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 10/28 0324 0934 1557 2156 0705 1841

Thursday 10/29 0416 1022 1641 2254 0706 1840

Friday 10/30 0504 1107 1719 2349 0707 1838

Saturday 10/31 0546 1151 1753 - - - 0708 1837

Sunday 11/01 0525 1133 1725 - - - 0609 1736

Monday 11/02 0602 1216 1800 0028 0610 1735

Tuesday 11/03 0639 1259 1838 0115 0611 1734

Wednesday 11/04 0719 1345 1920 0202 0612 1733

Thursday 11/05 0802 1433 2006 0249 0613 1732

Friday 11/06 0850 1526 2056 0339 0614 1731

Saturday 11/07 0943 1624 2153 0430 0615 1730

Sunday 11/08 1045 1726 2258 0525 0616 1730

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Smallmouth and largemouth bass are hungry and taking

live bait, fished along the Virginia shoreline, from Key Bridge to Chain

Bridge. A few walleye are being taken from the upstream point of Three Sisters

Islands, drifting nightcrawlers and live minnows across the bottom.

Downstream, bass are orienting around bridge pilings and on dropoffs

throughout the city. Washington Channel, Blue Plains, The Spoils and

Washington Sailing Marina are the more productive areas. Plastic grubs,

crankbaits, jig 'n pig and live bait are the most productive baits. Some

quality bass are being caught, slow-rolling spinnerbaits on the flat above the

Woodrow Wilson Bridge, on high tides. Crappie schools are roaming, but never

far from submerged structure or creek channels. Live minnows are the ticket.

Small stripers may be taken on trolled baits in Washington Channel.

POTOMAC RIVER -BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Bass are being taken on banks

dropping into 12-18 feet of water on plastic grubs and jig 'n pig. Water

temperature is running in the high 50's to low 60's. Most of the fish seem

to be larger than average, as 2-5 pound bass seem to be more common. When the

dropoff is adjacent to rocky or gravel shorelines, with some flat, try a

slowly retrieved crankbait. Baits with a wide wobble seem to be more

effective. Silver Buddies have come into their own, as anglers fishing them

down the dropoff are taking lots of good fish. Jigging them at the base of the

dropoff is also producing good catches. Those creeks with hydrilla beds are

giving up lots of good fish on spinnerbaits, topwaters and Senkos. The

topwaters are best fished over the grassbeds, while the other baits take fish

on the outside edges where there is tidal movement. Some of the better areas

are the mouth of Swan Creek, Belle Haven Cove, Mount Vernon Dock, Pohick Bay,

Mattawoman, Aquia and Nanjemoy Creeks. Crappie are schooled in the creeks and

will take small minnows fished over submerged brush or around boat docks.

Stripers are being caught throughout the area.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - The grassbed at the mouth of the river is still holding

bass. White spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps are taking the fish. Bass

are located on dropoffs adjacent to structure. Best results are to be had in

6-16 feet of water on grubs, crankbaits, Chatterbaits and jig 'n pig. Crappie

are present around submerged brush and boat docks. Live minnows are the key.

Anglers waiting for stripers will have to wait until the water temperature

drops a few more degrees and the shad head for the backs of the creeks.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Bass are being caught on the main lake points, dropping

into 15-20 feet of water. Plastic grubs, jig 'n pig and live bait are the key.

Crappie are available around standing timber and beaver lodges. Small, live

minnows are the proper bait.

BURKE LAKE - A few bass are being caught on live minnows and buzzbaits, fished

on the edges of the grassbeds and around beaver lodges.

POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER -Smallmouth bass are biting well on live bait, but the

fish are small. Crayfish and jumbo minnows are producing larger fish. Crappie

are visiting the creek mouths at dawn and dusk, where live minnows are taking

bragging size fish. Catfish and smallmouth bass are biting aggressively at the

outflow from Dickerson Power Plant. Live minnows and small plastic grubs are

preferred baits.

SHENANDOAH RIVER - Smallmouth bass are active and taking any slowly-fished

bait. Horsehead jigs with spinners are very productive during this season.

Fish them very slowly, bumping them on the bottom every foot or so. The 1/8

oz. size, in white, seems to be the best choice.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - A few bass are being caught by knowledgeable anglers,

fishing the blowdowns on the South shoreline of the tidal section.

