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 7/28 0905 1551 2138 0319 0536 2053

Thursday 7/29 0941 1619 2210 0356 0536 2052

Friday 7/30 1017 1649 2240 0435 0537 2051

Saturday 7/31 1053 1721 2311 0514 0538 2050

Sunday 8/01 1132 1757 2347 0556 0539 2049

Monday 8/02 1217 1838 - - - 0643 0540 2048

Tuesday 8/03 1310 1925 0031 0735 0541 2047

Wednesday 8/04 1414 2017 0123 0837 0542 2045

Thursday 8/05 1520 2116 0223 0946 0543 2044

Friday 8/06 1622 2223 0328 1053 0544 2043

Saturday 8/07 1718 2332 0430 1153 0545 2042

Sunday 8/08 1810 - - - 0529 1246 0546 2041

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Fletcher's Boathouse area is giving up some catches of

bass and catfish. Downriver, bass are holding on wood cover and structure from

Blue Plains to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Some fish are available along the

riprap above Columbia Island Marina and a few fish are being taken from the

War College Wall in Washington Channel. Buzz baits, spinnerbaits and soft

plastic baits are taking the better fish.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Topwater baits and soft plastic

jerk baits are producing lots of bass in the main river grass beds. Pop R's,

Baby One Minus, buzzbaits and Zoom Horny Toads are attracting the fish.

Plastic worms and spinnerbaits are taking fish on main river points, downed

wood and man-made cover. In the creeks, bass are oriented to grass beds, lily

pad fields, dropoffs and submerged wood. Falling tides are finding the fish

aggressive, taking white spinnerbaits, while rising tides find them with their

noses buried in the bark of submerged wood or in the thickest parts of the

grass beds. Flippin' soft plastic baits is the better method of catching these

fish. Catfish action has slowed, but fish are still available on cut bait,

clam snouts and crab. White perch are available throughout the river. The

larger fish are coming on 1/8th oz. spinnerbaits, Bomber 2A and Shad Rap 7S

crankbaits.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - Lots of fish are being caught, with most of them orienting to

submerged wood or the grass bed at the mouth of the river. Bass, crappie,

bream and catfish are available for anglers dropping plastic and live baits

adjacent to wood structure. Boat docks are the prevalent structure in the

river, producing good numbers of fish. Spinnerbaits and Mann's Baby One Minus

will take the fish in the grass at high tides, while punching plastic baits

through the grass will take them at lower tides.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Lots of bass are available. Most of the bass are taking

crankbaits and plastic worms along the rock walls and on main lake points.

Crappie anglers are taking some good fish from submerged brush along the river

channel, while pier anglers are also taking crappie, small bass and catfish.

Clam snouts are good bait for channel catfish anglers fishing the points.

BURKE LAKE - Bass activity has picked up. Fish plastic worms and crankbaits in

the edges of the grassbeds and on dropoffs. Some muskie are being caught, with

a lot more follows. Catfish anglers are taking lots of fish in the 8-15

pound class. Preferred baits include cut bait, chicken livers and

nightcrawlers. Lots of good fish are coming from the pier, particularly

panfish and crappie.

FARM PONDS - Activity has been picking up, with topwater baits taking lots of

good fish early and late in the day. Flyrod poppers are taking both bass and

sunfish, while plastic worms and Rat-L-Traps are taking fish during the heat

of the day. Fish the shallows for sunfish, while the bass are holding in the

deeper water around the dam. Trees or bushes with their feet in the water,

hold some lunker largemouth bass. Don't discount those ponds with lots of

"scum" on the surface. Toss out a floating plastic worm and twitch it

seductively. Big bass will frequently come busting up through the algae and

take these baits agressively.

POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Smallmouth bass are very aggressive. Small crankbaits

are taking good fish in the 1-3 pound range. Chartreuse and orange are the

better colors in the stained water. The deeper holes and riffles hold larger

fish. Best lure choice is small plastic jerkbaits in white and chartreuse and

Yamamoto Baby Senkos in dark colors, fished weightless. Bream are also

aggressive, taking small spinners, Tiny Torpedos and tiny crankbaits.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Above the city, smallmouth are being taken on topwater

lures early and late in the day. After the sun rises, switch to plastic grubs,

spinnerbaits and small crankbaits. Bream are active. Tidal water is giving up

largemouth bass to anglers fishing shad colored crankbaits and plastic worms,

along the Southern shoreline, in downed timber and undercut banks. Best action

is found in the Green Bay area of the river. Blue catfish, 20-35 pounds, are

taking live white perch and cut bait in the outside bends of the channel.

Crappie action is slow.

SHENANDOAH RIVER - Smallmouth bass are biting well. Small crankbaits, spinners

and plastic grubs are taking lots of bass, along with some nice bream.

Catfishermen are doing well on chicken livers, cut bait and live shiners.

Deeper water is producing the better catches.

MATTAPONI/PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Lots of catfish and stripers are taken on peeler

crab baits in both rivers. Other species being taken are bass, white and

yellow perch and bream. Spot, croaker and a few trout are being caught in the

lower parts of the rivers.

LAKE ANNA - Bass are taking Silver Buddies, crankbaits and large plastic worms

in 18-27 feet of water on ridges and points. Four inch power worms in june bug

and blue fleck are taking some nice bass in 19-21 feet of water, off the main

lake islands around Dukes Creek. Schooling bass may be found on points,

dropping into deep water. Grubs are the better baits for the schoolers. Pop-

R's, Zara Spooks and buzzbaits are taking some fish early and late in the day.

Stripers are taking live shad, particularly at Rose Valley, the Splits and

Terry's Run. Catfishing is on and off. Crappie schools are suspended over

creek channels in 15-25 feet of water and bridge pilings in 35 feet of water.

JAMES RIVER - Lots of smallmouth bass are being caught on weightless sluggos

and plastic grubs, above Richmond. Largemouth are holding on points and wood

cover in tidal waters. Try fishing weightless Yamamoto Baby Senkos around the

standing cypress trees in any of the tidal creeks, but be prepared for very

aggressive strikes. In the Appomattox, fish large spinnerbaits around the main

river channel markers for good quality fish. The outside bends of the river

channel are producing good size blue and flathead catfish on eels.

LAKE CHESDIN - Crappie fishing is improving daily, with better catches coming

on live minnows in shallow water. Bass are taking plastic worms in 6-8 feet of

water throughout the lake. Aggressive fish are located near the upper end of

the lake, taking crankbaits and buzzbaits. Catfishing is excellent on chicken

livers, while bream are taking crickets.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Buzzbaits and plastic worms are the preferred baits for

bass anglers, while flyrodders are using poppers. Lily pad fields and cypress

trees in deeper water are the best structure, although the hydrilla beds are

also giving up some nice fish on plastic jerkbaits and frogs. Catfish are

taking turtle livers and nightcrawlers.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Some bass are being taken on flyrod poppers, Rat-L-Traps,

plastic worms and live minnows. Live minnows are also responsible for catches

of bowfin, pickerel and catfish. Bream are taking crickets and nightcrawlers.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - Bass fishing has improved dramatically. A number of

fish in the 5-7 pound class have been caught, most on topwater baits and

plastic worms. Some small bass and bream are also being caught, along with

lots of large pickerel. Stripers, to nine pounds, are being caught on live

herrings baits, fished on deeper points.

BACK BAY - Flounder, white perch and catfish are biting well in the main areas

of the bay, while bass, catfish, perch and bluegills are biting in the creeks.

Some bass, 4-6 pounds, are being caught in the deeper water along Long Island

in Back Bay. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and Johnson Silver Minnows are the top

choice of baits. Lots of stripers are being caught from the Knotts Island

Causeway, early and late in the day.

SUFFOLK LAKES - Plastic worms, Rapalas and Rat-L-Traps are successful for a

few anglers fishing for largemouth bass. Crickets and red wigglers are the

preferred bait for shellcrackers, bream and crappie. Gar and catfish are also

active, with live minnows producing best. White and Yellow perch are biting

well.

