac from all that ive read...my main goal is to learn as much as possible...put together a limit and have fun...expand my bodies of water fished...Also, I joined my first bass fishing club and will be participating in my second tournament as a boater, fourth tournament ever overall, which will be held on the nanticoke...

Please let us know how this goes and get some pictures if you can etc thanks We'll get together and go out or just meet us down at the Potomac first during the Everstart from September 3rd to about the 9th we'll be there. Lots of people and staff from the Bass College will be there. 

Yeah, I would love to go out during the Everstart...Will you be fishing in the tournament or there as an observer? Does that go out of smallwood st. park?...Funny thing, we had a club meeting last night to go over the tournament on the nanticoke and several of the members voiced their disapproval of fishing the nanticoke and some members refused to fish in the tournament so they ended up moving the tournament to the Potomac...I will be sure to get a lot of pictures of my fish and the tournament weigh-in and how I placed...

Thats cool. Yes most will be in the tournament, I will be filming and fishing the entire time. Theres a separate post here for all those who are going to list their names I just put up. Please get all the pictures and or video you can. I hope to see you there at Everstart the week starting the 4th of September till the end. We will  be there long before that though prefishing.

Nanticoke isnt to bad. It fishes pretty small sometimes for the big fish  but theres a bunch of small ones all over the river and if you cover a bunch of water sometimes  you can find a school of larger fish and have it to yourself. If not you will be community hole fishing for those 3 to 4 pounders

Here is what Kyle Walling had to say about us after he took second in the Bassmaster Open on the Upper Bay.>> http://www.thebasscollege.com/apps/forums/topics/show/2681806-we-are-athletes-too-

Main river wood,pads and pilings all hold numbers of bass from seaford to broad. Throw jigs,,square bills,chatterbaits and spinnerbaits and when the bites tough try light shaky heads with 5 inch straight tails. Broad can give up numbers and some decent fish. I like portsville,bethel and laurel. Laydowns and pads are the main cover here. Marshyhope is your next option. I dont generally catch as many bass but at times you can get solid 3lbers in pads and wood. However MOST tournaments are won by the marina,hospital or in the narrowing creek  just before and after rt 13 in seaford

This is ALL the UPPER BAY and the Potomac at the end. As good as it was in its hey day, which this video is, it is not a third of what the Potomac is.