Spinnerbaits, tipped with pork chunks, are the most productive bait, but jig

'n pig and grubs are also taking their share. Crappie are also schooled

around structure. Blue catfish, to 35+ pounds, are still taking cut bait when

fished in the outside bends of the main river channel. Around the Route 301

Bridge, lots of bass are being caught on spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Schooled crappie are taking small minnows and

Beetlespins. Stripers are taking bloodworms and peeler crab baits, from Aylett

to the York, with the best action being around the West Point bridges. White

perch are being taken on bloodworms and small minnows. Bass action is limited,

but some fish are being caught on flats adjacent to the river channel. Best

baits are small crankbaits, plastic grubs and jig 'n pig. Catfish action has

slowed.

LAKE ANNA - Stripers are very active early and late, on the surface. During

the day, jigging spoons and trolled, deep-diving crankbaits are the choice.

Better areas are the mouth of Contrary Creek, Rose Valley and the area around

Jetts Island, at the Splits. Bass are orienting to steep dropping banks and

points. Early and late, they move up into the shallows to feed, then drop back

down into the deeper water to hold. Large plastic grubs and jig 'n pig baits

are the chief lures, but jumbo minnows will out-produce them. Boat docks in

deep water (8-15 feet) are also holding bass that will readily take Shakey

head baits. Crappie are schooled tight, with the larger fish suspending over

creek channels in the backs of the creeks. Beaver lodges are holding lots of

crappie, as well.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Bass are holding on dropoffs on the main river, as well

as the creeks. Concentrate on the dropoffs at the edge of lily pad fields.

Diascund Creek is producing well with bottom-fished lures, near wood structure

in deeper water. Mann's Stingray grubs are producing well for bass, but small

crankbaits, jig 'n pig and live minnows are taking more fish. Yellow perch and

crappie fishing is excellent throughout the river. Live minnows and grubs are

the better choice for bait. Stripers are available for those who are fishing

for them. Jumbo minnows, Rat-l-Traps and Rebel Fastrak Minnows are the more

productive baits.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Pickerel, bass and crappie are all being caught on live

bait around the submerged brushpiles and shoreline points. Some of the bass

and crappie are of trophy size. Yamamoto Baby Senkos are taking lots of bass

and pickerel when flipped to the base of cypress trees, adjacent to dropoffs.

Some catfish and stripers are also being caught in the lake. Stripers are

running 6-10 pounds and are taking Cordell Red Fins.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - Water level is still down almost two feet. Lots of

crappie are being caught, along with pickerel and largemouth bass. Live

minnows are taking most of the fish, but plastic worms are accounting for some

trophy bass. Most of the fish are caught on points throughout the lake.

WALLER MILL RESERVOIR - Fishing for bass, stripers and crappie is good. Bass

are taking crankbaits and plastic worms, while stripers are taking topwater

baits and Sassy Shads. Crappie are responding well to live minnows.

JAMES RIVER - Tidal areas are not producing well, as most of the creeks are

very shallow. When steep dropoffs are found in the creeks, however, bass are

normally stacked up in the holes. Jig 'n pig, plastic grubs and small, deep-

diving crankbaits are the ticket for these fish. Yellow perch are taking small

spinnerbaits, grubs and horsehead jigs, fished on the bottom around wood

structure. The barge pits are producing lots of crappie and bass. Just below

the city, lots of smallmouth bass are being taken, along with a number of

largemouth bass. Most of the fish are coming from the steep banks on the North

side of the river, above the I-295 bridge. Small spinnerbaits, plastic grubs,

jig 'n pig and live bait are the best choice of bait. Some stripers are being

taken from pilings in the Hog Island area and around the power lines

downstream from Jordan Point. Blue catfish, to 35+ pounds, are taking large

strips of cut shad, fished in the outside bends of the river channel.

LAKE CHESDIN - Largemouth bass and crappie are biting well. Occasional

stripers are hitting topwater lures early and late in the day, while most

anglers go after bass and crappie in between. Spinnerbaits and live minnows

are the most productive baits for all species.

BACK BAY - Some nice puppy drum are being caught at the Causeway on squid,

bucktails and shad. Stripers are also being caught on shad and bucktails.

Bass, to seven pounds, are being caught in the creeks, on low, outgoing tides.

Along with the bass, are white perch, yellow perch, catfish and the occasional

bowfin. Some nice crappie are also available in the creeks.

SUFFOLK LAKES - Bass action is on and off in all the lakes, with the fish

being taken by anglers using live minnows, jig 'n pig and plastic grubs.

