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"The bass bite can be very good if you locate the right grass bed. Main river grasses and grass beds at the mouths of creeks or in bays have been the better producers. They are not hard to locate, no boats, no bass.
The top water bite is getting stronger. We are using a buzz bait to locate aggressive bass in grasses and along marsh banks as well as isolated wood in shallow water. If the bass swirl at the buzz bait but dont take it switch to a popper or a hard jerk bait. Manns Baby-1 Minus has been one of top crank baits followed up by a Baby Paca Craw. Berkleys Power Hawg is another top creature bait. The river will be crowded this week with a FLW major and a BFL All American being held at National Harbor. The FLW major contestants are restricted to waters below the WW Bridge and the All American participants are required to fish above the WW Bridge."

Water Temperature: 69 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet

"With water temperatures in the low 70.s and Saturdays super moon the spawn appears to be in full swing. We are catching good numbers of bass but the majority are males with a few spawned out females being among them. Most of our bass are coming from waters in bays and coves that are two to four feet deep. Better baits have been the Manns Baby-1 Minus or a wacky rigged stick worm fished weightless. We are fishing both baits very slowly.
Nice crappie are in shallow coves along gravel banks or on downed trees and isolated wood. They will jump all over a crappie tube suspended beneath a bobber coated with Smelly Jelly fish attractant. The crappie will also hit a chartreuse slider grub rigged on a 1/8 ounce head. You may have trouble keeping the bass away from these small baits. A few small catfish as well as yellow perch are in the same areas. Bluegills are becoming more active in shallow water."

Water Temperature: 70 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet

"Bass fishing remains steady and grasses remain the prime target. Chatter Baits, spinner baits, Chigger Craws an d stick worms will all produce when fished in and over grasses and along marsh banks. The Manns Baby 1-Minus also does well in these areas. Spatterdock fields give up an occasional good bass when a buzz bait is worked through them. A rattle bait and a spinner bait draws strikes as does a plastic worm . Snake heads are becoming more active in very shallow water areas of the creeks. They will crush a shallow running crank bait or spinner bait."

Water Temperature: 65 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet

"Bass continue to bite all over the river. Main river points and rocky/gravel banks continue to produce bass that respond to a lipless rattle bait slowly retrieved so that it stays in contact with the bottom. Deeper diving cranks and a slow rolled spinner bait will do well also. Marsh banks along creek flats show good numbers of fat bass that like a creature bait or a hard jerk bait, like a Smithwick Rogue, worked tight against the vegetation. Manns Baby-1 Minus baits fished on shallow flats draw strikes from bass as well as snakeheads. Spatterdock pads are good places to locate a variety of species such as bass , catfish and an occasional snakehead, when fished with Chatter Baits, spinner baits and plastics. Crappie are situated around a number of the marinas. They like a small tube suspended under a bobber as well as a small minnow presented the same way."

Water Temperature: 67 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet

"Cold nights have retuned water temperatures to seasonal for mid April. Bass seem to be on almost every pattern. We are finding our bigger bass to be on main river rocky or gravel points or points at the mouths of creeks. A lipless rattle bait slowly worked so that it bumps along the bottom will draw strikes from healthy bass. Grass flats along the main river or on creek flats hold good numbers of bass. Our better baits in these areas have been plastic worms or craw type plastics as well as Chatter baits and spinner baits and a shallow running crank bait. Boat docks and lay down trees have bass that like a jig and plastic combo as well as plastic creature baits. Spatterdock pads in the creeks and ledges adjacent to the pads will give up bass to crank baits, spinner baits and plastics. The crappie fishing was hit or miss with most of the crappie we found recently be situated around boat dock pilings in the creeks. They like a crappie tube coated with Smelly Jelly fish attractant."

Water Temperature: 62 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet

"Bass fishing can be poor one day and good the next day. Grass beds continue to produce 20 pound bags for tournament anglers who find the right areas and for others the pickings are slim. Best baits in the grass have been a Chatterbait or a lipless rattle bait. Rocky and gravelly banks and points at the mouths of creeks give up quality bass when fished with crank baits and grubs. Spatterdock pads along creek channel edges have nice bass that like a spinner bait or a shallow running crank bait. A Berkley Pulse worm was one of our best baits around hard cover the past few days. The crappie are biting strong again. Some large enough to devour a plastic worm. Crappie tubes catch numbers."

Water Temperature: 65 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet

"Water temperatures have returned to more seasonal and so have bass patterns. We are finding more bass on rocky points and gravel shore line areas. Lipless crank baits retrieved at a moderate speed collect bass along these areas as will a shallow running crank baits. Grass beds still produce bass that like lipless rattle baits, or baits without rattles, worked across the top of emerging vegetation. Spinner baits, Chatter baits and plastics also draw strikes. Spatterdock pads, especially those with a quick drop in front, seem to be particularly good during a moving tide. Downed trees and boat docks should not be overlooked.
The crappie bite has come to a screeching halt for us. Locations that were giving up good numbers of crappie days earlier now seem to be void of action. Warmer waters should bring them back.
More white perch are evident in the shallows. They like small shad darts or tiny grubs. Traditionalist use grass shrimp and worms with good success."

Water Temperature: 57 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet

"Bass fishing doesnt get much better than it is right now. Fish are easy to come by. Gravel banks, fall downs, rocky points, grass beds, marsh banks and spatterdock fields as well as boat docks are all giving up bass. They will hit a variety of lures. We had some top water action this week by twitching shallow running cranks baits around downed trees. Aggressive bass charged baits sitting on the surface. Lipless crank baits, shallow running cranks, Chatter Baits, spinner baits, Chigger Craws, jig and craws, plastic worms, shaky heads and stick worms. You throw it and a bass will hit it. Crappie action is red hot right now also. Shallow bays with wood in three to four feet of water have crappie stacked in them in good numbers. The usual artificial crappie baits work as does live minnows and grass shrimp. Try a shad dart tipped with a grass shrimp suspended about three feet under a bobber.
We are catching more catfish on the shallow flats that attack our bass baits. Most are small."

Water Temperature: 66 degrees; Water clarity: 1-2 feet