Stren Series Northern Division begins 2009 season

High water on Potomac RIver will affect presentations on day one

MARBURY, Md. – With the launching of 158 boats on the Potomac River Thursday morning, the last bass-fishing tournament series administered by FLW Outdoors started its 2009 season.

This is the Northern Division of the Stren Series, which also includes Western, Southeast, Central and Texas divisions. The Western Division already has completed its four-tournament season. The Southeast and Texas divisions have had three tournaments each, while the Central Division has had one tournament.

The Northern Division has had the fewest number of anglers among the five Stren Series divisions for the past several years. But the Potomac River is always a good draw.

“Guys just love to come here,” said Ron Lappin, tournament director. “There will be a lot of limits caught. I wouldn’t be surprised if all but four or five boats don’t come back with a limit.”

The Potomac’s appeal extends beyond it’s ability to produce limits.

“There aren’t many waterways in the United States that maintain a shallow bite as well as this one does for as long as it does,” Lappin said. “There will be a lot of flipping fish caught here. ”

Throw in topwater, buzzbait, spinnerbait and crankbait fish as well. There isn’t a technique known to bass fishing that can’t turn a limit on the Potomac this time of year, though recent heavy rains have made water levels higher than normal. Big mats of hydrilla and milfoil usually are prominent this time of year. This year they’re about half their normal size, meaning surface baits such as scum frogs haven’t been as effective.

That’s the consensus opinion shared by Doug Iorio of Kennerdell, Pa., and his co-angler, Dan Golladay of Edinburg, Va., who both went forth this morning as Stren Series Northern Division rookies.

“I’m really impressed by the fishery here,” said Iorio, who lives on the Allegheny River. “I’ve been catching a lot of fish every day. The quality bites are coming early when the tide’s in. After that I’ve been sweating it out on the grass beds.”

Iorio said that shallow-running crankbaits have been his best bait and that color hasn’t been a factor. He’s also been flipping weedbeds with soft-plastic creature baits. Golladay said he flipped plastics for most of his prefishing time.

Tidal fluctuations always play a role on the Potomac. Today’s high tide was at 8:15 a.m.

“At first I was a little intimidated by the tidal thing,” Iorio said, “but after being here a week, I’ve gotten it down. I’m used to fishing the Allegheny back home, so I’m used to current and how fish relate to it.”

Iorio said he’s found good fishing at both low and high tides and that, after he catches a limit this morning, he’ll go to a spot where the tide hasn’t been a factor.

Last weekend’s BFL tournament here produced a winning weight of 25 pounds for five fish, indicating the quality of the fish in this river.

“When you have this many anglers on the water, somebody will bring in a 20-pound bag each day,” Iorio said. “I’ve been able to maintain about a 3-pound average (per fish). If I can do that today, I’ll be happy.”

During this three-day tournament, anglers will launch from Smallwood State Park in Marbury at 7 a.m. each morning. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will be in the park beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s weigh-in will be at the Walmart in La Plata, Md., at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Pros are fishing for a top award of $25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat. Co-anglers are fishing for a top award of a 177TR Rangerboat. Anglers in both divisions are shooting for a trip to the Stren Series Championship in November on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala., which will feature the top 40 pros and top 40 co-anglers from each of the five Stren Series divisions.