Huffnhustle  12/29/2007 - 06:16    Steve, I'm' new to the forum and like you I did lurk around and read these many great posts; I think about ever one of them. I am an older fellow who had drifted too far away from the sport I grew up with around my Dad. Just this year, after 30 years of dry dock, I dusted off the rods, oiled the reels, & relined and purchased a license. A fellow fisherman living with me now reintroduced me to this wonderful pastime. Perhaps I should say he immersed me fishing two-three times a week. Often we did head out to the Potomac, Maryland side, and fished those waters from the bank at Pennyfield Lock and west to Point of Rocks. More often than to any other place we headed out to the warm water spot you seek just off Martinsburg Rd. There are enough fish at that place to keep things interesting although, from the bank, most of the bass, sunnys and catfish are shorts and the bass may not be kept but must be released. Carp are there too and some do get large.

You'll find a paved road to a parking area for some 20 cars or so right at the canal and a walk straight ahead about 500 yards to the Potomac. While you can walk the bank to the downstream side a bit of a distance I would suggest you can cover more bank moving upstream. That's the direction you'll want to head to get close to the warm water coming from the cooling facilities of the power plant. Perhaps the sluice which returns this heated water to the river is 1,000 yards upstream. You'll know your getting close by the whine of the turbines and the increasing amount of steam vapor rising off the river into the cool air. I can't say I have ever run into a 'crowd' of fisher folk and you shouldn't have too much trouble finding several spots to try out.

A few pointers: Plenty of mud so leave a set of spare shoes in the truck and pack the muddy ones up in an old plastic bag when you return to leave. Take along a variety of live baits if possible; worms, minnows or shiners. Catfish will enjoy pork or chicken liver which I bundle into small pieces of my wife's old hose (stockings) before putting to hook. Small to large curlytail soft plastic grub baits will get you some bass and sunnys if you want to try artificials. As you suspect the larger baits will draw the larger fish, and the smaller baits will get many more of the small fish. A last bit of warning: The water is swift and you must take great care at this location. Don't go thinking you can wade in the warm water even just a small bit from the bank. If the weather suns up a bit this weekend you might just find me and my friend there. I've got the itch again and a few days left on my fishing license. Best of luck to you and your Dad.