Mowing the Grass?

Find grass, find bass! Typically standard Potomac River strategy from April until October. This season has been different, but has it?

Fishing the Potomac since the early 1980s, Jim Funkhouser notes there was primarily only one grass bed for bass anglers, Greenway Flats. Since that time, Greenway grass has cycled out and recovered twice. But, he also notes that in the River’s SAV heyday, there were massive grass beds from Blue Plains to and below the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and from the bridge past Belle Haven on the Virginia shore. In ’84 this grass also disappeared only to return in the 90s and disappearing again in 2005. Funkhouser also notes that milfoil generally doesn’t last this late in the season as it is overtaken by hydrilla. This difference this year is milfoil began to disappear in mid June before the hydrilla really became established. As for conspiracy theories on spraying by individuals or local governments? “They couldn’t keep if quiet nor do they have the money for it.”

Putting aside angler angst and conspiracy theories, hot weather and salt-water intrusion, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist, John Odenkirk says there are many possibilities for grasses to either die or not renew each growing season. Nutrient limitations for one, meaning there isn’t enough growth material on the bottom to sustain or invite growth. Sometimes through currents and other natural occurrences, sediment nutrients will transfer to other locations or even become depleted. In fact he says over-saturation of growth one year could lead to productivity issues. “The same substrate locations cannot hold dense growths year after year for extended periods...like growing tomatoes in the same spot for a few years just does not work out well after you get a few banner years.”

This year specifically, Odenkirk points to weather January through April, leading to a bad start to the growing season. As days become longer after December, light penetration is key for dormant grasses to green up. As they revive, they clear the water to create more light penetration for other forms of germination, such as propagation of plant clippings taking root. This year was very wet and windy during early spring, leading to muddier than normal water and with cloud cover, there was less light penetration to begin with. Odenkirk says, “Lots of times, the beds seem to "move" based on these and other factors. I do not think there is cause for concern.”

Maryland DNR counterpart, Joe Love agrees that most sub-aquatic vegetation variations occur naturally. But he adds algae development shades out the water and knocks back the grass growth by keeping it from photosynthesizing. This year’s early onset of algae could have really hurt the grasses. Under this scenario, grasses don’t have time to root and establish to compete for sunlight and nutrients. Bottom line, Love feels grass growth or lack thereof is a seasonal occurrence citing annual weather patterns, climatic changes, contributing to over-sedimentation and under supplied nutrients in the water.

But the fact remains, there was less grass to begin the season and what grass emerged has been vanishing since mid June. Areas where the FLW pros cleaned up are now wiped clean of any vegetation. For tournament angler Ed Dustin, fishing the Bassmaster Weekend Series, LAPR and other local events, without typical summer grass patterns, punching mats and hollow frogs have not been productive. Even his stand-by Tomahawk swimbaits have not been nearly as effective as expected in the stained water. Grass in creeks like Broad, Dogue, the mouth of Belmont Bay and even Mattawoman’s bay at Burn Point has either vacated or is substantially diminished.

With that in mind, Dustin has resorted to search baits, reminiscent of early spring fishing. With Luke Clausen’s FLW win, the swim jig became an overnight Potomac River tackle box favorite. That, along with chatterbaits, allows anglers to find scattered grass clumps. Otherwise, it’s a trip to hard cover, including docks and pads at higher tides. Dustin now targets hydrilla beds in the backs of often-overlooked creeks like Powell’s.

For the 2011 fishing season, seeing grass disappear in this magnitude was confounding and frustrating for anglers. It took Greenway Flats nearly five years to come back while grass emerged in other areas to become the new “hot spots”. As for the massive grass beds above and below the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, was it a natural occurrence or coincidence that the grasses were eradicated one short year after bridge construction began in 2000, void of grass since 2001.

Just how bad is the grass loss this season? Steve Johnson with Triple Crown Marine reports his sub aquatic grass-mowing service has been down 70% this year with boaters not encountering engine-clogging grasses at all! Business is so bad, he is considering sale of his cutting machine.

Without grassy targets, fishermen must move around to locate scattered remnants. Timing tides and weather conditions will be more important. Adapting will be the angling challenge. Fall should be interesting to say the least as the annual bass version of musical chairs begins with fish holding out and holding on to cover before they begin a fall migration. This summer’s grass downgrade will only be a memory until next year when expectations and new vegetation begin to emerge, or not.