Powells Creek Bass Scout

I had always looked with interest at Powells Creek as it passed beneath Route 1 and headed by the Wawa on its way to the Potomac so when James and I were looking at a quick fish this nearby creek was the answer.

First Pool at the Wawa Parking Lot

I was interested in seeing how similar it would be to Pohick Creek 7 miles north.  I found that it was very similar less the additional water in Pohick from the treatment plant.  James and I rigged up in the heat of the day in the Wawa parking lot and made a path through the grass to the small creek.  The creek was alive with small schooling bait fish and in the first pool we noticed a lunker-bucketmouth patrolling a 30-inch deep pool.  With the prospect of hooking this lunker we headed upstream away from him to take a few practice casts and square away our gear.  I spotted for James who was using a 8.5" 5wt Classic

Downstream Pool with under cut bank across the stream

Fenwick glass rod and a size 4 black and white popper. We didn't catch anything in the pool and ended up pushing the bass downstream.  James followed, noticed the lunker, cast for him a few times and finally got him to hit the popper!  The bass thrashed violently heading for structure, James turned him back upstream and I ran down to take alittle video.  James played the bass for about a minute until he took a violent side-thrash and broke the tippet.  Big smiles for all.  We fished for another 45 minutes, encountered several small water snakes a snakehead and all the pan fish we cared to catch.  I'll continue to explore this nearby fishery and hopefully catch my own bucket mouth, but the afternoon's great fish belonged to James.