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#1 Jul-30-18 10:00AM

drxfish
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Sterling
Registered: Jan-04-14
Posts: 2974

7/30/18 EPIC Day!

The plan was to get out early and fish before the storms hit this afternoon.  I was on the water early and was going for a topwater bite with the Whopper Plopper.  After I settled into my first spot to anchor, I was throwing the plopper, but action was slow.  Then it happened, it got taken under and the fight was on!  I could tell it was a good fish and took my time.  When I finally got it in the net, I saw this.
https://i.imgur.com/vg40sMg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/y1J9Vg3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PxcFKV0.jpg
She measured 20.25".  My longest of the year and 4th at 20+.  One last shot
https://i.imgur.com/9bAfwpD.jpg
That made my day, but I was just starting.  I kept up with the plopper and finally got a fish that hit it on the jump and came completely out of the water before taking it under.  It was 17.25"
https://i.imgur.com/JWKHOk5.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VgwrlvD.jpg
I caught one more 14.25" on the plopper, then I switched up to a Storm sub wart and caught this 16.5" that fought super hard.
https://i.imgur.com/mpl3HbV.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XG21ZcU.jpg
I tried a tube and got this 17.25" chunk.
https://i.imgur.com/AL0Ayxw.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/el8QNdJ.jpg
The hot bite on the island died down and I drifted a little and caught one 14.5" on the sub wart before deciding to run up river.  I replicated the previous pattern, but skipped the plopper and went straight to the sub wart.  I let it drift down to an eddy before engaging the reel.  I let the crank wobble there and got hit.  The fish fought super hard in the current and I could see it was a good one.  I got it to the net and it was 18" and thick!
https://i.imgur.com/cvellHx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5tmG04U.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dY9enBT.jpg
I kept with the sub wart and I was reeling it in fast to start another cast and it got blasted right at the boat and the fish was peeling off drag.  After I let the fish fight for a bit, I got control and netted it and it was huge.  It was a stocky 20" with a jacked up tail.
https://i.imgur.com/TPdXSSJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XhXD5o7.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dWtm724.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/sL4jhKx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/UWrgmgB.jpg
I did not take pictures of all of my fish, but I caught 20.25,20,18,two at 17.25 a 16.5 14.5 and 14.25 for my best 8 out of 10.  I tried on another island and hooked up once, but lost the fish and got one other bite.  I caught fish on the plopper, the sub wart and a tube.  I did not catch any on a spinnerbait, chatterbait, swim bait or swim bait on an underspin jig.  I stopped when the wind picked up and I was off the water by 11:45am.  I just cannot believe how good the day was for quality fish.  I did see lots of deer and animal activity as well.

Last edited by drxfish (Jul-30-18 10:12AM)


Always wishin' I was fishin'

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#2 Jul-30-18 12:16PM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15561

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

The title is all wrong...should say EPIC 1/2 day!

Way to go!

I am going to try tomorrow if the T-storms don't chase us off....


Time to go fishin' again!

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#3 Jul-30-18 12:30PM

drxfish
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Sterling
Registered: Jan-04-14
Posts: 2974

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

Good luck!  I went out yesterday and only caught one on a spinnerbait.  The water was just getting to that better color/flow today.  Was an early bite that was extended with cloud cover and nice temps.


Always wishin' I was fishin'

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#4 Jul-30-18 1:30PM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15561

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

BTW, your best 5 totaling 92.75" would put you in a solid lead for Sec. 3 (Potomac) of the Potomac River Smallmouth Club tourney lead (currently at 91.5", Bill Pearl). The winner last year took it with 86"!


Time to go fishin' again!

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#5 Jul-30-18 2:58PM

Curly
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Mar-15-10
Posts: 5414

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

I am completely jealous.  Haven't fished the upper Potty in months..............


Hell or High Water...........I'm Fishin!!   big_smile

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#6 Jul-30-18 3:29PM

Osprey
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Forestville, MD
Registered: Nov-16-07
Posts: 1235
Website

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

Great day indeed. One bone to pick..... you have to stop naming the lures you have success with. I can't afford to keep running to bass pro everytime you go fishing. smile


20' Key West..16' C-Hawk...Hobie Pro Angler...Hobie Outback

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#7 Jul-30-18 4:14PM

drxfish
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Sterling
Registered: Jan-04-14
Posts: 2974

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

Osprey wrote:

Great day indeed. One bone to pick..... you have to stop naming the lures you have success with. I can't afford to keep running to bass pro everytime you go fishing. smile

That is a good one!  It gets more expensive when you find out they are discontinued...smile


Always wishin' I was fishin'

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#8 Jul-31-18 5:41AM

Bryan
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Bealeton, VA
Registered: Mar-18-11
Posts: 1194

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

Awesome day! Of course now we get another week of rain roll


tight lines

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#9 Aug-02-18 7:38AM

Houli
Northern Snakehead
From: Leesburg, VA
Registered: Dec-09-10
Posts: 252

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

UNBELIEVABLE! I live off Goose in Lansdowne ..... let me know if you ever start up a guide business - I'll be your first customer.

Keep it up!

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#10 Aug-03-18 8:20AM

bart2puck
Northern Snakehead
Registered: Jun-01-10
Posts: 316

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

drxfish wrote:

Osprey wrote:

Great day indeed. One bone to pick..... you have to stop naming the lures you have success with. I can't afford to keep running to bass pro everytime you go fishing. smile

That is a good one!  It gets more expensive when you find out they are discontinued...smile

my brother and i have a long running joke about this.  every week, when we find a new bait thats hot, we go buy out dick's inventory, only for it to be dead the next week.  our baits in our bags are memories of a given week...

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#11 Aug-03-18 10:31AM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15561

Re: 7/30/18 EPIC Day!

John has every week covered...he brings 2 huge tackle bags in the boat!


Time to go fishin' again!

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