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 8/11 0808 1510 2037 0235 0549 2037

Thursday 8/12 0859 1556 2126 0330 0550 2035

Friday 8/13 0951 1642 2217 0424 0551 2034

Saturday 8/14 1046 1729 2311 0519 0552 2033

Sunday 8/15 1144 1818 - - - 0615 0553 2031

Monday 8/16 1246 1909 0008 0715 0554 2030

Tuesday 8/17 1352 2005 0111 0818 0555 2028

Wednesday 8/18 1458 2105 0217 0923 0656 2027

Thursday 8/19 1559 2208 0322 1027 0657 2026

Friday 8/20 1655 2309 0421 1125 0658 2024

Saturday 8/21 1746 - - - 0515 1217 0559 2023

Sunday 8/22 1833 0004 0603 1301 0600 2021

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Lots of catfish, many in the 8-10 pound class, are

being caught in Fletcher's Cove. Bass are being caught around bridge pilings,

riprap banks, wood cover and dropoffs. Better choice for baits are topwaters

early and late in the day, and plastic worms, spinnerbaits and crankbaits when

the sun is up. Washington Channel anglers are taking bass, catfish and

stripers, trolling parallel to the War College Wall.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Bass are orienting to main river

grassbeds and wood cover. Plastic baits and spinnerbaits are the best

producing baits, when fished in the outside edges of the grassbeds. Creeks are

also producing good numbers of bass for anglers fishing plastic worms and

crankbaits around docks, pilings and other wood structure. Lily pad fields and

grassbeds in the creeks are giving up bass on buzzbaits, topwater frogs and

small plastic worms on outgoing tides. Catfish are available on any flat

adjacent to a dropoff. Cut crab or eel are the better baits. Use stout tackle

when fishing for these fish as some of them are brutes. Forty to fifty pound

fish are not unusual, with plenty in the 20-30# class.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - Some bass action on the rocky points on the southern bank of

the river and in grassbeds on the north side at the mouth of the river. Boat

docks are also producing bass, as well as crappie, sunfish and some large

catfish. Live minnows and plastic worms are producing best. Lunker catfish are

being caught in the channel, off the islands at the mouth of the river.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Flathead catfish action is good, with the majority of the

big fish being taken on clam snouts. Some bass are being caught by patient

anglers, fishing plastic worms, crankbaits and jig 'n pig on the main lake

points and rock walls on the lower end of the lake. An occasional bass is

being taken from the wood blowdowns on the upper end of the lake. Crappie,

catfish and sunfish are being caught from the fishing pier. Crappie are

holding in 12 feet of water.

BURKE LAKE - Decent topwater bite early and late in the day. Fair bass fishing

on plastic worms and deep diving crankbaits, fished around the brushpiles and

dropoffs. Drifting nightcrawlers across the bottom, very slowly, is producing

some catfish, while crappie and bluegill are taking small flyrod poppers,

nightcrawlers, red wigglers and crickets.

FARM PONDS - Topwater baits, early and late in the day, and plastic worms when

the sun is high, are accounting for some nice bass. Catfish are taking clam

snouts, chicken livers and nightcrawlers. Bluegill action is best on

nightcrawlers and flyrod poppers.

POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Some smallmouth bass are being caught by anglers

fishing buzzbaits and small crankbaits on the shorelines early and late in the

day, and plastic grubs and Storm Baby Chug Bugs in the main river channel

during the afternoons. Zoom Super Flukes are taking some trophy smallmouth,

when fished around the shoreline grass. Lots of catfish and carp action on cut

bait, live minnows and doughballs.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Smallmouth bass action is rated good above the city,

when the river flow is good. Small chartreuse crankbaits, plastic grubs and

topwater baits are taking some good fish. The larger fish are being taken on

live crayfish and minnows. In the tidal stretches, largemouth bass are taking

shad colored crankbaits and plastic worms, fished around the blowdowns and on

the southern shoreline dropoffs. Catfish action is excellent in the tidal

stretches, with cut shad and eel being the choice of baits. Lots of pan-sized

catfish are being caught throughout the river, with an occasional big blue, to

30 pounds, being caught. Occasional schools of crappie are being found on

submerged brush and blowdowns, in 8-12 feet of water. Lower tidal creeks are

giving up good bass on small plastic baits, worked down the drop adjacent to

the marsh grass banks.

