On Feb. 2 and March 14 Motts Run in Spotsylvania will host the annual Weekend Bassers’ Ice Breaker Tournament. Given the recent weather, the tournament name may actually prove to be true. And that is not a big stretch either. One recent year there was snow and ice at the reservoir. However, the fishing was good. One of the main organizers, club member Dickie Musselman, and his partner tallied up five bass that went over 28 pounds! That is a HUGE stringer. The cold weather fishing at Motts can be incredible and has proved to be that most years.
I spoke to Don Minor who runs the reservoir and the fishing/boating operation. Minor relayed that last year a lot of big northern pike were brought in. One fish that was weighed in was a large northern that tipped the scales at 10 pounds. Many citation bass have been hauled from Motts during the two tournament days.

The two tournaments are put on by the Weekend Bassers’ Club. The club holds the tournaments to raise money for the Kids’ Fishing Derby held in June each year. The derby costs in the neighborhood of $4,000 to host. Kids fish for free and are fed too. A few hundred kids show up each year for a fun filled day of fishing, boating and games around the reservoir. I have dropped by several times over the years and have found the event to be busy but well run. This year I hope to make it to both the tournaments and the Kids’ Fishing Derby if possible. If you or your company would like to help sponsor or help out, you can call the guys at the end of the article to get details.
Minor reminded me that the reservoir is not just open for tournament anglers either. If an angler simply wants to come out and try some late winter fishing when the larger fish are biting then they certainly can come out. After nearly four months of not having any boats on the water, the fishing ought to be good. Season fishing passes or day passes are available as are boat rentals and canoes. The tournament starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.. There is a 70 percent payback with 30 percent going to the Kids’ Fishing Derby. There is a trophy for first place and the big fish too. The entry fee is $35 per boat and $5 goes toward the big fish pot.
Remember that you don’t have to fish the tournament. This is a unique opportunity to fish the reservoir before it officially opens for the season while it is cool. For more info call Ray Thomas at 898-7542, Dickie Musselman at 785-8087, or Steve Tinsley at 752-5716.