Dove, 35, doesn’t fish deep in May. He targets depths ranging from 6 inches to 4 feet. He said the bigger females will generally come from 3 or 4 feet, while the smaller males will come from 2 feet or less.

Dove’s best Potomac River largemouth weighed an impressive 6 pounds, 15 ounces. He has landed quite a few others in that same size range. That indeed is a big tidal-water largemouth, even though some bigger specimens lurk in the Potomac.

Astute anglers pay attention to water clarity, and visitors to the Potomac should do the same.

“Water clarity is very dependent on wind direction and the location of grassbeds,” the affable pro said. “Generally, the water is more stained in the creeks around the spatterdock, and clearer in areas around the grassbeds. I always look for the cleanest water I can find in the grassbeds. Really dirty water will completely shut down a once-productive grassbed until it has time to settle down and begin to clear again. Water clarity is less important around the spatterdock in the creeks.”

The bane of most tidal water bass casters is understanding the tidal fluctuations. Two low tides and two high tides in a 24-hour period can cause head scratching and confusion for even experienced anglers.

“I always prefer the last half of the outgoing tide because it will move the fish to the outside portions of the cover and the fish will be more vulnerable to a good presentation from the fisherman,” he said.

That scenario increases the odds a sight-fisherman can score, as well.

“In early May, I’ll concentrate on sight-fishing during the lower half of the tide fluctuation,” Dove said. “There should still be quite a few spawners that would be easy to catch in the early part of the month.”

Dove said in the latter part of May, on lower tide situations he will pick up a frog or his flipping stick.

“I like to use a Snag Proof Frog or flip baits like a Zoom Super Speed Craw or a JDC Baits Gibroni and make presentations to holes in the grass or over just slightly submerged vegetation,” he added. “However, most of the grass will not be topped out yet in the month of May.”

Conversely, when the tide flows, Dove likes to use moving baits, such as a 1/2-ounce Cotton Cordell Super Spot or a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait. This pro continues to move and work over the top of the grass until he finds an area that has a concentration of fish, and then he will slow down with flipping techniques.

“One bait that many anglers overlook this time of year on a high tide is the Zara Spook,” Dove said. “This is an awesome presentation on high tide with post-spawn largemouth bass roaming the flats.”

COLOR CHOICES
Dove prefers mainly natural-looking colors for chubby Potomac largemouths.

“I really like a 6-inch JDC Baits green pumpkin lizard, a Snag Proof Frog, a Stanley Ribbit and a JDC Baits Gibroni (because of its effectiveness on the river due to its slow, natural fall),” he stated.

Many experienced anglers change tactics or lure colors based on lighting conditions. After all, sunny or cloudy conditions present a different look and feel beneath the water’s surface.