Friday fishing report

Potomac River Tide Information Twilight

High Point, Occoquan River Hours

Day Date High Low High Low A.M. P.M.

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Wednesday 12/16 0634 1250 1841 0112 0650 1717

Thursday 12/17 0718 1330 1921 0153 0651 1718

Friday 12/18 0801 1409 2000 0230 0652 1718

Saturday 12/19 0842 1448 2038 0304 0652 1719

Sunday 12/20 0922 1528 2117 0336 0653 1719

Monday 12/21 1000 1609 2158 0408 0653 1720

Tuesday 12/22 1037 1654 2242 0440 0654 1720

Wednesday 12/23 1114 1741 2331 0516 0654 1721

Thursday 12/24 1156 1832 - - - 0556 0655 1721

Friday 12/25 1242 1930 0026 0639 0655 1722

Saturday 12/26 1334 2033 0125 0727 0655 1722

Sunday 12/27 1428 2140 0225 0819 0656 1723

OVERVIEW: Most gamefish are holding in deeper water during this season of the

year. Unless there is a warm water discharge in the vicinity, the fish will be

deep and very sluggish. They will not move far or fast to feed, and successful

anglers know that small baits, fished very slowly, are the better choices.

"Dead-sticking" is one of the better techniques at this time of year. This

involves casting a grub or jig 'n pig and allowing it to sink to the bottom.

Once it hits bottom, it should be allowed to sit with no motion for as long as

the angler can stand it. After the initial wait, move the bait very slightly

and let it sit again. Self control and patience are required, and the slower

the retrieve, the more successful the angler.

One trick that is practiced by veteran anglers is to cast a small, plastic

grub, saturated with fish attractant, into 15-20 feet of water and set the rod

down. Leave the bail open and use another rod to work a different lure. Keep

an eye on the spinning rod, as the line should start peeling off in 5-10

minutes.

This technique is not only used for bass, but for any gamefish located in the

area. Small baits, such as 1-3 inch plastic grubs will take largemouth bass,

crappie, yellow perch, catfish, walleye and pickerel. Baits like the jig 'n

pig will result in bass being caught.

When the line starts peeling off, pick up the rod, take up most of the slack

and allow the fish to take up the balance. Raise the rod tip sharply when the

fish is felt and retrieve the line.

Do not expect tackle busting fights at this time of year, as the fish are

quite sluggish. Good fish may be taken during this season, however, if anglers

are patient enough.

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Bass may be found in 15-20 feet of water around

structure, taking small grubs, live minnows and jig 'n pig. Fish these

baits very slowly and the bass will take them. Best bets this week are the

"Spoils", Blue Plains, Belle Haven Cove and the Washington Channel. Each of

these areas also contain schools of crappie. These fish are generally oriented

to submerged brush and boat docks. For anglers looking for action, try fishing

Silver Buddies on ultra-light tackle with 4-6 pound line, for shad in the

outflow at Blue Plains. Cast the bait to the dark spot in the water, allow it

to fall, and lift the rod tip sharply. The shad will normally try to take the

bait on the fall. If they are not successful, raising the rod tip sharply will

result in snagging the fish. When a fish is felt, hold on, as the rod will

remain bent double until the fish is landed. Unless you wish to keep the shad

as bait, the easiest way to unhook the fish is with a simple home-made de-

hooker. Take a piece of parting bead molding (3/4 x 1/2 in.) and attach a

small piece of rat wire or hardware cloth to the end. This will allow you to

catch the free hook, shake the fish free and remove the hook from the wire

with ease without touching the fish.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - The bass are located on

dropoffs, primarily back in the creeks. Almost any bank dropping steeply into

10-20 feet of water will be holding bass. Small baits, fished very slowly in

the deeper water, will take these fish. Don't neglect to throw a small plastic

grub up on the shallow bank, as the bass come up in the shallows to feed,

particularly on the low end of the tide. Crappie are schooled up around

submerged brush and are suckers for tiny jigs or live minnows.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW ROUTE 301 - Some striped bass are being taken by anglers

trolling large swim baits or Mann's deep running crankbaits. On the flats just

below Monroe Bay, at Colonial Beach, fan cast the area off the bluffs with 3/4

oz. Rat-L-Traps or Rebel Fastrack minnows to catch stripers in the 5-9 pound

class and a few flounder. Storm swim baits are also taking a fish now and

then.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - The dropoffs around the Route 1 bridge are holding lots of

bass, as is the rock wall on the North bank of the river. Larger bass are

available on the rock points on the southern shore. Jig 'n pig baits will take

the larger fish, while numbers of fish will be caught on plastic grubs. Lots

of crappie, most of them small, are around the boat docks and brushpiles.

Yellow perch are on the increase on the bottom in 15-20 feet of water. Most of

these are bucks, but more roe perch are moving in daily. Live minnows or small

plastic grubs in yellow, fished on the bottom will take the ring perch. Some

anglers are taking yellow perch on small, gold, Silver Buddies, jigged slowly

just off the bottom. They are also being regularly surprised by bass on their

lines.

POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - The mouths of the tributary creeks are holding some

largemouth bass, but crappie are scarce. Best bets for these bass are small

grubs, Beetlespins, live minnows and small jig 'n pig. Good bets for larger

smallmouth should be the deeper holes at the mouth of Limestone Branch above

White's Ferry, the mouth of the Monocacy at the Dickerson Power Plant, the

warm water discharge canal below the Dickerson Power Plant, the ledges below

Edward's Ferry, and Seneca Flats. All of these areas have been producing good

smallmouth action on live minnows and small jig 'n pig. Some nice walleye are

being caught at the base of Great Falls on live, redside minnows, fished in

the quiet pools. Some whopping smallmouth are being caught in the same areas.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - When the water is clear, a few largemouth bass are being

taken in the tidal sections of the river by patient anglers fishing live

minnows and jig 'n pig baits. The steeper dropping banks are holding the fish,

although some nice fish are coming from the blowdowns along the shore. Above

the city, smallmouth bass are also taking live minnows and crayfish, fished in

the deeper holes in the river. Catfish are still taking cut baits, fished in

the outside bends of the river channel.

LAKE ANNA - Most of the angling success is coming downlake, around dyke three

and the deeper points close to the dam. Small bass are very evident around

points and islands, in 12-15 feet of water. Larger fish are holding in deeper

water. Jumbo minnows, Shakey Heads, jig 'n pig and Silver Buddies are the most

popular baits. The upper end of the lake, above the 208 Bridge is lightly

stained to muddy, while downlake, the water is clear. Crappie anglers are

finding fish around the concrete bridge pilings, suspended in 20-30 feet of

water. Striper fishermen are having some success around the 208 Bridge and the

channel dropoffs around the mouth of Contrary Creek, primarily early and late

in the day. Best baits are live shad, jumbo minnows and Storm swim baits.

Beaver lodges near deep water are good places for large crappie and bass. The

key to fishing for bass and crappie at this time is lots of cover and deep

water. Twenty feet or more is necessary. The hot side of the lake is producing

large numbers of small bass, as well as a few larger fish. Some large crappie

are being taken from the beaver lodges adjacent to deeper water. Live minnows

are almost a must. Crappie jigs are not taking fish as well as they normally

do. Small bass are taking the minnows aggressively however, and you may find

that you will catch more bass than crappie. Stripers are taking jumbo minnows

on points, adjacent to steep dropoffs. Fish these minnows 5-8 feet deep on the

channel side of the point. Remember: keep your drag loose and the rod in your

hand or a rod holder. The lake is full of rods and reels that someone "just

laid down for a second".

JAMES RIVER - Lots of smallmouth bass are being caught above the city. Live

minnows and crayfish are the better baits, but plastic grubs and jig 'n pig

are taking their share. When the sun is high and water is clear, Rat-L-Traps

and crayfish imitating crankbaits are also successful. Below the city, lots of

crappie are being caught in the barge pits and along the steeper dropping

shorelines. Brushpiles are the attraction and these should be worked well with

small minnows and jigs. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass may be caught by

drifting live minnows parallel to the steeper banks. Although few of the fish

will be large, they do provide lots of action. Large blue catfish are being

caught consistently by anglers in the Dutch Gap area. Cut shad baits, fished

on the bottom, near the warm water discharge from the power plant, are taking

the 30 plus pound fish. Lots of 10 pound gar are also being caught in the same

area on cut bait.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Crappie and yellow perch are the main attractions here.

Although bass are being caught by skilled and patient anglers, most of the

fishermen are after panfish. The mouths of feeder creeks and the steeper

dropping banks in the backs of the larger creeks are the holding areas for

largemouth bass. Crappie and yellow perch are holding on wood structure in 10-

15 feet of water. Live minnows, small grubs, and jigs are the ticket for the

panfish, while live minnows, small grubs and jig 'n pig baits will take the

bass.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Live bait fishermen are taking pickerel, bass and crappie.

Brushpiles are holding all three species and are difficult to find. Once

found, however, coolers can be filled in little time.

BRIERY CREEK AND SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - Some slot bass are being caught, but

the good news is the crappie fishing. Lots of good stringers of the calico

sided panfish are being taken from both lakes. Live minnows and small jigs are

the ticket.

LAKE GASTON - Striper action is hot in the main lake around the mouth of Pea

Hill Creek. Large schools of surface-feeding fish are marauding through the

shad schools early and late in the day. Plenty of stripers in the 10-20 pound

class are taking live minnows, shad, and bucktails on the main lake dropoffs.

Citation bass are taking the same baits on main lake points and dropoffs, with

the majority located in 25-40 feet of water. Crappie in the 2-3 pound class

are hanging on the bridge pilings and suspended off points and rock bluffs.

Striper action is also good below the dam in the Roanoke River, particularly

when the gates are open and the water is flowing.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Striper action is hot. Lots of 8-10 pound fish being

caught daily, with a few over 20 pounds being caught each week. Surface lures

early and late in the day and live shad other times are taking the fish. Most

of the fish are holding at the 20-25 foot mark during the day, but are coming

up to feed on the surface in the backs of coves at dawn and dusk. A good

depthfinder will locate the schools of shad, with the stripers among them.

Live shad are also taking their share of smallmouth and largemouth bass from

rocky points and brushpiles throughout the lake

PHILPOTT LAKE - A few diehards are catching some fish in the lake, but the

majority of the action is located on the Smith River, below the dam. Lots of

trout are being caught, along with quite a few walleye.

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

at: cetaylor2@verizon.net