Fishing report

OVERVIEW—Anglers should be aware that it is much colder on the water tha

the temperature would indicate. Please dress for the weather. Many layer

of warm clothing with a windbreaking outer shell is best. Also remember to

leave a float plan….where you are going, when you expect to get back and

take along a working cell phone.

POTOMAC RIVER—D.C.—Fish may be caught throughout the city. Bass will take small grubs, plastic worms, jig 'n pig, jigging spoons and small

crankbaits. Most are holding on banks where the bottom drops from very shallow to 10-15 feet. Work small crankbaits across the shallow areas, then probe the deeper water with grubs or worms. Bass should be caught on the dropoff along the War College Wall in Washington Channel. Rattle-chambered crankbaits retrieved slowly along the weedbed edge, and jig 'n pig or plastic grubs fished

on the dropoff, will produce bass in the 2-5 pound class. Crappie are schooled up around the boat docks along the seafood restaurant wall in Washington Channel, and under the municipal dock at Blue Plains. These fish will take small minnows, Berkley Power Grubs, and tiny jigs. The outflow from Blue Plains is also attracting lots of bass intent on eating the gizzard shad that are almost always present there. Crank-baits, spoons and small plastic worms are taking these fish. Shad and carp are being snagged on the crank-baits or

caught on Silver Buddies in 1/4 oz. size. Channel catfish are taking cut bait, nightcrawlers and chicken livers under the Woodrow Wilson bridge and around the outlet from the Alexandria Power Plant. The warm water discharge from the Pentagon, dumping into the pond at Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, is hold-ing nice bass on the outgoing tide, while crappie are holding there on incoming tides. Small, shallow draft boats are necessary, as the water is very shallow adjacent to the parking lot, off George Washington Memo-rial Parkway.

Action is slow around Fletchers Boat House, but large stringers of crappie have been taken from the Cove by patient anglers. Small minnows and very tiny jigs are doing the trick. Smallmouth bass should take live minnows and crayfish along the Virginia Shoreline above Key Bridge, and small crayfish colored crank-baits in the channel behind Roosevelt Island. Yellow Perch will also take crankbaits in the same chan-nel.

POTOMAC RIVER—BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE—Nice stringers of bass are being

taken from the lower creeks off the river. Most of these fish are being take

from channel dropoffs on plastic grubs, worms and live minnows. Small crankbaits worked across the shallows are also taking fish, but consistency is not there. Some of the better areas are Mattawoman Creek, Aquia Creek, Nanjemoy Creek, and the mouth of Little Hunting Creek. Main river points are

also holding good fish. These points should be fished by casting across them with plastic worms and jig 'n pig. Retrieve should be very slow across the point. When the bait comes across the point, let it fall, keeping a taut line and watching the line. Most of the hits will come on the fall, so when the

line moves the slightest bit, set the hook. The islands off the mouth of Nanjemoy Creek are loaded with largemouth and stripers. The bass are located on the bottom and inclines next to the islands, while the stripers are suspended over deep water. Fish for these trophy fish with bucktails, cast

toward the shore and allowed to bounce down the incline into the deeper water. Do not hesitate to fish the baits all the way to the bottom. Some good fish are coming from 30-50 feet of water.

OCCOQUAN RIVER—Big crappie and yellow perch should be taken by anglers fishing live minnows around boat docks and submerged structure. Some of the crappie exceed one pound, but most are in the 3/4 pound class. Plenty of yellow perch are located on the bottom, adjacent to dropoffs. Live minnows are the best choice for these, with tiny jigs and grubs an acceptable second choice. Bass are located on the dropoffs adjacent to vertical structure. The wood pilings and the rock walls are the best cover in the river and most always hold fish. Fish for them with small grubs, plastic worms and small crankbaits. One of the more successful anglers uses 1/8 oz. jig heads, tipped with jumbo minnows. His catches usually include bass to six pounds. Work the baits from shallow water into deeper water. Watch the line very carefully, as the hits will be very soft and normally will not be felt. Should the bait feel heavy, or the line move at all, set the hook. Some of the larger fish initially feel very small. If they are not moved away from cover immediately, you stand a good chance of losing them.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR—Bass are holding in the deeper water off the sides of main lake points. They are moving up to feed on the baitfish that remain suspended above the points. Crappie are schooled up tight and are located adjacent to heavy brush, submerged timber, and suspended over creek channels and points. Minnows and tiny jigs are taking them. Try the area off the rip- rap, downlake from Sandy Run. There are 20 foot high trees submerged in the main channel off this bank and they normally hold bass and crappie during this season of the year. A jigging spoon works wonders at times.

