C & O Canal Largemouth Bass

Type: Nontidal
Region: Central
Location: C & O Canal, Montgomery County

I am happy to report I finally had some preseason fishing success for largemouth bass ending the day with a fish of around 21" maybe 6 pounds. It was fat and heavy. I started the afternoon at Widwater by Angler's Inn fishing the logjams with plugs and plastic worms. Got hung up twice and had to break off. I tried several places without any luck. I remembered that I saw an angler last fall below Violet's Lock catching Largemouth Bass on the C&O Canal so I headed up there.

At first I found there was little water up by the lock so I walked down the towpath for 1 mile to the cliffs and found enough water to fish. Came across an angler who said he caught 8 Smallmouths from the river but said he lost a big one of around 3 pounds. I tossed a yellow spinnerbait to the logjams and picked up a 1 pound bass, then two more of a 1&1/2lbs and 2&1/2lbs. I ended the day at dusk with a nice 6 pound largemouth that thrashed around a lot before I could land it. Caught four bass in all and the 6 pounder is my biggest bass of all. I have not fished for Largemouths since I was a teenager when I caught a 5 pounder from a farm pond. Spinnerbaits are the way to go since they are relatively weedless. Still I lost mine to a snag. All bass were released and I hope to come back and maybe get a bigger one. Photo is of the 6 pounder. Tight lines and I hope your preseason fishing is going well.