Weekly fishing report

POTOMAC RIVER TIDES               TWILIGHT
  DAY       DATE   HIGH   LOW   HIGH   LOW   A.M.  P.M.
——————————————————————————————————
Wednesday     11/19   - - -  0612   1153   1825   0627   1720
Thursday     11/20   0014   0708   1258   1931   0628   1720
Friday       11/21   0124   0804   1400   2037   0629   1719
Saturday     11/22   0226   0858   1455   2140   0630   1719
Sunday       11/23   0322   0949   1546   2238   0631   1718
Monday       11/24   0413   1036   1632   2330   0632   1718
Tuesday       11/25   0500   1119   1715   - - -  0633   1717
Wednesday     11/26   0546   1158   1756   0018   0634   1717
Thursday     11/27   0629   1236   1834   0101   0635   1717
Friday       11/28   0711   1312   1909   0142   0636   1716
Saturday     11/29   0752   1348   1944   0219   0637   1716
Sunday       11/30   0832   1427   2018   0255   0638   1716
POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Bass are located in deeper water adjacent to structure. Dropoffs are the better choices, particularly when submerged wood cover exists. Small plastic grubs, jig ‘n pig and small crankbaits are the better choices for lures. Live bait is working well for those who are using it. Choose a bank that drops into 10-20 feet of water and fish the baits down the drop for best results. When using live bait, put one bait up on the shallow portion of the bank while fishing the deeper water with a second bait. This will enable you to catch the fish that come up into the shallows to feed. Crappie are schooled and biting well on live minnows in Washington Channel, around the boat docks and submerged pilings. The Spoils, Fletchers Cove and
Belle Haven Cove are other good locations for crappie. Catfish are available on cut and live bait throughout the river channel and at the outflow from the Alexandria Power Plant. Yellow perch are active around Roosevelt Island, taking small minnows, plastic grubs and horsehead jigs. At least one angler is catching keeper sized walleye above Fletcher’s Boathouse. Walleye are normally on the point at East Potomac Park this time of year.
POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE -Bass are holding in deeper water throughout the river. Main river and creek channel dropoffs with cover adjacent are the better choices. Jig ‘n pig, plastic grubs, and spinnerbaits tipped with pork frog, work best in the deeper water, while small crankbaits, retrieved very slowly, will take the fish in the shallows. Live bait is working better than artificials throughout the river system. Crappie are
biting well in some of the creeks, notably Aquia and Mattawoman. Small minnows are the ticket. Stripers are biting around the channel markers in the river, from Potomac Creek to Colonial Beach. The most successful baits are Sassy Shads, bucktails, 3/4 oz. Rat-L-Traps, trolled Manns 30+ lures and parachute rigs.
OCCOQUAN RIVER - Crankbaits, worked along the rock wall, are taking a few bass in this river. Most of the bass, however, are being caught in deeper water, on dropoffs. Better baits include live minnows, plastic worms and grubs, jig ‘n pig and Silver Buddies. Crankbaits that root the bottom in 15 feet or more of water will occasionally turn a good fish or two. The rock wall along the North shore, rocky points and submerged pilings are some of the better areas to fish. Crappie and bluegill are taking small minnows around the boat docks, where the occasional good bass will also hit. Catfish are being caught by crappie fishermen on minnows, but there are few anglers fishing for them.
OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Most anglers are doing quite well on this lake, as they fish large spinnerbaits, jig ‘n pig and live bait around the blowdowns on steeply dropping banks. Main lake points and rock walls are also giving up some good bass.
BURKE LAKE - Action is slow, but skilled anglers are taking a few bass and lots of panfish. Nightcrawlers and minnows are taking the panfish, while bass anglers are using live bait, plastic worms and grubs, and jig ‘n pig baits.
POTOMAC RIVER - GREAT FALLS - The normal influx of walleye are here. Lots of walleye are being caught by bank fishing regulars. Sizes range up to 6+ pounds. Better baits include twister tail grubs, redside minnows and small spinners and crankbaits.
POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Smallmouth action is slow and primarily limited to the deeper holes in the river. Fish jumbo minnows in the holes for the larger fish. Hair jigs with pork frogs attached will also tempt the fish, if they are fished very slowly in the deeper water. Crappie are being taken at the mouth of Goose Creek and Broad Run. The mouth of the Dickerson Power Plant discharge canal is producing some smallmouth bass and channel catfish on live minnows and plastic grubs. Occasional tiger muskies are mixed in the catches.
RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Live minnows are taking good numbers of smallmouth bass above the city. Tidal stretches are producing crappie action around downed brush. Live minnows and tiny jigs are the key. Bass action is slow, but some fish are being taken from the shoreline structure, particularly where the channel hugs the bank. Jig ‘n pig, plastic grubs and shad imitating crankbaits are the better choice of baits. Catfish, many of them large, are still taking strips of cut shad or herring, fished on the bottom, in outside bends of the main river channel.
MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Few anglers were out, but those who did fish are reporting yellow perch, crappie, a few pickerel and some catfish. Small stripers are also available on main river points, where the tide is running strong. Bucktails, Sassy Shads and large Rat-L-Traps are the most productive baits.
SHENANDOAH RIVER - Most anglers are hunting and no reports are available.
