The Leader in Pro Bass Fishing News!
Facebook Twitter

Sunline Strong Performer: Potomac River

<b><font color=green>Sunline Strong Performer: Potomac River</font color></b>

Jason Meninger grew up in Maryland and learned to understand tidal fishing from his time spent on Chesapeake Bay. He employed that knowledge last week to log a 23rd-place finish at the Potomac River to lock up a Forrest Wood Cup berth, but it wasn’t without a little stress and hand-wringing for the Georgia resident.

Meninger came into the season finale 34th in points, inside the projected cut line for the Cup, but still vulnerable to drop out of contention for a Cup spot with a poor finish. The tournament didn’t start the way he’d hoped – he found himself in 79th place and facing a do-or-die day 2 to make the Cup.

“Coming into the deal, practice was tough but it wasn’t bad,” he said. “I had one bad day in practice where I only got two bites.”

He ultimately decided to focus on the cleaner water areas down south and went into the tournament thinking 10 1/2 to 11 pounds a day would get a check.

“On day 1, I ended up scrambling around,” he said. “I caught one in the morning and moved to what I thought would be my primary area in the back of a creek. I caught one and lost one there and jumped between grass and hard stuff all day long. I had three good bites and lost them all so I didn’t execute real well.

“I didn’t think 10-08 would be too bad, but I started doing the math on the points and I’d fallen right the cut line. I figured I needed 12 pounds on day 2 to get in the Cup and be close to getting a check.”

He put three keepers in the boat on a grass flat to start day 2 and calm his nerves. He finished his limit out of the back of the creek and had about 9 pounds.

“That was critical because I knew there were 3-pound fish in the creeks down south and I could go in there with a limit and get settled down,” he added.

He picked off a couple 3-pounders to upgrade his total, then tacked on a 4 1/4-pound kicker during a crazy sequence to cap off his day.

“I went to an area I hadn’t fished in practice and was flipping shallow docks with a Z-Man FattyZ,” he said. “I hit one dock a lost one on the worm. I picked up a jig and get a bite and set the hook. My rod snaps and I’m reeling the fish back all the while watching my line fray on the graphite where the rod broke. Luckily, I was able to land it and it was 4-pounder. Everything went for me when I needed it to.”

The kicker ran his total to 14-14 and went on to finish 23rd, missing the Top-20 cut by 5 ounces.

“I fished real relaxed on day, but it helped to have those fish in the boat already,” he added.

The Sunline Strong Performer, which focuses ons the angler who makes the most significant single-day move in the standings at each tour-level event, is brought to you by the great people at Sunline.

Latest News

Video You May Like