Little Pool, 6-2-09

[HJS]

Fished Little Pool today, 6-2-09, 10:00am to 2:00pm. I was targeting sunfish on their beds using flyrod and poppers. Some of the beds were already abandon but I did find a few large bed complexes that were still active. I caught dozens of them. Size wasn't great, mostly mediums averaging around 7"-7.5". One bed was all red-ears (shellcrackers). They are kinda picky, only caught 3 of them. After I got my fill of the smallish sunfish I switched to a spinning rod and weightless soft plastics. Caught about 8 fun sized lmbass (11"-14") and 4 pickerel in the low/mid teens. No trophys or jumbos, but still had lots of fun.

[Striper22]

Nice to see a report from out my way. It's getting tough to get the jumbo's out of Little Pool. A few years ago I'd pick up a couple in the 10" range every trip.

Big Pool has been fishing pretty well. Picked up several gills closer to 9" but still short of Jumbo. Enough bass eating the popper to keep things interesting. Times running out on the spawn exercise them while you can.

[HJS]

striper - I was thinking of fishing Big Pool today but I like the carry-in aspect of Little Pool. I only fish it about every 2-3 years. Nothing has changed since my last trip there. I didn't have much hope to still find gills on their beds, especially after the first 2 big bed complexes were empty of fish. However, its been a cool spring so I guess a few of them have lingered on their beds. I found 2 bed areas that still held fish. But you're right, not much time left. They'll probably be done and gone by the weekend.

Does Big Pool have a fishable population of pickerel? I haven't fished it for years and sorta forget what I caught when I was last there.

[Striper22]

HJS, Big Pool has few if any pickerel. I have never caught one there.

When I need my pickerel fix I go to Herrington Manor. The pickerel there are bigger on average than Little Pool. Nice gills there also. Being the way the spring has been they may still be on the beds out that way. If your east of me it would be quite a haul.

On a side note, I fished Blairs Valley this evening as it's only about a mile up the road. I was using a little chartruse popper chasing the gills and bass. I laid the popper up on a grass patch and slid it off. Out like a rocket comes the green flash. A small tiger muskie inhaled the popper. He made the drag buzz a little. He was only about 24" but it was fun while it lasted. As soon as I saw where the popper was I knew I was done. Almost to the bank, he rolled and fish and popper were gone. I'm calling it a quick release.....

[SteveL]

HJS,

Another nice sunfish flyfishing report! Please remind me of the general area where little pool is located.

[HJS]

HJS,

Another nice sunfish flyfishing report! Please remind me of the general area where little pool is located.

Steve - Little Pool is actually part of the C&O Canal, just Like Big Pool is, and is located just a few miles downriver from Hancock. I guess its about a 200 feet carry.