SHENANDOAH RIVER - Smallmouth and sunfish action is good throughout the river.

Best lures appear to be small topwaters, crankbaits, plastic baits and small

spinners. Baby Senkos in white/gold flake and green pumpkin work well in flat

water, while small buzzbaits are taking many fish in the riffles. Some catfish

are available for anglers fishing nightcrawlers, clam snouts and cut bait.

MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Excellent bass action on the Mattaponi, just above

the 301 bridge. Crankbaits and topwaters are taking the fish. Otherwise, bream

and pickerel are taking small Beetlespins, while peeler crab is enticing

stripers, croaker and catfish throughout the lower reaches of both rivers.

LAKE ANNA - Bass are biting well, with plastic worms and grubs, and jigs being

the better choice of baits. Best areas are near the bridges and rip-rap areas

in 15-25 feet of water and along the outside edges of grass beds on the upper

end of the lake. Walleye fishing is good around the deep rocky points and in

the dike three area. Stripers are taking live shad, worked in 20-30 feet of

water. Crappie are taking live minnows around Stubbs and Dillard's Bridge

areas, in water depths of 10-15 feet.

JAMES RIVER - Tidal areas are showing a few largemouth bass, on plastic worms,

buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Wood cover, wing dams and creek mouths are the

holding locations. Catfish action is excellent for those anglers fishing cut

bait, eels or live shad. Above the city, smallmouth bass are taking plastic

grubs and worms, along with small crankbaits and spinners. Live crayfish and

minnows are also working well.

LAKE CHESDIN - Despite heavy boat traffic and heat, lots of nice bass, 5-7

pounds, are being caught here, with the majority taking buzzbaits, plastic

worms and crankbaits. Crappie are hitting small minnows and seem to have gone

a bit deeper around the submerged brushpiles and bridge pilings. Better action

seems to be coming from the creeks. Some stripers are being caught.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Plastic worms and Zoom Horny Toads are the primary baits

for bass in the river. Hydrilla beds and cypress trees are holding the bass

downriver, while lily pad fields show some good bass upriver and in the backs

of creeks. Topwater baits are effective early and late in the day, adjacent to

the edges of lily pad fields and in the creek mouths. Catfish are taking

nightcrawlers and large minnows. Anglers using crickets, are filling creels

with large bluegills.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Catfish, 10-14 pounds, are taking large minnows. Bass, 4-7

pounds, are yielding to spinnerbaits, plastic worms, large minnows and flyrod

poppers. Lots of bowfin are being taken on spinnerbaits and plastics. Topwater

baits, such as Bass Assassins and plastic frogs, are taking all varieties,

over the grass beds.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - The boat ramp is closed for repairs. A few bass are

being caught in 20-25 feet of water, on plastic worms and crankbaits, on

points. Yellow perch fishing is good, with a few good fish caught this past

week. Lots of stripers, to 10 pounds, were caught this past week.

BACK BAY - Although fishing pressure is light, a number of bass to five pounds

have been weighed in. Most were caught on live minnows. Yellow perch remain

plentiful and a few catfish are being taken at the upper end of the bay.

Action in the creeks has been good for bass, crappie and white perch.

SUFFOLK LAKES - Shellcrackers are still being caught. The big sunfish are

taking red wigglers, crickets and grasshoppers. Some good bass, 5-7 pounds,

have been weighed in at both Western Branch and at Lake Prince. Prince is also

producing a few stripers on live minnows. Lake Meade is giving up lots of

bream and a few crappie, but bass and stripers are slow. Lakes Smith and

Whitehurst are giving up bass on plastic worms, along with a number of large

catfish. Some walleye, bream and white perch are also appearing in the

catches.

