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With the Potomac at what must have been record low levels this summer allowing wading pretty much everywhere, I scrambled to hit as many spots as possible. In my earlier post on my "after action review", I commented that I should have switched from trout to bass earlier in the season. The fun I had at Pennyfield and the other areas of the upper Potomac confirmed that conclusion.
I arrived at Pennyfield around 4 PM on a bright, late September day. The heat was on, so the waders were off. I walked down the improved walking trail (the C&O) that runs the length of the Potomac in this area and plunged into the river at the first likely looking access point. I was pleasantly surprised!
The water was not high anywhere around here. In fact, it looked like a lake! A shallow lake. The average depth was about 3 feet and the river bottom in this section is fairly flat. My shins had taken a beating up at Seneca Breaks, so I was grateful for the smooth walking. The second thing that popped out was the dense vegetation - floating weeds were all over the place.
I was concerned about this until I realized that these same weeds provided good cover for the smallies while providing me some additional sport via a casting accuracy challenge. I could deal with that. Satisfied, my attention turned to where to go.
When I fish a river like this, I look for the current. I find that the fish will hang to the edges of the current and are less likely to move into the dead zones where there is no water movement. My logic is that the current will move both food and oxygen to the fish; making it easier to feed. Also, they avoid spending the energy associated with moving/hunting to find food in the dead zones. As I looked around, I was amazed that there really did not appear to be much current at all. Up at Seneca Breaks just the week prior, there was plenty of current ripping at me that made every step sporting. Pennyfield must lay at the tail end of a long flat area of the Potomac.
After a bit of study, it looked like there was more current over by an island across from my entry point. Wading over there would also put some distance from the bait guys who were working the Maryland shore. Case closed - that's what I would start. I fished my way across the river and was relieved to see a long, open area that appeared to be a bit deeper and free of weeds right next to the island with the bonus of a brisk current keeping everything moving.
When in range of the island, I worked it deliberately - with machine gun type casts - bang, bang, bang - changing ammo (popper) periodically.
I was rewarded with plenty of bluegill and smallie action! While the bluegills were pretty large, the smallies ranged from 10 - 13 inches, but all were fighters that gave me a great afternoon on the light 6X tippet I was using. On a fly rod, a 10 inch smallie will give you more fun than a 14 inch trout! Those smallies are nothing but tough.
These sparticular smallies were happiest chomping on poppers that were size 2 or 4 and either white, light green or dark green. The bluegills clamped onto anything that was size 6. It became apparent that I could use the size of the popper as a filter. If I wanted any type of action, just put on a size 6 and the bluegills would compete with the smallies for a bite. The 'gill action tapered off as I increased the size of the popper.
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Remember to refer to my rating explanations - these are based on what I look for - so RED for Physical Fitness translates to easy physically - you do not need to be in shape to fish this section. I prefer terrain that is tough to get into and out of.
I also tried putting some smelly stuff on the poppers and did not really see that it gave me any advantage. The clean poppers were as productive as the smelly ones. This kind of makes sense given the typical aggressive grab a smallie would make at the popper. The 'gills were nibblers who would snap at it until they were looked - I do not think the smell made a difference to them either.
When I fish for largemouths, smell does make a difference. The YUM and Gulp plastics have always been very productive for me. However, those are presented very slowly and provide an opportunity for the scent to disperse. A popper plop and a few jerks for 30 seconds or so until the next cast does not provide that same patient platform for dispersal.
Given how popular powerbait is for trout, I have to assume it might have a place for smallies as well - but on on poppers.
Bottom Line: This was a really nice place to fish. While it was easy to wade given the shallow water, you do need to be in enough shape to handle water up to 3 feet deep and prepared to encounter the deep pockets where the water can be over your head. After my first trip to Harper's Ferry, I always wear a life jacket under my vest - you never know. This was the only place on the Potomac where I did not need a wading staff.
Plenty of smallies and bluegills - enough action to give you plenty of fun.
Getting there: You can take River Road from the Beltway. Turn off River Road at the Pennyfield Locks road. Go all the way to the end and then turn left to follow the C&O canal down to the southern end of the parking lot.
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