I fish the Potomac almost every week just below and all in between point of rocks and williamsport maryland for the past three years since I moved here. The shenandoah dumps rite in there at point of rocks and is hands down the best early season smallie hotspot on the potomac, even for early season top-water and I am talking upper 50's to 65 degrees. And needless to say only once did I have a bass with any imperfection and that was when a muskege took half and left me with the rest.
I have never noticed any skin legion on a smallie on the potomac or on the lowest end of the shenandoah. I think the problem is WV. They have NO nutrient management program for high yield agriculture. And chicken and cow sh*t is everywhere, and Until just recently in moorefield WV, they are getting their for municipal waste treatment plant.
It just pisses me to high hell that the media prints the same run around story since 2002 and it is still an issue.