Weekly fishing report

From staff reports
Published: April 17, 2008

Potomac River Tide Information           Twilight
      High Point, Occoquan River               Hours
  Day     Date   High   Low   High   Low     A.M.  P.M.
—————————————————————————————————-
Wednesday   4/16   0452   1132   1714   2355   0602   2014
Thursday   4/17   0540   1227   1803   - - -  0600   2015
Friday     4/18   0624   1316   1848   0038   0559   2016
Saturday   4/19   0704   1400   1931   0116   0558   2017
Sunday     4/20   0741   1441   2012   0151   0556   2018
Monday     4/21   0815   1519   2052   0222   0555   2020
Tuesday   4/22   0847   1556   2132   0252   0553   2021
Wednesday   4/23   0918   1632   2213   0324   0552   2022
Thursday   4/24   0951   1708   2254   0401   0550   2023
Friday     4/25   1027   1747   2338   0442   0549   2024
Saturday   4/26   1109   1829   - - -  0528   0548   2025
Sunday     4/27   1159   1914   0026   0618   0546   2026
         
POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Bass fishing picked up in the city last week, before the big slug of cold, muddy water moved down the river. Since this slug is moving out and the temperatures are coming back up this weekend, look for the same conditions this weekend. The fish should be roaming around structure and
vegetation in shallow water. Plastic worms, rattling crankbaits and spinnerbaits are the better choice for baits. Crappie fishing has picked up. Fletcher’s Boathouse area is producing good numbers of fish, when Spring rains allow boating. Species caught are white perch, catfish, hickory and American shad, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and lots of striped bass. The perch are
taking bloodworms and nightcrawlers, shad and herring on shad darts, catfish and stripers on cut herring and bass on rattling crankbaits. The shad run is the best in many years, with everyone catching Hickory shad and a few American shad as well.
POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Fishing should be good in this area this weekend as the temperatures increase and the water falls and clears. Bass in this area will be cruising the emerging lily pads, hydrilla and milfoil beds. Main river milfoil beds have been producing well, as have
gravel and sandy banks with 3-4 feet of water on them. Crankbaits produce better on high tides, while plastic baits are the better choice for outgoing tides. Crappie action is red hot, with fish being taken in shallow water and around submerged brushpiles on live minnows and tiny jigs. Catfish action has picked up, with fish to 15 pounds being taken on cut bait. Chumming with corn kernels is producing good sized carp for those who enjoy sportfishing. Bowhunting for carp is also very productive.
POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW ROUTE 301 BRIDGE - Anglers braving the wind are catching stripers around the Route 301 bridge, mid channel markers, at the mouth of Monroe Bay, and as far down as the mouth of Nomini Creek. Trolling parachute
rigs and Mojos are producing the best catches, but casters are catching their share as well.
OCCOQUAN RIVER - Bass action should be fair to good o firetiger crankbaits and plastic worms. The fish are located throughout the river, from the mouth to the rocks in the back end. Crappie action is best on minnows and tiny jigs around dock pilings. Catfish are hot in the mouth of the river, around the islands. Cut herring is the bait of choice.
OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Bass action is excellent for those anglers who fish a prespawn pattern. Water temperature ranges from 55-59. Lots of large bass have been caught, primarily on spinnerbaits in shallow water. Anglers are catching good sized bass from the pier. Crappie success is slow. Catfish action is improving. 
BURKE LAKE - Bass action is good. Better action is to be had on buzzbaits, plastic worms, Rat-L-Traps and jig ‘n pig. Fish the outside edges of the weedbeds throughout the lake. With the water level up and clearing, anglers should be catching bass on jerk baits around the brush and on plastics fished deep in the brush. Crappie action is fair. Some of the crappie being caught
are the largest seen in years. Catfish are being taken on cut bait, but patience is required.
LAKE BRITTLE - Lots of bullhead catfish and a few bass, 2-5 pounds. An occasional walleye and some crappie are also being caught off the dam or the fishing pier.
FARM PONDS - Lots of action in these small bodies of water. Bass are taking crankbaits, topwater lures, plastic baits and live bait. Best action is centered in the deeper water in front of the dams. Bluegill action is excellent, on the edges of vegetation and along the shallow banks. Better baits are nightcrawlers, Beetlespins and flyrod poppers.
POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - As the slug of cold, muddy water clears, fishing is picking up. Chartreuse crankbaits, plastic grubs and topwater lures should be taking large numbers of smallmouth bass. Catfish and carp should be heavily feeding on the bottom. Bluegills are taking small spinners, tiny Beetlespins
and topwater poppers, around the weedbeds.
RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Herring and shad fishing is excellent. The white perch run is slow this year, but they are coming on strong. Shad darts are taking shad and herring, while bloodworms and nightcrawlers are taking the white perch. Bass, catfish and stripers in the tidal sections are active. Big blue
catfish, to 40 pounds, are taking cut bait, fished on the bottom of the outside bends of the river channel. Stripers and bass are suckers for any shad colored crankbait or shad imitation plastic bait. Best action is along the Southern bank around any wood structure in the water. Above the city, smallmouth action is excellent on small crankbaits, small topwaters, four inch plastic worms and live minnows.
MOTTS RESERVOIR - Anglers are taking good numbers of large white perch and bluegills, along with some nice largemouth bass and trophy northern pike.
SHENANDOAH RIVER - The river is heavily stained, but dropping and clearing. Smallmouth bass should respond well to tiny crankbaits, plastic grubs, spinners and live bait. The key is to fish slow and thoroughly. It may take six casts to the same piece of cover, but the fish are there. Crappie action is good on small minnows, and sunfish are taking small spinners, nightcrawlers, plastic grubs, live crickets and minnows. Flyrodders should try
small poppers adjacent to the weedbeds throughout the river. Catfish, 4-15 pounds, are taking cut bait and nightcrawlers.
MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Lots of shad and herring are being caught, along with white and yellow perch, catfish and a few bass and crappie. Catfish are taking cut herring, perch are taking bloodworms, shad and herring are taking
shad darts and bass are taking rattling crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Stripers are also thick in the rivers.
LAKE ANNA - Big bass are taking crankbaits, spinnerbaits, plastic worms and topwater baits. Secondary points in the creeks are still producing a few good fish, with the best areas being from the Route 208 Bridge uplake. The fish are located in 1-3 feet of water, right on the banks. Crappie are biting well around shallow beaver lodges, submerged brush and boat docks on live minnows, tiny Hopkins spoons and jigs. Stripers are active around the splits and the mouth of Contrary Creek. Best time is dawn and dusk on bucktails and noisy topwater baits.
JAMES RIVER - Lots of smallmouth action, although the fish are generally small, except below Boshers Dam, where a good number in the three pound range have been caught. Small crankbaits, grubs and small buzzbaits are the preferred baits. In the city, anglers are catching smallmouth bass on nightcrawlers and minnows. Bream and catfish are also plentiful. White perch
have slowed. Tidal sections of the river are producing good bass in the gravel pits on crankbaits and live minnows. Crappie action is superb in the pits, while 25-55 pound blue catfish and stripers are taking cut herring.
LAKE CHESDIN - Crappie are biting well. Small minnows are the better choice for bait. Largemouth bass, many over six pounds, are taking plastic worms, buzzbaits and jig ‘n pig. Catfish action is excellent, with fish to 25 pounds being taken on cut bait.
CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Spinnerbaits, topwater baits and plastic worms are taking large numbers of bass from the edges of the lily pad fields and around cypress trees. Catfish and crappie are also plentiful. Flyrodders are taking large numbers of crappie from the base of cypress trees. Cut herring, shrimp and dip
baits are the choices of bait for catfish, to 35 pounds.
CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Anglers working Walker’s Dam are catching herring, crappie and catfish. The lake is yielding some nice bass and pickerel on live minnows, Slug-Go’s, plastic lizards and Power Frogs. Bowfin are also taking minnows, but the best action is for pickerel. Many anglers are taking 10-20 per day.
Flyrodders are filling creels with bream and crappie. Both species are also taking small grubs and Beetlespins.
LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - Excellent bass fishing, with most catches being made on grape and red shad plastic worms or Bomber Flat A crankbaits. Crappie fishing is excellent, with several over the 2 1/2 pound mark during the past
week. A number of yellow perch citations were also issued this past week.
BACK BAY - Lots of white perch and catfish, along with some of the best bass catches in years. The perch are taking minnows and nightcrawlers, while the catfish are taking nightcrawlers and chicken livers. The bass are taking spinnerbaits and topwater baits over grass beds. Action in the creeks is excellent with bass, crappie, white perch and channel catfish.
