Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Ernie · May-03-16 1:10PM

By all accounts, we should have cancelled this trip after all the rain we had overnight. All of the gauges were spiking but Duncan McGrath thought that we may have a clean water channel for most of the day. And we did for most of the float!

You see, Duncan is a river rat. He knows the Potomac like the back of his hand and he is a terrific guide. Plus, he's a nice guy. And John likes to fish with him, as do I.

This float has been on my bucket list for years. I never knew what was on the other side of the ledges at Seneca.

We put in to a muddy and rising Seneca Creek at around 7:15.

Our plan was to go out to look at the middle of the river to see if it was fishable. Duncan had Pat (shuttle) at the ready in case we needed to call it a day and take out.

But we would have none of that....great looking water, rising water and the rain held off!

It did not take long for the skunk to come off the boat!

Fishing off a raft gives you great perspective on the fishing holes. Tubes were the name of the game. They were hunkered down with the rising water. We also threw a fly and a spinnerbait but to no avail.

We steadily picked one or two off each hole.

And Duncan kept working on getting us good water and holes to fish in...surgical!

We had probably caught 15-16 fish by this time and it was time for a shore lunch....

We got back at it again and enjoyed lots of scenery while we caught some more fish!

The house in the middle is Dan Snyder's.

Then...the rising river caught up to us and made conditions very difficult. But we kept at it and As we were about done, I got this nice 17 incher!

We whooped it up like it was a C-class because of what was going on.

As we headed back, you can see the color of the water change....

Anyone see the snake(s)?

It was definitely time to take out!

All I can say is that we had a great time! Duncan is a pro! John is a pleasure to fish with! The fish were cooperating (I had 7 over 16" and maybe 15 in total). Even the 14-15 inch fish pulled hard as they were FAT!

Time to explore more of this water in the near future!

Thai · May-03-16 1:29PM

I think this is the guide that parked his float right up on a spot I was fishing the other day so his clients could fish it, I had to cast right across their lines to drive the point home after I told him I was fishing there.

Last edited by Thai (May-03-16 1:31PM)

ccampo · May-03-16 1:35PM

Love that area in the summer and early fall months. Quality fish all around.

Ernie · May-03-16 1:41PM

Thai wrote:
I think this is the guide that parked his float right up on a spot I was fishing the other day so his clients could fish it, I had to cast right across their lines to drive the point home after I told him I was fishing there.

Probably was....but he may not have been at the helm. I think Alex (from Fletcher's) was with him and another guide was rowing. Lot's of work to keep that boat on a spot. He probably thought you were a bait chunker!

drxfish · May-03-16 3:26PM

Great report! I have fished small portions of that area, but have always been interested in that section. That 17' fish looks nice and healthy!

TheVietfisher · May-03-16 5:32PM

Great time Ernie! You killed them today. I have been converted to the fly rod for too long. Definitely rusty with the spinning rod.

Ernie · May-03-16 5:41PM

I forgot to mention that John caught the biggest of the day, a little over 18"!

AndrewDo124 · May-04-16 5:41AM

Would you do this stretch from kayak? We gotta start thinking about the memorial day float!

Ernie · May-04-16 6:10AM

AndrewDo124 wrote:
Would you do this stretch from kayak? We gotta start thinking about the memorial day float!

Yes....but I am spoiled from being in the raft. Of course, the water was swift and you would have to wedge on a rock (a la George) to fish.

Also would be a lot of driving for put in and take out but we must explore. But we could certainly do it from the MD side.

firemunkee · May-04-16 6:50AM

Awesome report!

mkupchyk · May-10-16 8:57AM

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

AndrewDo124 · May-11-16 4:39AM

Ernie wrote:
AndrewDo124 wrote:
Would you do this stretch from kayak? We gotta start thinking about the memorial day float!
Yes....but I am spoiled from being in the raft. Of course, the water was swift and you would have to wedge on a rock (a la George) to fish.

Also would be a lot of driving for put in and take out but we must explore. But we could certainly do it from the MD side.

I've done raft floats twice before. I'm not sure if it was the raft that made the float so great or the fact that I wasn't the one rowing

HAHA. Definitely love the stability of a raft.

hookup · May-18-16 6:32AM

Floated that stretch many time in a kayak - but at that water level you better know how to read water, paddle, and your boat.

Nice report Ernie - figured you'd get more from the spinnerbait than the tube, but never know what the fish'll eat.

Good post

Pacemaker Fishing Forum

#1 May-03-16 1:10PM

5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#2 May-03-16 1:29PM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#3 May-03-16 1:35PM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#4 May-03-16 1:41PM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

Thai wrote:

#5 May-03-16 3:26PM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#6 May-03-16 5:32PM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#7 May-03-16 5:41PM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#8 May-04-16 5:41AM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#9 May-04-16 6:10AM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

AndrewDo124 wrote:

#10 May-04-16 6:50AM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#11 May-10-16 8:57AM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

#12 May-11-16 4:39AM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

Ernie wrote:

AndrewDo124 wrote:

#13 May-18-16 6:32AM

Re: 5-3-16, Seneca to Riverbend

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