Fishing Report

Potomac River Tide Information
      High Point, Occoquan River
Day     Date   High   Low High Low A.M. P.M.
Friday     10/16   0447   1129   1709   - - -  0653 1856
Saturday   10/17   0537   1215   1755   0006   0654   1855
Sunday     10/18   0624   1259   1839   0057   0655   1853
Monday     10/19   0710   1340   1921   0145   0656   1852
Tuesday   10/20   0755   1419   2003   0231   0657   1851
Wednesday   10/21   0841   1457   2045   0315   0658   1849
Thursday   10/22   0929   1535   2129   0358   0659   1848
Friday     10/23   1020   1617   2218   0441   0700   1847
Saturday   10/24   1116   1704   2314   0524   0701   1846
Sunday     10/25   1215   1755   - - -  0609   0702   1844

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Smallmouth bass action is excellent around Fletchers’ Boat House on live crayfish, tube baits and Yamamoto Senkos. From Chain Bridge to 14th Street Bridge, along the Virginia shoreline, crankbaits are taking most of the fish. Bridge pilings, wood cover and dropoffs are holding most of the largemouth throughout the city. Crankbaits, slow-rolled spinnerbaits, jig ‘n pig and plastic worms are the better choice of baits. Crappie are available throughout the river, orienting to submerged brush in 10-15 feet of water. Small minnows and tiny jigs are the preferred bait. Catfish action has slowed considerably, with little success reported. Stripers are available around Fletcher’s Boathouse, National Airport, 14th Street Bridge pilings and the National War College Wall.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Water temperature in the river has dropped to the high 50s and the fish are on the feed. Large shad schools are invading the mouths of the creeks and the bass are there waiting for them. Bass are thick in the grass beds at the mouths of the creeks. Frogs and poppers, fished over the grass, are taking numbers of fish, while the better fish are being caught on jigs and Senkos. Yellow and white perch, sunfish, catfish and snakeheads are all present in creek channels and are actively taking spinnerbaits, small crankbaits and topwater baits.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW ROUTE 301 - Stripers are marauding baitfish on the shoals below Monroe Bay and around the grassy islands and points throughout the lower Potomac River. Sassy Shads, Rat-L-Traps and topwater baits are producing well. Flyrodders are doing well with Lefty’s Deceivers and Clouser Minnows in red and white. Lower tributary creeks are off and on, with best action coming on swift running tides at sunrise and sunset. Fish bridge pilings, points and dropoffs with Rebel Fastrak Minnows, Rat-L-Traps,
bucktails, Storm swim baits and Sassy Shads.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - The grass bed at the mouth of the river is producing lots of bass for anglers using Zoom Horny Toads, buzzbaits and Pop Rs. Spinnerbaits on the outside edges will take stripers. Some bass are available around the wood pilings below the Route One Bridge. Crankbaiting or flippin’ small plastic worms will take these fish. Bass are also being taken on main river points, adjacent to dropoffs, along the rock wall and around wood blowdowns. Better choices of baits include small crankbaits, jig ‘n pig and plastic lures. Crappie are schooled around submerged brush and boat docks. Small minnows are the ticket. Small yellow perch are schooling on the flat below the Route One Bridge. Jigging small Silver Buddies in gold colors will take these fish.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Fishing is good. Largemouth bass to five pounds are being caught by anglers using jig ‘n pig and slow-rolled spinnerbaits in the upper reaches of the lake, particularly in the Bull Run arm. The fish are concentrated around blowdowns in 2-10 feet of water. Downlake, the fish are located on secondary points in 15-20 feet of water. Most successful anglers are using jig ‘n pig and plastic worms. Water temperatures are ranging around 68 degrees. Crappie fishing is fair with lots of small fish being taken from the fishing pier.

BURKE LAKE - Few reports of anglers on the lake. Those who are out report catching bass, crappie, walleye and yellow perch. Most of the fish are being taken on live minnows. Some bass are taking jig ‘n pig baits and plastic baits, fished on dropoffs in 8-12 feet of water.
POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Good smallmouth activity on small jigs, tiny crankbaits and slowly retrieved spinners, with the fish ranging from small to three pounds plus. Deeper pools are holding some of the larger fish. Some better areas are just below Point of Rocks, just above White’s Ferry and around Edward’s Ferry. Crappie are schooled, off and on, at the mouths of Goose Creek and Broad Run. Catfish action is very slow.

LAKE BRITTLE - Bass fishing has been good. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits are taking bass to 4.5 pounds. Bluegills are biting well, along with lots of catfish.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Above the city, smallmouth bass are taking live bait and tiny crankbaits in the deeper pools. Water levels are stable and leaves are abundant. In the tidal sections, crappie are schooled and biting well. Bass anglers are not as successful, as leaves on the water curtail fishing crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Plastic grubs and jig ‘n pig are taking a few fish. Better bass fishing is available below the Route 301 Bridge. Blue catfish, to 30 pounds, are biting on cut bait in the river channel. Stripers are in short supply at both the Port Royal and the Tappahannock Bridges.

MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Catfish and crappie are the main fare on the Mattaponi, although some smallmouth bass are taking Rat-L-Traps in extreme upper end of the river. Pamunkey anglers report catfish and white perch on
peeler crab baits at Lester Manor, bass to three pounds on Teeny Craws, plastic worms and spinnerbaits near Williams Landing, and catfish, white perch and some pickerel around the Route 360 Bridge. Stripers are spread throughout the river, from Aylett to below West Point, but no concentrations or good catches are reported.

SHENANDOAH RIVER - Water temperature is in the high 50’s. Excellent smallmouth bass fishing for those who can put up with the annoyance of floating leaves. Small crankbaits and plastic grubs are the hot baits and Bixler Ferry Bridge is the hot area.

LAKE ANNA - Downlake, bass are holding on main lake and secondary points in 4-12 feet of water, around boat docks and some bridges. Better baits are large crankbaits, jig ‘n pig and plastic worm and grubs. Uplake, bass anglers are taking fish from the willow grass beds on buzzbaits early and Zoom Super Flukes and small spinnerbaits after the sun comes up. Stripers are active, particularly at the Splits, Jetts Island, Stubbs Bridge, Dike Three and Rose Valley. Live shad, Sassy Shad, Cordell Redfins and Hopkins jigging spoons are the better choices of baits. Fishing is good for crappie, and walleye are cooperative, but they are holding in deeper water. Best bet for the novice is to fish live jumbo minnows on main lake points. Lots of big fish are being caught in this manner.

Charlie Taylor writes about fishing for News and Messenger. He may be reached at: