After finishing the upstream section, I decided to head downstream with the intention of fishing to the bottom of the "Knoxville Falls". I assumed that there would be good white water and good smallmouth cover near anything called a Falls. I started close to the Maryland shoreline and was favorably impressed with the layout of the river in this location. The rocky protrusions noted upstream continue downstream.  The river seemed like it went on forever when I looked across to the Virginia side. In the far distance, I could see another fisherman moving his arm up and down as he worked the water closer to Virginia. Nice to know you can wade all the way across, I wanted the move down to Knoxville Falls to see if it was a real falls with real structure underneath it. I slowly fished my way down; zigzagging back and forth across the generally shallow river and having a good day with panfish and smallies. As I experienced upstream, I did not run into anything very large, but there was enough to keep the day interesting. I remained close to the shore because I didn't have much time and wanted to work my way downstream as quickly as possible in anticipation of better water below the falls. So I stuck to the Maryland side where the current had a good bit of volume and velocity; spending extra time near any gradient breaks where I focused on the slack water downstream of the rocks. As the river turned around the bend, I was disappointed when I realized that I just gone over the falls. Granted, the water was at a low-level prior to the big storm that was going to come in over the weekend, but I certainly expected more from anything labeled "falls". I walked a little bit down the left side (North) of the island at the base of the falls to see if the water down there looked good. It did not -- was generally shallow and sandy although I did see a few deeper holes protected by some overhanging trees. On the south side of the island, the main current pushed downstream in what was clearly a fast and deep cut. Switching from poppers, I branched out to try some of the hellgrammite nymphs that I've purchased from Harry Murray. I tried running them at different depths, but they did not evoke any interest. Once I rounded the bend a little bit downstream the falls, I could see boats moving in the distance.  Based on that, I concluded that the water was deeper there to allow the use of motors. Since I was wading, I decided that I had seen enough of this section and returned to the truck to skip farther downstream and see what that would hold for me. Bottom Line: All in all, a good day and a good location that merits a return trip. Considering both the up and downstream options, I vote for upstream on my next trip. While the downstream was just as good in terms of presentation, structure and bottom, it ended too early. From the entry point to the bottom of Knoxville Falls was only a half mile or so. On the other hand, if you move upstream towards the bridge you've probably got a mile or more of water you can fish. As I was leaving the water, I ran into another fisherman and asked him what his experience was in this area. He indicated that he always found that the downstream stretch was more pressured and that he always had better luck upstream. In addition, he said that the secret lure for this part of the river was a black senko worm.  I'll remember that next time I come up and adapt that to my fly rig using small black woolly buggers or the 2 inch black grubs. Secrets Revealed?  No.  This is a very public location that is documented in the following places: Maryland DNR  Fishing the upper Potomac River Tell a friend about this article by clcking here Date Fished: 08/21/2009	Pressure Trout Size N/A Physical Fitness Bass Size Access Regulations Hard to Find Stocking Scenery Overall 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. Getting There:   I hate to do this, but I support the site by selling books.  My book on the Upper Potomac - "Wade and Shoreline Fishing the Potomac River for Smallmouth Bass" is available in both ebook format (instant download) or traditional print. This book walks the 57.3 miles upstream from the Chain Bridge in DC to Harpers Ferry, WV using words, annotated maps and over 200 pictures to provide you exact references while removing any doubt about what to expect in each section of the river.  The 230+pages include detailed directions, 42 maps, 45 tables and 208 GPS coordinates - more detail than you will see in any other fishing guidebook. You can purchase the eBook version for $9.95 by clicking on the buttons below:        To purchase the traditional print version:
Downstream from the entry point - the line of rocks is the "falls"	Upstream - another ridge extending into the river
Don't bother to go down the left side of the island - it's shallow	The right side is the main course of the river
Looking across from the island to the "falls"	This beaten trail tells a strong tale of heavy pressure