River Rules

American Fishing Series finalists square off with Potomac tides

MARBURY, Md. – Time management always ranks as a key component of tournament fishing, but in this, the final round of FLW American Fishing Series Northern Division action on the Potomac River, the top-10 pros and co-anglers will also have to manage their use of tide stages.

Influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, the Potomac’s tidal waters rise and fall on predictable schedules each day. Anglers will find an outgoing cycle until about 9:30 and then fish rising water the rest of their tournament day.

Moving water – in or out – is generally best and on days one and two, anglers reported good action on the low incoming and the high outgoing periods. Today will offer only the former, as the early morning tide was about halfway through its fall when boats launched, and the afternoon tide will still be rising by the 1 p.m. check-in.

During the first two days of qualifying, anglers caught fish on a variety of baits, but the most common tactics were topwater frogging and flipping the grass. Generally, high water enables bass to bury deep in the vegetation where they find lots of hidey spots, abundant feeding opportunities, and shelter from what has been sweltering heat.

Here’s a look at what the top 5 pros have planned for their final round efforts:

1. Bryan Schmitt:

Leading the field with 39 pounds, 5 ounces the Deale, Md. pro will continue focusing on offshore grass beds in four to five feet. He’s been throwing a custom 3/8-ounce black/blue jig all week and he has no intention of changing.

“I’m going to stick with what got me here and hope it works out,” Schmitt said.

Although the Potomac holds plenty of grass, the top pro is picky about where he’ll drop his jig: “Water color and hard bottom (rock or shell) are important on this river. The fish like clear water, so that is definitely a key.”

2. Bill Chapman:

This seasoned tournament pro brings huge momentum into the final round. In what he described as a” border=”1″ align=”right” /> dream day, Chapman improved from 11th place to second on day two with the event’s heaviest bag – 23-7. He currently trails Schmitt by just 6 ounces with 38-15.

Chapman caught his day two fish on a black/blue jig and a Texas-rigged Packer Craw. He said he expects the latter to produce the most for him today.

Grass beds with a mix of hydrilla and milfoil will be the West Virginia pro’s target. His first spot has ditch running through the grass where fish lay during low tide. Chapman said he’ll wait out the falling water in hopes of scoring big.

3. Terry Olinger:

The Hume, Va. pro weighed the second heaviest bag of day two that 21-8 limit moved him up 17 spots from 20th place to third. Yesterday, Olinger flipped a jig and a Sweet Beaver and worked a swimbait. He said he’s tempted to put in some topwater time this morning, but the time management thing may override that one.

“I’m debating on whether I should go do the frog thing, but I think I might skip it because we have a short day,” he said. “I might just go to one area and camp out, because we don’t have much time to run around.”

4. Thomas Wooten:

Day two got pretty dicey when troubles with his boat batteries arose just when an afternoon bite started to accelerate. Fortunately, Wooten was able to sack up a limit of 15-12 and dropped only one spot from third to fourth.

Wooten will stay true to his main tactics of swimming a jig along grass edges and flipping a green pumpkin/red Sweet Beaver.

5. Peter Yanni:

After topping day one with a 22-10 bag – second biggest in the even – Peter Yanni slipped to fourth on the second day. Fishing Berkley Chigger Craw and a Berkley 10-inch Power Worm, Yanni said he had the opportunities, but the fish got the upper hand.

“I lost several big fish when they buried in the grass,” he said. “I straightened out heavy gauge hooks trying to pull them out. The only thing I know is that I’m in (the final round) and I will alleviate that problem.”

Logistics

Anglers will weigh-in at Smallwood State Park located at 2700 Sweden Point Road in Marbury, Md. Weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Pros will fish for a top award of $25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat with 200-horsepower outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award of $10,000. If the co-angler meets the Ranger Cup guidelines, they will earn an additional $5,000.

The Potomac River American Fishing Series tournament is being hosted by the Marshall County Tourist Commission.

Saturday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 5:45 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 72 degrees

Expected high temperature: 88 degrees

Water temperature: 68-70 degrees

Wind: Calm

Humidity: 60 percent

Day’s outlook: Partly cloudy, afternoon thunderstorms