SUFFOLK LAKES - Largemouth bass action is excellent. Most of the bass were caught on plastic worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and live minnows. Shellcrackers are biting well. Best lakes for the big sunfish are Western Branch and Lake Prince. Some nice stripers are being caught in Lakes Meade, Prince and Western Branch on white bucktails and live jumbo minnows. Crappie
are biting well in all lakes on live minnows. Walleye are taking broken back Rebels in Lake Smith.
LAKE GASTON - Fishing is getting better, as water temperatures range from 60-65 in the coves and the low to mid 50s in the main lake. Bass may be taken on Shad Raps, spinnerbaits, plastic worms and Gitzits in pumpkinseed and electric
grape colors. Devil’s Horse topwaters are also producing some good fish. Head for the back ends of the creeks, where the water is very shallow and fish amid
the stumps. Crappie fishing is excellent around boat docks on small minnows and jigs. Live shad and bucktails are accounting for good striper catches. Below the Gaston Dam in Weldon, N.C., striper anglers are cleaning house. Catches of 20-25 in a day are not unusual.
BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Striper and white bass fishing is good below Kerr Dam.Bucktails and live shad are the best bait. With the lake level at 304, fishing bass fishing has picked up. Bass fishing is generally slow, but the water is falling and clearing and this dictates the success on any given day. Currently, the larger fish are generally on the windblown points. Fish the flooded willow bushes adjacent to the creek channel in the back end of the
creeks, when the sun is high. Flip a jig ‘n pig or crayfish imitating plastic into the middle of the bush. Early in the day, cast small spinnerbaits into the outside edges of the buckbrush, adjacent to creek channels. After the sun comes up, switch to jig ‘n pig, flipped into brush among sweet gum trees halfway into pockets in the backs of creeks. Main lake points are giving up some good fish on Carolina-rigged lizards. Crappie action is excellent on
medium minnows over submerged brushpiles and around bridge pilings. Two pounders are not uncommon.
BRIERY CREEK & SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - The parade of large bass is continuing at Briery Creek, with fish weighing from 5-7 pounds having been caught this past week. Most of the large bass were taken on plastic lizards. Nice bream are being taken from the lake, with crappie and catfish rounding out the
catches. Sandy River is also beginning to give up some nice bass, as fish in the 5-7 pound class were taken this past week, along with some nice bream and a few crappie.
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Good striper action, to 25 pounds, on Cordell Ripplin’ Redfins and live shad, in the lower end of the lake. Uplake, anglers are catching largemouth and smallmouth bass, and crappie. Main lake points are the preferred location for the bass, while crappie are located around submerged brush and bridge pilings.
LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - Good fishing, with anglers catching stripers, white bass and largemouth bass. Most stripers are being caught early in the morning on Cordell Redfins, bucktails and live shad. White bass and largemouth are taking bucktails, live shad and crankbaits. The Staunton River is giving up good sized walleye.
LAKE MOOMAW - Largemouth bass, to six pounds, are being caught on plastic worms and spinnerbaits, off points in 12-15 feet of water. Smallmouth bass are taking jig ‘n pig and grubs in the upper end of the lake. Crappie, to three pounds, are taking small minnows, in 10-12 feet of water, at night under a crappie light. Anglers, using live minnows between dawn and 9 a.m., are
catching some brown trout to nine pounds.
PHILPOTT LAKE - Both largemouth and smallmouth bass are feeding heavily, and crappie action is good in the upper end of the lake. Catfish anglers are bringing in nice stringers. Trout fishing in the Smith River is excellent.
SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Stripers and white bass are biting well on live alewives, rattling crankbaits and bucktails. Smallmouth bass and crappie anglers are reporting good success on live minnows, particularly around the bushes. Occasional nice catches of trout are reported. White bass are being
caught in the river.
CLAYTOR LAKE - Lots of action is reported, with musky, bass, walleye, crappie, striped bass, redeye bass and perch being caught. Stripers and white bass are being taken on alewives in Peak Creek. Crappies are biting well on minnows and tiny jigs. Largemouth bass fishing is fair with the fish in the pre-spawn pattern.
