The Potomac River experienced a lot of good grass growth during the month of August. Hotter temperatures and a lack of rain have made the water clarity improve as well. Anglers looking to fish grass are finally seeing more typical summer river patterns. Early cool mornings are providing anglers with good topwater action before the sun brings a sharp rise in temperature. These actively feeding fish will typically eat a hollow body frog, buzzbait, or a soft-plastic toad-style bait. When the sun is high and temperatures rise bass can be found on the edges of vegetation or docks closer to deep water. Fishing can also be found on current breaks throughout the day, this is an easy way to predict. During high tides, fish can still be found moving into grass beds and shoreline areas. This pattern will only improve as the month progresses and the fish begin their fall push into the shallows to feed up before winter. Catfish anglers are still finding numbers of fish on channel swings and drop-offs. Anglers are still finding luck fishing under balloons for suspended fish. Panfish are still hanging out around docks and brush piles. The best places to fill the box with these tasty fish are in areas like Mallows Bay, Swan Creek or brush piles stuck around main river docks. The snakehead in the river are still sitting in shallow water and show no signs of leaving anytime soon. These fish seem to be less aggressive lately possibly due to fishing pressure or the high temperatures. Everything in the river should start feeding heavily as the month progresses. Fish will understand that these cooler temperatures will be here to stay soon and more fish will be found in shallow water as this takes place. If we see air temperatures drop into the 70s during the day this month you’re not going to want to miss the action on the water!
Thomas Raines