BURKE LAKE—Bass fishing is very slow at present. Live bait is the bait of choice here for panfish and the few bass that are being caught. Brushpiles in deeper water are holding the fish.

FARM PONDS AND SMALL LOCAL LAKES—Most of the public boat launch areas are closed for the winter, but good fishing may still be found in the local farm ponds and small lakes in the area. Take a large bucket of minnows and a handful of plastic grubs and head for the pond. These baits, fished in the deeper water of the pond, or along the dam, will produce good bass, some crappie and bluegill, until the ponds freeze. The ponds should not freeze solid for another 2-3 weeks, so good fishing is available. Those anglers who are able to get hold of crayfish should try free-lining these in the creek channel or along the dam. There are often much larger bass in farm ponds than anyone would ever guess.

POTOMAC RIVER—UPPER—Try fishing the outflow canal from Dickerson Power Plant. Smallmouth bass and large channel catfish are active in the current. Plastic grubs on weedless jig heads, allowed to bump the bottom in the current

of the canal, will take the smallmouth bass, while nightcrawlers, live minnows or waterdogs are effective for the channel catfish. The feeder creeks off the main river are holding schools of crappie. These fish are to be found on the deeper banks, holding in submerged brush. Small minnows or crappie jigs are the ticket to filling coolers with these tasty fish. Largemouth bass are taking small crankbaits, plastic worms and live minnows in the feeder creeks. Fish the deeper bank of the creek, casting toward the bank and retrieving down the dropoff. Trolling the channel with the current will also produce good stringers of bass. Most of the bass are running 1-3 pounds, but an occasional trophy bass will also be taken.

POTOMAC RIVER—GREAT FALLS—Good smallmouth bass should be caught, along with a few wall-eye, between Great Falls and Chain Bridge. Live minnows and crayfish are the top bait choices, while jig 'n pig in small sizes, fished very slowly, will also take the fish.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER—Good crappie fishing is to be had just below the city, in the brush along the banks. Small minnows and tiny jigs are the ticket. Bass anglers are catching an occasional largemouth, but patience is required. Best baits appear to be tiny crankbaits, in shad or chartreuse colors, fished along the shallow banks, around wood cover. Catfish anglers are still doing fairly

well on cut shad and bream, in the deeper channels.

SHENANDOAH RIVER—Smallmouth and largemouth bass are cooperative on jig 'n pig, live minnows, crankbaits and plastic grubs. Some sunfish are available for flyrodders and anglers using small spinners, nightcrawlers and small plastic grubs.

LAKE ANNA—Stripers, bass, crappie and perch are taking baits throughout the lake. Stripers are schooled tight and working the baitfish schools. Follow the birds, is the current advice. When you see the birds diving on the water, a school of stripers is probably working through a school of shad. Approach the school quietly and cast across the school, working the bait slowly through the school. Best areas are from the 208 Bridge up to Jetts Island, Contrary Creek, Pigeon Creek and the Stubbs Bridge area. Best baits are buck-tails, four inch Sassy Shads and white grubs. Should no birds be seen working, head for the Jetts Island area and blind cast across the river channel. Lots of good

stripers are taken here. Stripers are also being caught on live shad around the dikes and on top water baits early and late in the day. During the middle part of the day, trolling is producing good numbers of stripers in the 8-12 pound class. Crappie are found around beaver lodges, bridge pilings and brush piles. Small minnows seem to be the best bait, but some crappie fishermen get upset using minnows because bass will not leave them alone. Tiny crappie jigs will take the tasty little fish as well. Bass are taking minnows, shad-colored crankbaits, plastic grubs and worms and jig 'n pig. Work these baits slowly across the main lake points. Bass will take the baits at all depths, but the larger fish are generally found in 8-14 feet of water.