LAKE GASTON - Topwater lures produce well in early mornings around brush piles

and boat docks. Deep diving crankbaits, worked on light line, are producing

larger bass on main lake points. Carolina-rigged plastic worms are taking bass

from the stump fields in 6-12 feet of water. Plastic baits, particularly

floating worms, are working well in hydrilla bed edges, near docks. Crappie

fishing is good, using small minnows around boat docks. Catfish are taking cut

bait in channels and deep holes. Deep diving crankbaits and rattling lures are

taking good largemouth bass from Big Stonehouse Creek to the dam. Stripers

have started breaking water on the lower end of the lake in the evening. They

are located in 50-60 feet of water in the early daylight hours.

BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Striper fishing is slow, but picking up. The fish have

moved near the dam and can be found from Buoy 2 to 4, with trolling still

producing the better catches. Bass fishing is slow, with most fish being

caught in 10-30 feet of water, on deep diving crankbaits and Carolina-rigged

plastics. Crappie are taking small minnows fished around brush piles and

bridges, in 15-25 feet of water.

BRIERY CREEK & SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - Lots of medium size bass, some bream

and some nice catfish are the fare in both lakes. Bass anglers report catching

up to 20 bass in the slot. Most of the fish are being taken on crankbaits 12-

16 feet down on points and dropoffs.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Some bass are taking Carolina-rigged plastic worms and

deep diving crankbaits, fished in 20-25 feet of water, while jigging white

bucktails is producing a few stripers. Trolling Red Eye and Sutton Spoons is

also accounting for some good catches of stripers. Crappie fishing is

improving throughout the lake.

LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - Bass anglers are taking good strings of bass on

buzzbaits, and jigs tipped with pumpkinseed colored, plastic crayfish. White

bass action is great. Stripers are in the lake and are plentiful in the upper

Towles Bridge area. Striper action is also fair in the river, along with

flathead catfish in the 17-24 pound class.

LAKE MOOMAW - Bass are taking spider jigs in 18 feet of water. Some trout

anglers are limiting out on 2-3 pound fish, caught on live bait, early in the

morning. Catfishing is fair, with dead minnows and chicken livers being the

bait of choice. Crappie fishing is good.

PHILPOTT LAKE - Catfish, 5-12 pounds, are being caught on cut bait and live

minnows. Night anglers are taking bass and catfish. A few walleye are also

mixed in the catches. Nightcrawlers, fished 20-30 feet deep, are taking trout

to five pounds as is trolling. Crappie fishing is improving.

NEW RIVER - Small brown baits are taking large numbers of smallmouth bass.

Larger baits are taking larger fish. Catfishing has slowed.

SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Fishing is good for anglers fishing deep. Bass are

being taken on brown jig 'n pig and plastic worms. Topwaters are effective,

early and late in the day. Crappie are taking small jigs at 20-30 feet and

walleye are being taken, trolling 20-25 feet deep. Slow drifting with

nightcrawler-tipped Lindy rigs are also taking walleye.

CLAYTOR LAKE - Lots of fish being caught from the 85+ degree water. Catfish

make up the majority of the catches, while stripers are taking live shad.

Catalpa worms are the bait of choice for the catfish. Crickets are the choice

for bluegills and bass are being taken on crankbaits jig 'n pig and plastic

worms.

TROUT STREAMS - Most of the trout streams are generally showing favorable

conditions, although some of them are low. Some of the better areas include:

Pads Creek, Jackson River, Dan River above the powerhouse, Rock Castle Creek,

Shoemaker River, North Fork of the Shenandoah River, Passage Creek and Big

Stoney Creek. Caddis fly imitations in sizes 14-16 are effective. Blue wing

olives in sizes 14-18 are also good.