LAKE GASTON - Crappie are holding in brushpiles in 12-18 feet of water and

taking live minnows. Downlake, largemouth bass are holding in 12-20 feet of

water and may be taken on plastic worms and deep-diving crankbaits. Topwater

lures are taking fish early and late in the day. Most of the better fish are

located on main lake points and creek mouths. Boat docks are also holding a

few fish. Small plastic grubs are the ticket for the boat docks. Uplake, fish

the grass beds on the main lake and in the creeks and coves with topwater

frogs, floating worms and buzzbaits. Areas between docks, with submerged

grass, are giving up good bass on plastic worms. Stripers are being caught on

rattling crankbaits, fished near the bottom on river channel points. Lots of

stripers are available on topwater baits below the Gaston Dam in Roanoke

Rapids Lake.

BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Stripers are being caught vertical jigging with Hopkins

spoons. Better areas are Nutbush Creek and County Line Creek, on the lower end

of the lake. Rattling crankbaits and plastic lures in pumpkinseed or june bug

colors are taking largemouth bass. The fish are located in 17-30 feet on main

lake points. Crappie are located on brushpiles in 10-12 feet of water. White

bass are taking Dollflies from Clarksville to Bluestone Creek.

BRIERY CREEK & SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - Bass anglers are catching fish in the

2-4 pound class on topwater baits and plastic worms. Better fish are coming

from points and dropoffs. Catfish are taking chicken livers and bluegill are

hitting crickets and red wigglers.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Fishing is good, with stripers to 20 pounds being caught

at the log boom, near the islands, at the "S" turns and off the mouth of Gills

Creek. Most of the fish are being taken early in the morning or at night.

Largemouth bass are being caught in 18-25 feet of water on deep-diving

crankbaits and plastic worms. Topwater lures are taking fish early and late in

the day.

LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - Largemouth bass are being taken on plastic worms and jig

'n pig. Stripers are taking trolled Red Fins. White bass are taking Rebel Pop-

Rs when the schools of fish are on the surface. When the schools sound, switch

to a Rapala Shad Rap. A few walleye are also being caught.

LAKE MOOMAW - Trout are rolling on the surface early and late in the day. A

few 5-7 pound brown trout are being taken by anglers fishing deep with live

minnows. Channel cats are being caught on cut bait. Bass are taking topwaters

early and late, and plastic worms in 15-18 feet during the day.

PHILPOTT LAKE - Some bass and walleye action, but not much. The fish being

caught are generally large ones, but patience is required. Fish live minnows

early and late in the day. Bass anglers, fishing at night with large

spinnerbaits and jig 'n pig are making nice catches of bass. Catfish action is

good. Anglers fishing the Smith River for trout are taking limits of trout.

NEW RIVER - Excellent smallmouth bass action for 2-3 pound fish on Baby

Torpedos and plastic grubs. Catfish are being taken on cut bait at night. A

few musky are reported. Walleye are being taken by night fishermen on live

bait, below the dam.

FLANNAGAN RESERVOIR - Trout fishing is picking up, with 16-24 inch fish being

caught. Most of the fish are browns, with a few rainbows mixed in. Flathead

catfish, 14-21 inches are taking cut bait and bluegills are hitting crickets.

SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Catfish and walleye are biting well on

nightcrawlers. Bass fishing is slow, but some anglers are taking limits on

brown jig 'n pig baits. Crappie anglers are doing well on live minnows. All

the fish are being taken from deep water.

CLAYTOR LAKE - Catfish and stripers have turned on, taking live shad and

alewives at night. Bass anglers are catching lots of bass at night. Walleye

are taking spinner/nightcrawler combinations, with the fish averaging four

pounds.

TROUT STREAMS - Most of the National Forest and Park streams are producing

quite well for fly fishermen using small dry flies, imitating terrestrials.

