Weekly Fishing Report

By Charlie Taylor For the News & Messenger
Published: August 7, 2008

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Catfishing is excellent in the deeper holes throughout

the city. Clam snouts, cut bait, cut crab and bait shrimp are all working

well. Bass anglers are taking 2-5 pound fish from man-made cover throughout

the city. Blue Plains outfall is giving up lots of good bass for anglers

fishing plastic worms around the city dock and associated vegetation.

Washington Channel is giving up some good fish to anglers fishing the

vegetation along the War College Wall.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Main river grass beds, where

available, are holding good numbers of largemouth bass, particularly those

near deeper water. Flood tides are producing hits on topwater baits, such as

buzzbaits, Pop-R’s, Bang-O-Lures, Bass Assassins and flyrod poppers. Ebb tides

are producing hits on spinnerbaits and plastic lures, fished on the outside

edges of the grassbeds. Above Mattawoman Creek, isolated wood structure and

cover are holding most of the bass. Plastic baits and jig ‘n pig are the top

choice in these areas. Trophy catfish action is centered around High Point at

Occoquan Bay. Cut crab is the better choice of bait. Fish the dropoff from

shallow flats into the deeper channel. Use heavy tackle and line, as there are

real bruisers available. Perch action is excellent on almost anything thrown

into the water.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - Bass action is centered on submerged wood, main river points

and boat docks. Best success is being had with crankbaits and plastic lures.

The last two hours of the ebb tide and the first hour of the flood tide are

producing best. When schools of baitfish are seen, switch to a small white or

silver spinner to imitate them. Good bass are frequently holding under the

baitfish. At the mouth of the river, bass are being caught in numbers out of

the grass beds on the north side while catfish action is hot around the

islands.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Bass are being caught by anglers fishing main lake points

and rock walls with crankbaits and plastic worms. Best time is early and late

in the day. Catfish action is good, with cut eel being the better bait.

BURKE LAKE - Bass are taking plastic worms, fished in the weedbeds early and

late in the day. After the sun comes up, switch to fishing the dropoff on the

outside edge of the weedbeds. Crappie and catfish are available from the

fishing pier. Muskie action is slow. Panfish action is good for anglers

fishing red wigglers, nightcrawlers and live crickets.

FARM PONDS - Lots of fish are being taken on topwater lures early and late in

the day, while full sun calls for plastic worms in deeper water. Sunfish are

taking flyrod poppers, nightcrawlers and Beetlespins. Catfish are taking live

minnows, chicken livers or nightcrawlers.

POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Smallmouth bass action is poor to fair. Anglers

fishing banks early and late in the day, and the river channel during the

afternoon, are catching some good fish. Better lures are small topwater baits,

flyrod poppers and small crankbaits along the banks, and small topwaters,

plastic grubs and small spinners in the river channel. Sunfish action is good,

with fish to 3/4 pound being taken downriver of the shoreline weedbeds.

Catfish and carp are aggressive, with catfish taking cut bait, live minnows

and clam snouts, while carp are suckers for cut corn and doughballs.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Tidal stretches are producing some excellent largemouth

bass action on crankbaits and plastic worms, fished in the blowdowns along the

southern shoreline, and spinnerbaits, fished in the feeder creek mouths. Green

Bay anglers are taking limits of bass on crankbaits, jig ‘n pig and plastic

worms. Catfish, to 40 pounds, are still biting well in the outside bends of

the river channel, on cut bait, live white perch and crab.

SHENANDOAH RIVER - Smallmouth bass action is good to very good. Hellgrammites,

live minnows, small topwaters, crankbaits, spinners and plastic lures are

taking good numbers of smallmouth, with some to four pounds. Catfish anglers

are catching good numbers of fish to 10 pounds, while sunfish are cooperating

nicely on small Beetlespins, spinners, tiny crankbaits and flyrod poppers.

MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Lots of fish being caught in both rivers, with the

upper reaches producing bluegill, bass, catfish and crappie, while the lower

areas are giving up spot, croaker, white perch and catfish. Stripers are thick

throughout both rivers.

LAKE ANNA - Bass are being taken on shallow water points, early and late in

the day. When the sun is up, fish deep dropoffs and points with plastic worms,

crankbaits and live bait. Stripers are being caught at the Splits, Contrary

Creek mouth and Rose Valley, on live minnows or jigged Hopkins spoons, in 27-

30 feet of water. Topwater baits are also working well around Jetts Island.

Crappie are hanging around bridge pilings and other deep structure, taking

live minnows, small Beetlespins and jigging spoons.

JAMES RIVER - Above the city, smallmouth bass are biting well on small

topwater baits, crankbaits, spinners and plastic grubs. In the tidal sections,

bass are taking plastics, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Lily pad fields, creek

mouths and standing cypress trees are the best pattern below Hopewell, with

better action on the outgoing tides. Bass action just below Richmond is

centered on the wood wing dams along the river channel. Big blue catfish are

available in the outside bends of the river channel on cut bait. Gar are still

active, taking live minnows.

LAKE CHESDIN - Lots of small bass being taken from the lily pads and around

weedbeds, despite the boat traffic. Topwater baits, fished early and late in

the day, are accounting for most of the fish. During the late morning and

afternoons, plastic worms and spinnerbaits are sometimes successful. Catfish

anglers are having some success. Crappie catches are picking up.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Most of the bass are being taken upriver from Diascund

Creek. Lots of bass being caught by anglers using buzzbaits, small crankbaits

and plastic worms in lily pad fields and around cypress trees. Creek mouths

are producing good numbers on plastic grubs, fished on moving tides. Catfish

action is excellent on cut bait and crab. Yellow perch and bluegills are also

aggressive, taking Beetlespins, live bait and flyrod poppers.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Bass and catfish action is excellent. Anglers should fish

early and late in the day with plastic worms, topwater lures and flyrod

poppers. Most of the fish are oriented to grassbed edges.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - Lots of fish are being caught. Bass are running 2-8

pounds, taking red plastic worms and topwater baits. Bluegills, yellow perch

and shellcrackers are taking red wigglers, crickets and nightcrawlers. Catfish

and pickerel are mixed in the catches.

BACK BAY - Some bass and white perch action. The bass are running 1-3 pounds

and are taking spoons and plastic worms. White perch are taking grass shrimp,

nightcrawlers and small minnows, while successful catfishermen are using

peeler crab and bait shrimp. Anglers in the creeks are catching bass, perch,

bream, catfish and a few small stripers.

SUFFOLK LAKES - Panfish action is fair to good in all the lakes, while bass

fishing is fair to good. Best fishing is early in the morning. Bass, 3-5

pounds, are being taken in all the lakes, but they are few in number. Lots of

crappie are being caught near the aerators in Western Branch and Prince.

LAKE GASTON - Lots of small bass, with a few larger fish mixed in. Action

centers on main lake points and boat docks. Topwaters, fished early and late

in the day, and crankbaits and plastic worms, fished during the other times,

are producing the bass. Carolina rigged worms are producing well around bridge

pilings, where there is moving water, and off deep points. A few stripers are

being taken, but most are coming by accident, while fishing for bass. Some

catfish are being caught around boat docks. White perch are taking small jigs,

rigged on the rear hookholder of Pop R’s, on the points.

BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Stripers are taking trolled Cordell Redfins from buoy 4-7

in the main lake and from the mouth of Nutbush to buoys G & H in the creek.

The stripers are skittish due to heavy boat traffic. Best catches are coming

at dawn and dusk. Bass are located in 20+ feet of water, with anglers catching

the fish on Carolina-rigged lizards and deep diving crankbaits. Crappie action

is good around bridge abutments, 16-18 feet down. Catfish are biting well,

particularly from Buffalo Creek to the junction of the two rivers. White bass

are taking Tiny Traps and Doll Flies from Bluestone to Buffalo Creeks.

BRIERY CREEK & SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - Lots of bluegill and small bass being

caught, along with catfish at night. Some bass in the 4-6 pound class are

being caught on dark colored plastic worms in 16-20 feet of water. Crickets

and nightcrawlers are working well for bluegill.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Largemouth bass fishing is good on the upper end of the

Roanoke River with four inch, wine colored plastic worms working best. The

bass are showing in 15-20 feet of water. Early in the day, Pop-R and Baby

Torpedos are also recommended. Big stripers are taken trolling at 20-35 feet

with Hellbenders, Big Mac, Little Mac and Mann’s Stretch 25. Tying a bucktail

2-3 feet behind the lure increases the catches. Live shad are also taking

stripers around the island at the dam, the mouth of Becky’s Creek and off the

State Park.

LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - Bass anglers are taking limits of bass on buzzbaits, and

jigs tipped with pumpkinseed crayfish. White bass action is great on

crankbaits, and bream are taking small topwater lures. Walleye anglers are

catching fish on deep-diving crankbaits, while carp dough and cut corn are

luring carp. Flathead catfish, to 25 pounds, are being caught in the Staunton

River. Some stripers are being taken on live shad and trolling.

LAKE MOOMAW - Trout action is slow. Only a few are caught trolling very early

in the morning. Catfish anglers are coming in with stringers of 5-10 pound

fish, being caught late evenings and under the lights. Bass action is fair to

good, with lots of limits being taken on plastic worms and crankbaits.

PHILPOTT LAKE - Most fishing is done at night. Good fishing for crappie and

catfish. Small minnows and jigs are taking the crappie, while nightcrawlers

and stinkbaits are more successful for the catfish. Largemouth bass are taking

topwater baits and plastic worms. Before 10 a.m., bass are found under the

schools of breaking shad. Rat-L-Traps are taking some nice fish. A few walleye

are showing in the catches.

NEW RIVER - Many smallmouth bass are being caught on topwater lures, although

plastic crayfish imitations, grubs and small jigs are also producing well.

Some nice catfish are being caught.

SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Some walleye are being taken on Carolina rigs and

catfish are taking chicken livers and shrimp in 25 feet of water. Bass action

is at a standstill and some white bass are taking Pop-Rs. Crappie anglers are

having a hard time finding the schools, but clean up when the fish are found.

CLAYTOR LAKE - Anglers are taking stripers, 10-13 pounds, and white bass on

alewives. Corn is taking some huge carp in the lake. Catfish have really

turned on, with catches of 35 or more pounds coming in. Bass are taking

topwater baits early and late, and plastic worms during the day.

TROUT STREAMS - Most of the streams throughout the state are in poor

condition, with water levels very low. Small headwater streams in the National

Parks and Forests are producing good action with small caddis flies and

terrestrials, while the larger streams are producing well on small spoons,

spinners and nymphs. Some of the better streams: Spring Run, Jackson River,

Big Wilson Creek, the lower portions of both the Robinson River and the Rose

River, Smith River, Goose Creek and Little River.

S A L T W A T E R

CHINCOTEAGUE - A mixture of croaker, sea bass, sea mullet, flounder, grey

trout and blowfish are being caught inside the inlet. Assateague Island surf

anglers are taking a mix of spot, croaker, sand shark and skate. Offshore,

tuna and dolphin provide steady action. Mixed in the catches are white marlin,

wahoo and false albacore.

WACHAPREAGUE - Good catches of croaker, along with some flounder, spot and

triggerfish, are made drifting the mouth of the inlet. Offshore, white marlin

and wahoo are being caught at Washington and Norfolk Canyons, where fair

numbers of yellowfin tuna are also encountered. Large bluefin tuna and dolphin

are thick at the 20 Fathom Fingers and over the 26 Mile Hill. Schools of

Spanish mackerel are scattered outside the mouth of the inlet.

ONANCOCK - Good bottom fishing in Pocomoke and Tangier Sounds and off Hacks

Rock for spot, croaker and flounder. Spot prefer bloodworms, while the croaker

prefer squid. Best catches are made on moving tides. Mixed in the catches are

pan trout, sea bass, sea robin, blowfish and sea mullet.

QUINBY - Some spot, trout, mullet and a few flounder are being caught near the

inlet mouth. The Rebel Island/Eggen Marsh areas remain best bets for all

species. Croaker are thinning out.

CAPE CHARLES - Excellent croaker fishing off Cape Charles, with a few spot

mixed in the catches. Large flounder, 6-9 pounds, were caught at will this

past week. Cobia and red drum are ranging from C-10 to Latimer Shoals. Croaker

to two pounds are taken at the Cape Charles Artificial Reef and the Cell.

Speckled trout are scarce in the bayside creeks. Offshore, scattered catches

of yellowfin are made from 30 fathoms and out to the Norfolk Canyon. Trollers

are also finding a mixture of dolphin, false albacore and jacks.

LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Fat croaker and spot are biting at the Small Boat

Channel of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Spanish mackerel are available

from the Little Creek Jetty to Cape Henry, but have moved into deeper water.

Flounder are available at the High Level Bridge. Bottom fishermen are finding

a mixture of croaker, spot and flounder inside Lynnhaven inlet. Amberjack are

plentiful at the Tower Reef and at the Southern Tower, where a few king

mackerel and large Spanish mackerel are also being caught. Cobia are being

taken by casting blind to the buoys with live bait from a distance. Wireline

trolling around the Fourth Island produced flounder to five pounds, grey trout

to six pounds and sea bass to one pound. Good catches of croaker and spot are

made along the channel at the mouth of Back River, along with a few flounder.

Cobia are still taking baits at Bluefish Rock. At the mouth of the York River,

spot, croaker and pan trout are being caught at the “old” buoy 21 and at the

#5 green daymarker. Taylor blues are being caught along the CBBT rock islands

on surface poppers, early and late in the day. Larger croaker are being caught

above the Gloucester Bridge on the York River.

MIDDLE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Bottom fishermen are doing well at Blackberry

Hang and the N2 Buoy, but flounder action has slowed. Fair numbers of flounder

are caught at the mouth of the Little Wicomico, while large croaker are found

north of Smith Island and at the Cell. Squid is the preferred bait. Plenty of

taylor bluefish are available around the mouth of the Potomac River and along

both edges of the shipping channel. White perch, croaker and a few spot are

being caught at Bowler’s Rock. Weakfish, to 22 inches, are taken on jigged

Stingsilvers at Blackberry Hang, while 2-4 pound speckled trout continue to

bite over the grass beds around the mouth of the Rappahannock river.

UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Most of the action in the upper Bay is centered on

bottom fishing for spot, croaker, flounder and sea trout, primarily at the

mouth of the Choptank River. Trollers are taking 1-2 pound bluefish and

Spanish mackerel, 2-4 pounds.

OCEAN CITY - A few flounder are being caught in the Thorofare on minnows. In

the inlet, bluefish are being taken early and late in the day. Weakfish are

along the South jetty, taking squid and crab baits. A few bluefish, to three

pounds, are being taken on cut mullet and spot in the surf, while headboats

are catching grey trout and croakers. Plenty of yellowfin tuna, 25-50 pounds,

are available near the Jack Spot, approximately 25 miles south of Ocean City.

Chunked butterfish are the ticket for bait. Billfish action is excellent in

the Canyons.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Excellent action on bluefin and yellowfin tuna, and blue and

white marlin. Good numbers of amberjack are found over most of the inshore

wrecks and trollers are taking dolphin and large bluefish. Headboats are

dividing time between wreck fishing for sea bass, and bottom fishing around

the mouth of the bay for spot and croaker.

PIERS -

LYNNHAVEN - Spot, bluefish and sea trout make up the bulk of the catches.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Buckets of spot, a few croaker and sea mullet are the

catches.

SANDBRIDGE - Fair catches of spot, croaker, pan trout, flounder and sea

mullet. Casters are taking a few taylor blues and Spanish mackerel from the

pier end.

OUTER BANKS, N.C. - Surf anglers are reporting a mix of spot, croaker, sea

mullet, a few taylor blues and the occasional pompano. Pier fishermen in the

Nags Head area are catching the same mixture, plus fair numbers of Spanish

mackerel. Action is fair on king mackerel and cobia, using live bait, from the

ends of the piers. In the Sound, speckled trout activity is improving, but the

fish remain scattered. Decent catches have been reported in the vicinity of

Duck Island, the Manns Harbor Bridge, Oregon Inlet and the Little Bridge to

Manteo, with best results in the early morning. Pompano staged a good showing

last week on Hatteras Island, but the fish are not abundant. Inshore boats are

taking Spanish mackerel and taylor blues. The inshore towers remain loaded

with amberjack, along with a few barracuda and king mackerel. Offshore,

yellowfin tuna provides fair action, along with a great billfish run, NE of

the inlet, in the vicinity of Triple O’s. Dolphin remain plentiful, with many

being taken within three miles of the inlet.