S A L T W A T E R

CHINCOTEAGUE - Bottom fishermen are finding a mixed bag of croaker, spot, sea

bass, sea mullet and flounder at the mouth of the inlet. The flounder fishing

is excellent, with lots of small fish and a few keeper fish mixed in the

catches. Fair numbers of sea bass remain available, but croaker are still

dominating the catches. Schools of snapper blues and pan trout are found at

Chincoteague Point. Assateague Island surfcasters are taking some bluefish and

pan trout. Offshore anglers are finding bluefin tuna, king mackerel, chopper

bluefish and dolphin at the Parking Lot and Lumpy Bottom. Sandtiger, dusky and

blacktip sharks are available at the 2TL buoy.

WACHAPREAGUE - Bottom anglers are taking croaker, pan trout, sea mullet,

triggerfish, and increasingly, small flounder. Best catches are made in

deeper sections of the channel at the inlet mouth. Offshore, bluefin and

yellowfin tuna are caught, along with lots of bluefish, dolphin and king

mackerel.

ONANCOCK - Good catches of flounder, spot and croaker continue in Pocomoke and

Tangier Sounds. Flounder are running to 20 inches and are taking cut spot in

25-40 feet of water. Spot are running to 12 ounces and croaker range up to two

pounds. Best catches are made in 30-35 feet of water. Taylor blues are

schooled throughout the area. Bottom fishermen are taking dusky shark, sea

mullet, porgy, spot and croaker. Speckled trout are showing in the bayside

creeks and islands north of Nandua Creek.

QUINBY - Improved catches of trout, pigfish and spot along Eggen Marsh and

Conger Channel, while grey trout and croaker are reported from the Gap. A few

flounder and sea bass continue to be caught around the mouth of the inlet and

along Rebel Island Creek. Skipjack tuna and false albacore abound on the

inshore lumps.

CAPE CHARLES - Several red drum were taken near Buoy 36A this past week.

Flounder fishing has been excellent at Buoys 36A, 38, 40, 42, and at the Cell

with more keeper fish being caught. Bottom fishermen are taking lots of

big croaker, but the schools are on the move. Hungar and Plantation Creeks are

producing some small speckled trout. Fair numbers of yellowfin tuna are

showing at the 20 Fathom Fingers, while inshore "chunking" remains slow for

bluefins. A good number of sharks are also being caught, along with the

occasional cobia or tarpon.

LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Loads of flounder are available all along the

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, with the fourth island producing plenty of fish,

although most of them are too small to keep. Croaker dominate the catches,

which, along with spot, are made around the First and Second Islands and along

Lynnhaven Beach. Spadefish, to nine pounds, are available around the Third

Island. A few cobia, 30-55 pounds, are being caught along the CBBT, around

inshore buoys and at Bluefish Rock. Speckled trout catches continue to improve

inside Lynnhaven, along with puppy drum. Larger drum are available at Latimer

Shoals. Fair to good catches of flounder are made at the First and Third

Islands. Lots of taylor blues are available for casters at the north tip of

Fourth Island, along with an occasional 30 pound cobia. The Southern Tower is

producing amberjack on live bait. Bottom fishermen are making good catches of

croaker at the Back River Artificial Reef and just off Factory Point. Large

flounder are being caught in the vicinity of the Cell. Excellent bottom

fishing is available just south of Twin Stakes, in 29 feet of water, on the

edge of the old oyster bed. A mix of spot, croaker, bluefish, trout, blowfish,

hogfish and flounder is the catch. Yellow bellied spot are available around

buoy 22 in the York River, while the Lumps, just off Cheatham Annex is showing

good croaker action.

MIDDLE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Baitfish are schooling up and moving down the bay

in huge numbers. This has caused a veritable feeding frenzy among other fish.

Bluefish and stripers are churning the water to a froth at the mouth of the

Potomac River. Under the schools of blues and stripers, the bottom fishing is

superb, with large croaker, pan trout and flounder biting very well. In

addition, small Spanish mackerel schools are also feeding on the baitfish.