LAKE ANNA - Striper fishing is good at this time. The stripers are working the shad schools on top in the early morning and late evening, and marauding the schools in the depths during the day. Topwater plugs are taking good numbers of 8-10 pounders off the rocks at Dike #3 at daybreak. The roaming schools are also present from Stubbs Bridge to Terry’s Run. After the fish quit working the surface, Cordell Redfins and Sassy Shads are the better baits. Largemouth bass are being found at all depths and the better baits are jig ‘n pig, Hopkins Spoons and live minnows. Crappie fishing is good under the bridges, around brushpiles, under boat docks and suspended over creek channels. Tiny Hopkins spoons, tiny jigs and live minnows are the choice for baits.
BACK BAY - Good fishing for white perch, small bass and a few catfish in the creeks. Minnows and red wigglers have been the more successful baits. Striper fishing has been good on the seaside, along with some large bluefish.
SUFFOLK LAKES - Crappie, yellow perch and stripers, 7-10 pounds, are the fare at Western Branch. Lake Prince is reporting stripers and some citation yellow perch, along with a few crappie, pickerel and bass. Whitehurst and Smith are reporting small white perch, small bass, small catfish and a few walleye.
JAMES RIVER - Smallmouth bass are the talk on this body of water. Lots of big smallmouth are being taken in the city of Richmond. Mad toms, live minnows and crayfish are taking the fish. Below the city, lots of smallmouth, largemouth and crappie are being caught on minnows, fished along the dropoffs and brushpiles throughout the river. Catfishing is good to excellent, with the better action being on cut bait in the outside bends of the tidal river, particularly in the warm water around Dutch Gap Power Plant.
LAKE CHESDIN - Crappie fishing is excellent, with lots of good fish available. Bass fishing is running hot and cold. Best results are coming from small crankbaits, jig ‘n pig, live minnows and plastic grubs. Good numbers of stripers, to 14 pounds are also being caught.
CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Lots of anglers fishing the river are taking striped bass, catfish and crappie. Most of the bass are being caught on live minnows,
but some bass are being caught on small crankbaits in shallow water. Best luck seems to be at the mouths of the feeder creeks on the outgoing tides. Bottom fishing jumbo minnows in the main river channel is also producing good sized channel and blue catfish. Yellow perch are feeding heavily, with some citation perch being taken. Anglers fishing around the dam are taking nice coolers of crappie to 1 1/2 pounds and scattered catches of striped bass.
CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Chain pickerel are very active and taking jumbo minnows. Crappie are schooled up tight and may be caught on small minnows, while largemouth bass fishing is slow.
LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - The water level has come up 8 inches this past week and the marina has started Winter Hours: Weekends Only, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pickerel and bass are the prime catch here, with pickerel topping the list. Lots of pickerel are taking white spinnerbaits and live minnows, fished in the lily pad edges. A few large bass are also taken.
LAKE GASTON - Crappie are stacked around the boat docks and submerged brushpiles in 14-16 feet of water. Largemouth bass are hitting jig ‘n pig baits and slow-rolled spinnerbaits. Stripers are holding around the bridges, with the better action in Pea Hill Creek and at the mouth of Songbird and
Lizard Creeks. Trolled Redfins and Rebels are taking the fish. Stripers are also being caught below the dam.
BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Bass fishing is good throughout the lake, with the bass holding in pockets and coves, and bluff banks. Rat-L-Traps, ripped through the pockets and coves, are producing 2-5 pound largemouths. Stripers are being caught while trolling with bucktails and live shad around the Clarksville area.
BRIERY CREEK AND SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - Crappie and pickerel are the fare at Briery Creek, while anglers at Sandy River are finding bream, crappie, pickerel and catfish. Bass action is slow at both lakes.
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Lots of topwater action available as stripers and bass are busting schools of shad on top. The activity begins before daylight and continues at intervals throughout the day, with dawn and dusk being the more dependable times. Most of the stripers are in the 10-12 pound range, with bass to over five pounds also being caught. Stripers are also taking live shad, trolled slowly behind boats. A few large fish, up to 20 pounds, are also being caught but these are being caught by the locals who are fishing almost non-stop this time of year. Walleye and largemouth bass are taking live shad, fished on the bottom along the main lake points.
LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - No report available this week.
PHILPOTT LAKE -  Lots of bass, to six pounds, are being caught on live crayfish and live minnows. Crappie fishing is fair to excellent at Union Bridge and Twin Ridges. Trout fishing is good when the water flow through the generators is stopped. Anglers fishing the Smith River are reporting good
catches of nice sized trout.
CLAYTOR LAKE - Anglers are catching some smallmouth bass. Largemouth bass, to six pounds, are also showing in the creels. Stripers are running to 20 pounds. Live bait is the most successful bait.
SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Very little action, with only a few crappie and smallmouth being caught.
LAKE MOOMAW - The reports show that a few trout, crappie, yellow perch and bass being caught. Few anglers are out, as most have opted for hunting.
TROUT STREAMS - Good catches of trout for anglers using nymphs, streamers, and small spinners in the Tye River. The South Fork of the Holston River in Smyth County is also providing anglers with nice catches. Rainbow trout are hitting nymphs fished just under the surface at Silver Lake in Rockingham County. Another good spot for trout fishermen is the Tomahawk Pond in Shenandoah
County.
SALTWATER - The ocean run stripers have arrived in the Bay. There are currently large schools feeding around Windmill Point at the mouth of the Rappahannock, around buoy 59A. Trolling is the proper method and the fish are running 20-40+ pounds. Other typical late fall spots are producing fish in the 5-9 lb. class when the ebb tide is running hard.