What’s wrong with the Potomac and how do you fix it?
By Jason Houchins
April 5,2016
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Recent controversy over the Potomac has sparked many opinions and questions on what’s wrong with the Potomac and how do you fix it? The regulations are bearing down on fisherman, but only seem to affect tournament anglers, causing us all to cry foul. Many people thinking that tighter regulations on tournament angling is the answer. Tournaments are killing the Potomac! That’s what you are hearing from conservationist and suits in Maryland. Is this true? Could tournaments have a diverse effect on a body of water the size of the Potomac River? I guess everything has an effect, but let’s be real this is more about stopping tournaments and making them look as if they are the only reason for a decline in fish catches. I think patience in this case is our best ally.
I remember one of the first times I fished the Potomac River, mid to late 80s I was probably 12 or 13 years old. My uncle asked me to go with him and fish the mighty Potomac, I couldn’t wait. The stories he had told me of how you could catch; 20 fish off of one log or throw a spinnerbait to the grass edge for total pandemonium, and the guarantee of 50 -100 fish days had me from the word go. As we put in the 14’ Jon boat and left Bell Haven Marina, the haze seemingly hovered above the enormous grass flat that took up the whole middle of the river from Hog Island to above Blue Plains. All you needed was three baits to be successful; Bomber 6A fire tiger, a white spinnerbait, and the bloodline worm. Every story and tall tale became reality that day. It was true, it was all true, and this place was like fishing at a trout hatchery and only thirty minutes from my house. It only fueled my fire for fishing more and ultimately has lived in my memory for almost thirty years.
Through those thirty years the Potomac has had great times and some not so great times, but in the end it has survived along with its fish population. Every body of waters’ life has its ups and downs, no different than any other life. There are always peaks and valleys and it’s no different with a tidal fishery. I will say that something is definitely not right with the River 100%. I do not fish it nearly as much as I did before 2007, but last fall in the BFL Regional, it was the toughest I’d ever seen it. I honestly began the tournament unsure if I could even catch a fish. Talking with others who frequent the Potomac and my uncle who still lives in Northern Virginia and fishes the Potomac weekly, something was off and still is off. But to say that it’s all caused by tournament anglers is the most uneducated thing I’ve ever heard. With pollution, commercial fishing, recreational fishing, and the introduction of the Northern Snakehead, Everything together has an effect. But can anyone accurately say how much? NO!
In this world of instant messages, texting, and social media the world wants a “right now” solution or answer to everything. Some people and agencies are also influenced easily by people who scream the most and the loudest. This seems to be what caused the latest knee jerk reaction by Maryland DNR and now they have corrected it in some form with a new option. In my opinion the Potomac will recover in time, maybe a few years or maybe more than a few years. We are seeing Kerr Lake rebound now after years of decline, seems God has a way of fixing things but we need to remember it’s not going to happen overnight. And of course we all can do our share along with states to ensure fisheries for years to come. On the other hand we have to be realistic about tournament angling on the Potomac and its future. Instead of complaining and blaming you need to get organized, if not I feel the tournament of the Potomac River will be a thing of the past. It will slowly be regulated to death and over many years’ time will not be worth the cost or hassle to have one. About how many regulations have been added over the last ten years? Boater’s safety courses, off limit areas, fees, etc. Who does this directly affect the most? Tournament Anglers are without question are the most affected. Is that just a coincidence? Or maybe it was just the beginning of what was to come? I ask you to do one thing, just think about it…..
