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Got this from Jeff Green who runs SHALLOW WATER FISHING ADVENTURES LLC....
"This spring the Maryland Department of Natural Resource will be implementing a restocking program on the upper Potomac River with smallmouth bass. This type of program has not been done in years. I am excited to see how this program increases populations throughout the upper Potomac River. As far as the health of the river goes, I have never seen so many large smallmouth bass in my 30 plus years of fishing the river."
https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Docu … ocking.pdf
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Any big ones being stocked?
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No!
Cliff Notes version....
They take nice sized fish in March-April and get them to hatchery where they can get happy in a controlled environment (pond).
They let the babies grow up for a few months without threat of floods, blue herons, cannibalization etc.
They put the babies back in the river (56 mile area from POR and above) in the summer.
Repeat every year for 5 years.
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55 and above - nice tip
As the fish move down river & populate, they get bigger
Imagine that?
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From Rocky Droneburg:
Huge Announcement for Potomac River Bass fisherman.
The MD DNR has put together a pilot plan to address the decline in the catch rate of Smallmouth Bass in the UPR. Our help as users will be key in the success of this plan. Wade Elwood will be hosting an angling event on behalf of the DNR sometime between the last week end of March and Mid April. (the Date should be finalized soon) Fisheries staff will be on hand to hopefully harvest 30-40 mature bass to be spawned at a warm water hatchery here in MD. These 15-20 pairs will hopefully produce 25,000+ fingerlings which will be distributed through out the UPR.
A few things to know:
1.Anglers help will be needed for the Event and Maybe even distribution of the fingerlings. The fisheries department has requested our help. That’s a huge compliment.
2.The Bass Harvested will be returned to the UPR.
3.Staff will be on hand to clean each and every livewell. Before the event. This is to ensure we don’t contaminate the hatchery. You must have a livewell to participate.
4.The event will be held at the Brunswick campground. It will be a tournament.
So please consider coming to this event. Angler participation is key to the success of this action plan.
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Looks like 2k smallies were recently introduced to the water upriver from us...
https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Page … cking.aspx
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Literally a drop in the bucket. Herons will get a lot of them unfortunately. For comparison, LKA gets approximately 100,000 striper and 100,000 hybrid striper fingerlings every year.
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Looks like stocking from outside is the way to go given the conditions. Numbers are crazy low and I honestly cannot figure out how they dropped so fast from year to year.
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It's a start and a good amount of folks don't harvest smallies like stripers are harvested at LKA. Can't control herons...maybe fine them if they take one?
As John hinted, I have no clue where the smallies that were there in the past went. Dead? Washed down river? Hiding?
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Not directly related but close.
This is from Jeff Kelbe (former Shenandoah Riverkeeper):
April 5th is THE EARLIEST I’ve ever personally witnessed a Virginia smallmouth bass male sweep and tend a nest in preparation for the spawn. The image is copper rose tinted because I took it through my polarized sunglasses so you could see the cleaned/swept off jumble of rocks in the very center of the photo.
This was on the Main Stem Shenandoah River and the male was approximately 19”, which is considered a prime specimen brood stock fish. This fish, if he successfully defends his next of fry (in a few weeks likely) can single handedly repopulate a modest sized portion of the river. They are vulnerable to angling pressure and I’m hoping my friends who fish and guide will take a pause this year once eggs are laid to let out hurting population of smallmouth rebound.
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