Crappie are schooled and taking live minnows. The best crappie fishing is in

Lake Meade, while the better shellcrackers are coming from Western Branch. A

few stripers are being taken on jumbo minnows and trolled Rebel Fastrak

Minnows. Catfish are still biting in Lake Smith. Very few anglers are out. The

public boat ramp at Lake Whitehurst will close on November first. The lake

will still be available for fishing, but public access will be challenging.

LAKE GASTON - Striper fishing is excellent. Topwater lures early and late in

the day, and live alewives, bucktails and rattling lures are best during the

day. The main river channel downlake is the best area to hunt, paying

particular attention to areas with 16-24 feet of water. Bass anglers are doing

well on main lake points, adjacent to channels and in the creeks, where the

channel bends close to the bank. Any slow-fished lure will take the bass when

shad are present in the area. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits are taking bass from

the grass beds throughout the lake. Crappie are schooled around brush piles

and solid structure, particularly the Pea Hill and Lizard Creek bridges.

BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Fishing improved this past week. Crappie anglers are

loading coolers with 1-3 pound fish, using small minnows over brushpiles and

around bridge pilings. Bass may be taken in shallow water, holding on

rockpiles in backs of pockets. They may also be found holding on points or

wood cover in 4-6 feet or water, and on humps, road beds and ledges, in

10-14 feet of water, near dropoffs into river or creek channels. Depending on

depth, most productive lures are slowly retrieved crankbaits, plastic grubs or

spider jigs, jig 'n pig and jigging spoons. Stripers are active, hitting Sassy

Shads on 1/4 ounce jig heads, fished under the schools of shad minnows, close

to the shoreline.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - The power company has dropped the water level of the

lake three feet. Striper fishing is fair, and should only get better with

the colder temperatures coming in this week. Live shad or alewives are the

better bait, fished in submerged standing timber in the coves. Trolling with

bucktails will also produce some fish, as will topwater lures when the big

fish are feeding on shad schools. Bass fishing is good to excellent when they

are pulling water. Otherwise, catching is fair. Most of the fish are taking

smoke/purple or salt/pepper plastic worms, jig 'n pig and plastic grubs in the

backs of coves or topwater baits on downlake points. Suspending Shad Raps are

also taking bass in the coves when fished over the dropoffs and points. When

schools are bait are found, fish a lipless, rattling crankbait through the

schools, banging into the shad. This technique will bring bone-jarring strikes

from largemouth bass. Crappie are being caught on live minnows and tiny jigs

over brushpiles in 10 feet of water. Trout are biting well on the Roanoke

River.

LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - White bass and striper action has picked up. Live

alewives and crankbaits are taking both species of fish. Lots of rock bass

are being caught. The redeyes are taking small minnows and jigs.

LAKE MOOMAW - Smallmouth bass are being taken by anglers fishing jig 'n pig

and spinnerbaits on points, dropping into 20+ feet of water. Catfish and

yellow perch are the most consistent catches. Trout fishing is good in the

Jackson River, below the dam.

CLAYTOR LAKE - Fishing is slow. Striper action is still good on topwater

lures, early and late in the day. Crappie are biting regularly on tiny jigs

and minnows, fished over brushpiles.

CLINCH RIVER - Some good smallmouths, 2-3 pounds, are being caught, along with

drum to three pounds and some catfish.

SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Smallmouth anglers are catching a few fish, using

spinnerbaits in shallow water, near dropoffs, and jig 'n pig in deeper water,

off ledges.

NEW RIVER - Top water lures continue to take many smallmouth bass. Best method

has topwaters fished with no action, and Rapalas twitched quickly under the

surface.

PHILPOTT LAKE - Smallmouth bass to 5 3/4 pounds are being caught on live

minnows and brown plastic grubs in 15-20 feet of water. Largemouth bass are

taking spinnerbaits, jig 'n pig and plastic worms on points adjacent to creek

channels. Crappie and catfish are still taking live bait. Trout action has

been good on the Smith River.

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.

S A L T W A T E R - Stripers are still roaming in large schools on the

Southwest Middlegrounds. Boats from Smith Point and Point Lookout are taking

100+ fish per day, trolling, jigging and chumming. Some bluefish are also

available for anglers. Speckled trout are available throughout the lower bay

and lots of yellowfin tuna are being boated by offshore anglers.

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

reached at: cetaylor2@verizon.net