Good catches of croaker are available at Blackberry Hang, near Tangier Light,

Smith Point and the Mud Leeds. Spanish mackerel action is good for trollers

working from Smith Point Light to the SP Buoy and along the western side of

Cut Channel. Bottom fishing is excellent at the SP Buoy, in 60 feet of water,

for trout and croaker, with peeler crab and bloodworms being the favored

baits. Cobia and red drum are active off Deltaville. Good flounder action

remains available just north of the Cell and east of buoy 42. Trollers are

catching Spanish mackerel between #6 buoy and the R buoy, located off Windmill

Point. Bottom fishing for spot is excellent at the Silos and on Windmill Bar.

Flounder continue to bite well around the north end of the White Stone Bridge.

Bowlers Rock, buoy 16 and the Power Lines area are giving up good sized

croaker and spot, while buoy 8 is producing fair numbers of flounder.

UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Bluefish, 3-6 pounds, abound from Thomas Point,

South to Parkers Creek. Spot remain scattered throughout the region. Spanish

mackerel continue to please anglers fishing the upper and middle Bay. One of

the better concentrations is at the Stone Rock. Small spoons, trolled at 8-9

knots, are producing up to 30 fish per boat. White perch can be found in

substantial numbers on virtually any oyster bar or naturally occurring lump

North of the Bay Bridges. Peeler crab, bloodworms and grass shrimp are the

most productive baits. Bluefish, 2-4 pounds, have been taken trolling small

spoons and surgical eels in the following locations: Bloody Point, Brickhouse

Bar, Love Point, Gum Thickets and Swan Point.

OCEAN CITY - A few flounder are being caught in the Thorofare on minnows. In

the inlet, bluefish are being taken early and late in the day. Bluefish, to

three pounds, are being taken everywhere on cut mullet and spot in the surf,

while offshore boats are finding marlin and dolphin in impressive numbers.

Headboats are catching grey trout and croaker, while the inshore wrecks are

producing consistent catches of tautog, lingcod and sea bass.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Offshore boats are reporting decent action on wahoo, king

mackerel, chopper bluefish, and false albacore, along with the occasional

bluefin tuna. Billfish are providing lots of action, as over fifty white &

blue marlin and sailfish were released this past week. Inshore boats are

finding plenty of Spanish mackerel within a few miles of the beach and large

amberjack at the Tower Reef. Cobia are showing beneath the ocean buoys. A few

speckled trout and puppy drum are showing inside Rudee Inlet. Surf anglers are

taking good numbers of spot along the resort strip.

PIERS -

LYNNHAVEN - Spot, sea mullet, croaker, flounder and pan trout are taken by

bottom fishermen, while occasional taylor bluefish and Spanish mackerel round

out the creels. Crabbing is fair to good.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Spot and croaker, along with fair numbers of sea mullet.

Casters take an occasional taylor bluefish or Spanish mackerel.

SANDBRIDGE - Bottom fishermen are taking fair numbers of spot, sea mullet, pan

trout and flounder. Croaker are off and on. Casters are catching lots of

taylor blues and occasional Spanish mackerel when the water clears.

OUTER BANKS, N.C. - Spanish mackerel and bluefish provide lots of action for

both pier and beach anglers. Flounder are being caught inside Oregon Inlet.

Croaker are being caught inside the sounds, where speckled trout remain

scarce. Bottom fishermen are taking pigfish, croaker, spot, pompano, flounder

and a few sheepshead from the piers. Some king mackerel and cobia are

reported, but the action is not consistent. Offshore, the charter fleets are

still picking up a few bigeye tuna over the 100 pound mark and lots of

yellowfin tuna, along with bunches of billfish. Dolphin catches are also

great. Best tuna and billfish action has been between the 879 line and Triple

O's. Inshore boats are taking good numbers of Spanish mackerel and bluefish.

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

reached at: cetaylor2@verizon.net