Mepps and Shyster spinners are taking fish for the spin fishermen. Stoney

Creek and Passage creek are the best bets for a day trip, while Martin's

Creek, the North Fork of the Powell River, Bullpasture River, Jackson River,

Cedar Creek and Clearbrook lake are all producing good catches. Beartree Lake,

in Washington County and Whitetop Laurel are also giving up some trout.

Maryland creeks producing good trout fishing include Gunpowder Creek, Hunting

Creek and Savage River. Streamers are the recommended lure, but terrestrials

are working well on Gunpowder Creek.

S A L T W A T E R -

CHINCOTEAGUE - Catches include a mixed bag of flounder, croaker, spot, sea

mullet and sea bass, with best catches of flounder being made at Turner's Lump

just outside the inlet, the Main Channel and around the mouth of the inlet,

during clear water. Inside the inlet, croaker, to 18 inches, are biting

anything put in the water. Best area is Curtis Merritt Harbor, but limits may

be taken anywhere inside the inlet. Offshore, yellowfin tuna and dolphin are

being caught in Washington Canyon. Best catches of tuna are made less than 30

miles from the inlet by anglers chunking with fresh butterfish. Bluefin tuna

are being caught at the Parking Lot, along with occasional king mackerel and

dolphin. Some king and Spanish mackerel are being taken by trollers, while

surf anglers are taking fair numbers of flounder, spot and sea mullet. Inshore

boats are taking triggerfish over ocean wrecks.

WACHAPREAGUE - A few yellowfin tuna are reported at the 20 Fathom Fingers,

while bluefin dominate the catches at the 21 and 26 Mile Hills. A sprinkling

of dolphin to 12 pounds, false albacore, king and Spanish mackerel, and

amberjack are also being caught. Billfish are thick in the waters of

Washington and Poor Man's Canyons. Inside the inlet, huge schools of croaker

have arrived, with flounder, sea mullet and trout being mixed in the catches.

ONANCOCK - Excellent bottom fishing for spot and croaker in Pocomoke and

Tangier Sounds. Flounder remain in above average abundance, although lots are

undersized. Mixed in the catches are blowfish, dusky shark, sea mullet, small

cobia and lots of porgy. Late evening finds speckled trout feeding in the

creeks.

QUINBY - Several good flounder have been caught, particularly near the mouth

of the inlet, with some hitting on the backside of Hog Island. Croaker and

spot are showing well with the croaker approaching two pounds. A few sea

trout, 1-3 pounds, have also been showing. Better action has been at the Gap

and Eggen Marsh.

CAPE CHARLES - Citation flounder action is excellent in the Buoy 36A area.

Cobia and shark are being caught in the buoy 36A and 38A area, along with a

few red drum. Excellent fishing for croaker and spot along the channel edge

just off the Cement Ships on strips of squid or chunks of peeler crab.

Speckled trout are showing with consistency on the bayside creeks. On the

seaside, fair to good action on pan trout and flounder, along with 2-4 pound

croaker, has been found out of Oyster, near the Tripod buoy.

LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Excellent spot and croaker action is to be had

around the First Island and the Small Boat Channel of the Chesapeake Bay

Bridge Tunnel. Some cobia catches are recorded around the Second and Third

Islands. Flounder catches rate an ole' from anglers fishing around the High

Level Bridge and Small Boat Channel. Lots of big flounder, to seven pounds are

being weighed. A few speckled trout and several puppy drum were caught inside

Lynnhaven Inlet, while flounder anglers were doing well at the mouth. Inshore

boats were taking sea bass and tautog off the wrecks. Snapper bluefish are

taking poppers or spoons cast toward the rocks around the Fourth Island. Cobia

catches continue around Latimer Shoals, while York Spit and the Hump are also

producing well. Amberjack, to 50 pounds, are taking live fish, drifted around

the Chesapeake Light Tower. Fair catches of spot, croaker, flounder and a few

trout are being made at Twin Stakes and Y-9, while yellow bellied spot are

showing at C-39. Flounder continue to bite well around Plum Tree, the Bell

Buoy and Bluefish Rock. Good hauls of spot and croaker, plus a few grey trout

are also being made at Buoy 22. Larger croaker are found at the "Lumps",

located just off Cheatham Annex, in 35 feet of water. Some speckled trout are

being taken from the grass beds at the mouth of Mobjack Bay.

