# Does anyone...



## sun_goddess (Mar 14, 2006)

fish anywhere nearthe west branch of the potomac, specifically near romney, wv? Just curious. 

Thx!
Mandi


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## Fish Bait (Feb 10, 2003)

I don't know of a west branch of the Potomac. Could that be the south branch?


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## sun_goddess (Mar 14, 2006)

*That's a possibility*

I only know that it's part of the Potomac. We camp in Romney, WV and where we fish, the river is right beside the camp. I just know that the landscape is beautiful and the fishing is fun. 

Just another question...anyone catfish in the Potomac? If you catch anyhting, what do you use? 

Thanks!

Mandi


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## The Fish Finder (Apr 12, 2004)

*Smallmouth*

I haven't caught any cat in the Potomac but I'm sure they're there. All I catch up there are smallmouth. I like throwing spinner baits but crankbaits and plastics, I imagine would work well too.


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## fyremanjef (Feb 17, 2005)

*Check with Catman*

He has a way of finding those rivers and creeks that hold fish, especially those SM bass.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Actually that's the South Branch of the Potomac. That part that runs along Rt. 50 is good trout fishing in the Spring and holds quite a few golden trout. It's also killer for SM bass in the summer. Lift up rocks in the shallows and get live hellgrammites and fish them about 18" below a pencil type float. I spent many summers in the region when I was a kid. 

HELLGRAMMITE


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## Dae (Jun 25, 2002)

catman said:


> HELLGRAMMITE


Nick,

Does that thing bite? It looks like some type of monster that would eat you after it crawled in through your ear!

- Dae


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Dae said:


> Nick,
> 
> Does that thing bite? It looks like some type of monster that would eat you after it crawled in through your ear!
> 
> - Dae


Yea they bite but no more than a crawfish bites. When full grown they are about 4" long with a red collar. At that point they turn into a Dobson Fly.








There is no better bait for SM bass. BTW to hook them you slide the hook under their collar just behind the head. They're pretty tough like soft leather. Sometimes you can catch a couple of bass on one bait.


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## OBX Rookie (Dec 22, 2003)

I have fished this area a few times, awesome SM fishing and easy on the eyes. Not sure if it still runs but if it does take a ride on the train that runs through the river valley, it will take you by eagle rock or something like that, its not uncommon to see several Bald Eagles nesting on the bluffs above, a trip in the fall can be overwhelming with all the colors!


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## 1fishinmusician (Jun 8, 2005)

I fish all parts of the Potomac for cats. I've had my best luck with cut herring, nightcrawlers, chicken livers, and clam snouts. They're not real picky and will hit just about anything. I used the commercial baits, stinkbaits, bites, etc. but haven't had that much success with em.


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## sun_goddess (Mar 14, 2006)

Thanks guys! We usually use chicken livers, chicken skins and sometimes doughballs. We've tried cherries and some really nasty smelling other stuff (injectable and solid). :--| At least I know there are cats in the river and I'm not just sitting on the bank getting cold for no reason.

Maybe we'll try that trick with the hellgrammite and see what happens!

Thanks!

Mandi


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## Big Rad (May 19, 2003)

*We used to catch em*

By cutting open a pair of my mom's panty hose and stretch em between two sticks. My brother would then start turning over rocks and swirling the mud/sand with a stick. the critters would get swept down into the panty hose and get stuck. 

We were gill netting on a mini stage  
We would get crawdaddies too.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

That's pretty much how I catch them. Just take a piece of screen, wedge it between to two rocks in the front and raise the back end a little, turn over rocks upstream and they'll get caught in the net along with crawfish, minnows, and nymphs. I even got a water snake and a small snapping turtle once.


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## sun_goddess (Mar 14, 2006)

We use a scine, it's jsut a screen stapled to 2 dial rods. it's pretty big, about 4' wide and a little longer high. We'll probably use it this year, since i'm more used to that kind of stuff and now that we'll have a camper in stead of a tent. Although we use minnows alot and the hellgrammites get stuck in the minnow trap too. 

Guess we'll see what happens!

Mandi 

PS, thanks for the pics, now I know what i'm looking for!


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

Nick, you're right on with the Hellgrammites. They're Smallie candy! They last a while and when other things don't work, hellgrammites will. I've seen smallies turn down nice crawfish only to jump on a hellgrammite as soon as it floated by. 

Mandi, the South Fork is a beautiful area. Have fun and if you fish any weed beds to the side of the river, who knows, you may even get a muskie!!  

FB


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## Singletjeff (Mar 27, 2005)

One Hundred Percent!!!!!!!!!!! The two best Smallie Baits are Helgremites and Madtoms. I prefer using grubs, crankbaits and topwater when I'm smallie fishing though, always done on an ultralite setup. I find that with live bait you're spending too much time rebaiting the hook, where with some sort of artificial you can catch fish after fish after fish before you have to rebait. If the water is shallow enough and safe enough where you camp, I would recommend wading the river, concentrating on the eddies and deeper holes, but don't overlook fast moving water, I've pulled many smallies out of the fast water just sitting in there waiting on food to pass it.


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## sun_goddess (Mar 14, 2006)

We're going to be taking a small boat down with us this year. Last year, sitting in the middle of the river, the fish were hitting rooster tails and joe flies. That was fun! Other than that we jsut use wormies from the bank.


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