TROUT STREAMS - Most streams have excellent hatches of caddisflies and mayflies. Excellent fishing is available in the National Forest and Shenandoah National Park streams on dry flies and small nymphs. Larger streams in the valley are producing well on streamers, nymphs and small spinners. Passage
Creek (Shenandoah County) is producing many large rainbow trout. The Bullpasture River (Highland County) is very productive, using small caddis imitations. Back Creek (Frederick County) has good may fly hatches in the upper areas. The Robinson River (Madison County) is producing lots of rainbows on March Brown nymphs. The lower Rose River is still carrying good water levels and trout are hitting small spinners and medium size nymphs. Other good streams are Tinker Creek in Roanoke County, Tye River in Nelson County, Big Stony Creek in Giles County and Mill Creek in Augusta County.
S A L T W A T E R
CHINCOTEAGUE - Decent catches of flounder inside Tom’s Cove on shiners. Four Mouths and Queens Sound bridge areas are also giving up flounder to 5-6pounds. Bluefish have begun to show in the gill nets, along with shad and trout. Surf anglers are catching and releasing stripers to 47 inches. 
WACHAPREAGUE - Flounder anglers are catching limits of fish in Hummocks, Drawing and Green Channels and Seal Creek, on squid and minnow “sandwiches”. Excellent catches of tautog are coming from a wreck 40 miles from the inlet in 200 feet of water. Individual fish to over nine pounds have been caught. The
wreck was also covered with large bluefish. A few grey trout are being caught in gill nets, but none have shown on hook and line.
ONANCOCK - Lots of croaker were caught this past week, in the shallow feeder creeks. The phenomenal catches of speckled trout should continue through the weekend if the warm weather continues. We should also see the first consistent
red drum catches this weekend. Schools of taylor blues are reported by commercial fishermen on the western side of Tangier Island.
QUINBY - A few flounder are being caught just outside the harbor. The #5 buoy, on a flood tide, is a favorite location. Drifted squid/minnow combinations work best.
CAPE CHARLES - Consistent Tautog catches are coming from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, where fresh cut crab is the bait of choice. Decent catches of tog were also made in the protective shadow of the Cement Ships. Flounder are
being caught at the old C-10 buoy. Seaside, lots of large flounder are being taken from Ship Shoal Inlet.
LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Tautog, to nine pounds,  continue to be taken by bottom fishermen using cut crab around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel rock islands, but bluefish are conspicuous by their absence. Pan trout and taylor
blues are showing in the gill nets off Little Creek. Anglers can expect these species to begin hitting baited hooks next week if the warm weather materializes. A few stripers were caught trolling just off Cape Henry this past week. Gill netters are catching good numbers of croaker to three pounds, plus decent numbers of grey trout off Sandbridge. Grey trout have been caught on rod and reel in the warmwater discharge at the AMCO pier on the York River. Good numbers of trout are showing in local gill nets, but croaker are the only consistent action on the York River. The spring run of speckled trout is underway inside Mobjack Bay, with the best catches coming from the southern portion, near the mouth of the Severn River.
MIDDLE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Pound nets are showing flounder, croaker, medium trout and alewives, but they have yet to start biting. Flounder, 3-5 pounds, were taken in pound nets located at the mouth of the Little Wicomico River. Grey trout have also begun to show in the gill nets just outside Locklies
Creek, but the fish are not biting. Just below the Route 3 Bridge on the Rappahannock River, nice croaker are being taken from the oyster beds and inside the mouths of most of the creeks. Striped bass season begins in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake on April 21st. Limit is one fish, 28-35 inches or over 41 inches. The limit also applies to Virginia tributaries of the Potomac River. Other area Virginia seasons do not open until May 1st.
VIRGINIA BEACH - Headboats continue to find sea bass and tautog, with some ling cod and pollock mixed in the catches. Some speckled trout are still being caught inside Rudee Inlet by anglers casting rubber tailed jigs. A sprinkling of puppy drum and flounder also show. Boston mackerel have moved on, but the
large bluefish are beginning to move through the area.
OUTER BANKS, N.C. - Frisco anglers were catching a mixture of 10 pound bluefish, good sized croaker, sea mullet and taylor blues. Inshore boats fishing the Sound, are catching and releasing striped bass while those boats who move outside the inlet find chopper blues within 10 miles of the beach.
Offshore, yellowfin tuna fishing continues to be excellent with most of the charter fleet returning with limit catches of 25-50 pound class fish. Catches last week also included some dolphin and wahoo. The most consistent spot this past week was between the 400 Line and the Point.