n June, Major League Fishing (MLF) brought 66 professional anglers for a four-day catch, weigh, and release tournament to the tidal Potomac River. Without limiting numbers of scorable fish (minimum 1.5 pounds), total weight determined the winner. Bass fishing veterans, with successful history, were eager to return to the Potomac. Tennessee Nitro/Mercury pro Ott DeFoe won the Zenni Stage 6 tournament, presented by Athletic Brewing Company, pocketing $150,000.
MLF’s best anglers catch as many fish as possible, a strategy and time management change from five fish limit events.
Pennsylvania Ranger/Mercury pro Dave Lefebre, sponsored by Fishing Online, has been figuring out Potomac bass since the early 2000s. Looking forward to the legendary grassbeds and hard cover, Lefebre spent practice days locating submerged vegetation, specifically milfoil, and his historical hard cover waypoints. In addition to milfoil absence, Lefebre’s hard cover spots, trees, duck blinds, and submerged wooden barges were gone.
Washington State native BassCat/Mercury pro Luke Clausen, sponsored by Bridgford foods, has successfully sifted through Potomac grassbeds for trophies and checks. Clausen uses aerial photo apps to find grass and prime spots and driving around areas he’s fished before.
There weren’t many bigger fish caught, some say tournament pressure makes them skittish. Clausen says tournament mortality might contribute as larger fish are brought to the scales and more likely succumb to tournament rigors. Recent MD and VA surveys show a drop in larger fish populations.
MLF’s format kept Clausen from trying new techniques, baits, or locations risking not catching them fast enough. Clausen believes history hinders more than helps in adapting to fishing locations with higher densities than in previous five fish events fishing for fewer bites, looking for bigger ones.
From Kansas, Triton/Mercury pro Brent Chapman, sponsored by Kast King, concurs grass has been better. Many fish were caught, albeit not many four pounders. Successful over the years, he considers the Potomac his kind of fishing, but two-day practice periods were too short.
Chapman relied on previous history to select spots that required meticulous work for good five fish limits. MLF’s format forced Chapman to fish faster, producing more fish for a collective and competitive weight. With history holding him back, and limited practice time, this pro toughed it out where he had prior success.
Chapman says MLF’s format is better for fisheries, especially during hot summer months. Fish aren’t in livewells, transported around the fishery, and going through weigh ins. Releasing fish where caught increases likelihood they’ll be caught again possibly later that day, but certainly again during the four-day event – key for location decisions.
MLF enforces fish handling: no nets, no contact with boat decks or carpet, weighing with non-piercing scales, release below rub rails. MLF provides up-to-the-catch standings accompanied with on the water video. The format is rapidly catching on as professional bass fishing’s best.
For Lefebre, Chapman, and Clausen, successful Potomac track records were based on five fish limits, however history and a different format altered their paths. Next time, these pros will likely be ones to watch.
Author Capt. Steve Chaconas is Potomac bass fishing guide & freelance writer. Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. YouTube video channel NationalBassGuide
