Upper Potomac/Walleye

Type: Nontidal
Region: Western
Location: Upper Potomac

Made it out Sunday Morning for some Walleye fishing on the Upper Potomac. My fishing partner Harry Byrd of Richmond VA and I hit the water about 5:45am and found the water temps considerably warmer then the air. It was great to feel a little on the chilly side considering the recent heat.

Walleye in the spots we target tend to move out of the deeper water they hold in during the day up onto shallow ledges to feed at dusk. Around sunrise they move back down off the shallow ledges back into the deeper water. Our method of fishing for them is to wade on to rock ledges adjacent the deeper water and cast large Rappal style minnow baits, retrieving them back along the ledges into the shallows. Typically I will use a six to nine inch crank bait that suspends or floats. Sinking a deep diving baits work as well but tend get hung up way too much on the shallow ledges.

With in about ten minuets of hitting the water I felt the telltale thud on my line, set the hook, and managed to land the Walleye shown in the Photo. After the fish was released we set back up and resumed casting and this time it was Harry�s turn to hook up. I could hear the fish taking his drag and immediately started wadding for the bank to get the camera. Harry was excited and was convinced he had his personal best Walleye on the end of the line. After a good fight he found that instead of a trophy Walleye he had a rather average sized Channel Catfish.