MIDDLE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Excellent catches of small bluefish are being

made from Smith Point Light to Tangier Island. Many of the largest fish are

found in deep water along the eastern side of the shipping channel, around

schools of weakfish. Bottom anglers are taking plenty of keeper spot and

croaker, along with some flounder and pan trout at Blackberry Hang. Pan trout

continue to bite well at Mud Leads, with croaker, spot, flounder and bluefish

mixed in the catches. Fair numbers of flounder are showing along the Smith

Point Jetty. Taylor blues are abundant around the Smith Point Light. The best

bottom fishing in the Rappahannock River for spot and croaker was off Gwynn

Island. Speckled trout continue to hit rubber-tailed jigs, fished on the grass

flats at the mouth of the Rappahannock River. Some cobia continue to be taken

in the vicinity of the Cut Channel. Spot fishing is excellent at the Silos.

Some large croaker and a few flounder are mixed in. Good catches of spot are

also made at Buoy 16 and Bowlers Light, while one pound croaker are being

taken at Bowlers Rock and just below the Power Lines.

UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA - Excellent bottom fishing is available for spot,

croaker, flounder and grey trout at Snake Reef, inside the Severn River, near

Brick House Bar, around Deale, at the mouth of the Choptank River, Sharps

Island Flats, Richland Point, Hooper Island Light and the Old 54 Wreck.

Snapper bluefish are available throughout the area. Better catches are coming

on small gold spoons, trolled through the schools and topwater baits and

spoons, cast into the schools.

OCEAN CITY - Good catches of flounder are available in the bay, while trout

and bluefish are available from the jettys. Offshore, dolphin and yellowfin

catches are good in Baltimore, Poor Man's and Washington Canyons, along with

excellent white marlin action.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Bluefin and yellowfin tuna, and dolphin are the mainstay

offshore, while sailfish and swordfish catches are marginally successful.

Inshore, amberjack remain active at the Southern Tower and the inshore wrecks,

taking drifted live bait. Trolling in the same area produces dolphin and

bluefish. The headboats are registering excellent catches of croaker, pan

trout, sea bass and triggerfish.

PIERS -

LYNNHAVEN - Bottom fishermen are catching spot, croaker and sea mullet.

Occasional runs of grey and speckled trout spice up the action. Casters are

taking bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Crabbing is good.

VIRGINIA BEACH - A good mix of spot, sea mullet, flounder, pan trout and

croaker provide good action for bottom anglers. Casters continue to find

Spanish mackerel and taylor blues from the end of the pier.

SANDBRIDGE - Spot and croaker provide the bulk of the action, with sea mullet

and flounder also reported.

OUTER BANKS, N.C. - Bottom fishing for spot, croaker, sea mullet, flounder and

trout has been excellent. Anglers using live bait at the end of the piers are

connecting on occasional cobia and king mackerel. Good numbers of speckled

trout are found along the beach, but many are small. Snapper blues, spot,

croaker and flounder are abundant at Oregon Inlet, while sheepshead and black

drum also put in appearances. Boaters are making some good catches of

flounder, to four pounds, in Davis Channel. Beach anglers report two pound

pompano along with sporadic catches of Spanish mackerel and taylor blues.

Outside the inlet, Spanish mackerel are found near Bodie Island Lighthouse,

with only a few taylor blues mixed in the catches. The inshore towers are

loaded with amberjack, where an occasional king mackerel or cobia is also

taken. Offshore, yellowfin tuna action is very good, NE of the inlet, along

the 785 line. Good billfish action is also available at the 480 line. Chicken

dolphin are plentiful, with limits common. Occasional bigeye tuna, to 200+

pounds, are also available. Headboats are loading up on medium croaker.

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

reached at: cetaylor2@verizon.net