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   4/06     0904    1620    2151    0323     0618    2003

Thursday    4/07     0934    1657    2223    0359     0617    2004

Friday      4/08     1012    1737    2301    0438     0615    2005

Saturday    4/09     1055    1821    2347    0523     0614    2006

Sunday      4/10     1147    1910    - - -   0612     0612    2007

Monday      4/11     1247    2005    0043    0709     0611    2008

Tuesday     4/12     1357    2105    0148    0814     0609    2009

Wednesday   4/13     1511    2205    0254    0926     0608    2012

Thursday    4/14     1619    2303    0355    1038     0606    2013

Friday      4/15     1719    2358    0450    1144     0605    2014

Saturday    4/16     1814    - - -   0542    1244     0603    2015

Sunday      4/17     1907    0051    0632    1341     0602    2116

OVERVIEW - Given the warmer weather this week, bass have moved up into the

shallow spawning areas adjacent to the nearest deeper water. Remember, deep is

relative. It may mean 14 feet, but it also may mean 4 feet. They are still

anxious to nest and a couple of more warm days will put them in the mood. This

weekend should see lots of bass looking for nesting sites. Check out shallow

sandy or gravel bottoms in direct sunlight in coves or backs of creeks for

bedding bass. Grass beds are also good bedding spots. Rat-L-Traps, plastics

and jig 'n pig are the preferred baits, although a well cast and worked Rapala

will also take some big fish.

POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - The herring, hickory shad, white perch and striped bass

are present in the waters above Key Bridge, although the water is still a

little high and muddy. Anglers at Fletcher's Boathouse are catching shad,

stripers and catfish, along with the herring and white perch, when they can

get out. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish and carp are also

actively foraging throughout the area. Call 202-244-9461 for latest fishing

report. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits, rattling crankbaits and plastics are taking

good numbers of bass throughout the city. Most of the bass are located in

weedbeds or on shallow, rock or gravel points and banks, adjacent to deeper

water. As the sun warms the water, the bass come into the shallows to feed.

Better areas for bass are Columbia Island Lagoon, Blue Plains, Oxon Cove,

Washington Channel and the Spoils. White perch may be taken on bloodworms or

nightcrawlers throughout the city. Cut herring is the bait of choice for

catfish. Crappie are available around any shallow brush or boat docks.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Most of the bass are to be found

on points on the main river which contain rocks. Fish the shallow water during

the high incoming tides and the dropoffs during the outgoing tides. The creeks

are holding their share of bass. Concentrate on shallow gravel banks,

dropping off into deeper water, and on lily pad fields on creek bends. Main

river grass beds are also holding lots of bass. Small plastic baits and

topwaters will take the fish. Better fish are holding in deeper water, on

isolated clumps of grass, off the main grass beds. Rattling crankbaits and

spinnerbaits are the better choice here. Better areas are Wades Bay, Blue

Banks, the mouths of Aquia and Potomac Creeks and Chickamuxen Creek.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - This weekend should see Spring fishing at it's finest.

Herring have invaded the river, bringing with them the white perch, hickory

shad, and stripers. These, combined with the resident channel catfish, crappie

and largemouth bass, are providing good action for anglers in the river. White

perch anglers are filling coolers on bloodworms and nightcrawlers. Bass are

taking plastic worms, jigs and crankbaits and crappie are being caught on

small minnows and jigs. Catfish still like cut herring.

DOGUE CREEK - Persistant reports have anglers catching Northern Snakehead

around the shallow docks in Dogue Creek. Just about anything put in the water

will draw a strike from the aggressive fish. Remember, when it comes to

snakeheads, KILL YOUR CATCH, and then notify the VDGIF at 800-770-4951.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - With the warmer temperatures this weekend, expect the

weekend fishing to pick up, with crappie and bass biting well. Bass are being

caught on flats in the back ends of coves uplake. The most productive baits

are spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Downlake, fish main lake points with

spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms. Crappie are found suspended over

points on the main lake and around the brushpiles under the fishing pier. The

area around the mouth of Sandy Run is producing a few bass, but the ones

caught are good size. Catfish are still biting well on cut baits fished on the

bottom.

BURKE LAKE - Big bass are being caught daily. Bass are located in shallow

water, just off the grass beds, late in the afternoon. Topwater baits are the

key, with Rapalas being very successful. Crappie, to 1.5 pounds, are suspended

over the brushpiles and beaver lodges in 6-15 feet of water. Shellcrackers are

taking nightcrawlers.

POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Smallmouth action should pick up quickly with the

current warm weather. That is, as soon as the water levels moderate.

Conditions are not quite right for the bronzebacks to start spawning, but it

is very close. Small chartreuse and shad colored crankbaits and spinners will

take these brawny battlers, when fished below riffles in deeper pools. Crappie

are still present in creek mouths and catfish are willing to take live minnows

and cut bait anywhere in the river. Bluegills are holding close to the

weedbeds, just downstream, out of the current. Small flyrod poppers, spinners

and grubs will fill any stringer with good-sized sunfish.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Shad and herring have arrived at the U.S. Route 1 bridge,

with good concentrations of shad under the bridge and upstream in the rapids. 

Herring are also present in full force. Good smallmouth action in the city

section of the river. Large blue catfish continue to be caught in good

numbers, on cut bait. Stripers to 20+ pounds are also spawning around the

bridge.

SHENANDOAH RIVER - Although water temperatures are rising, smallmouth bass are

latching onto small, smoke colored grubs fished in the deeper holes in the

river. Catfish are taking nightcrawlers and cut bait. Crappie and sunfish are

taking small minnows, spinners and tiny grubs. Overall fishing is excellent.

LAKE ANNA - Bass fishing is great, with bass hitting crankbaits, spinnerbaits

and plastic worms in the shallows. Topwater baits are taking some good fish

throughout the lake. Lots of spawning fish are being found in the coves and

creek arms throughout the lake. Stripers are hitting four inch pearl colored

Sassy Shads in the Dyke Three area and in the "S" turns in the Pamunkey.

Crappie are hitting small minnows and jigs around boat docks and beaver

lodges.

MATTAPONI & PAMUNKEY RIVERS - Throughout the rivers, white perch, catfish,

bluegill, herring and small bass are being caught. Upriver, the catches

include herring, hickory shad, stripers, bass, crappie and catfish.

JAMES RIVER - Catfish are the ticket in the tidal sections of the river. Lots

of blue cats over 40 pounds, are biting well on cut herring or shad. Largemouth

bass action has been slow, but should improve with the warmer weather. White

perch fishing is good around the I-95 Bridge. Above the city, the fishing is

excellent for smallmouth bass on topwater baits. Some smallmouth bass are

being caught on jig 'n pig baits and live minnows in the deeper holes. 

LAKE CHESDIN - Crappie fishing is excellent on live minnows and tiny jigs.

Many fish over the two pound mark have been weighed. Bass are turned on, with

lots of 5-6 pound fish being taken this past week on jig 'n pig, spinnerbaits

and crankbaits. A few stripers to 14 pounds are being caught on crankbaits.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - The river is clear. Crappie fishing is excellent, with

live minnows, fished at high tide on the cypress knees, bringing in the larger

fish. Topwater baits, fished in the lily pads, are taking good numbers of

large bass, while white spinnerbaits, fished in the grass, are doing equally

well. Catfishermen are doing well on cut eel. Flyrodders are taking good

numbers of sunfish from shallow creek mouths. At Walkers Dam, anglers are

filling buckets with herring.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Crappie, bass and pickerel are the catch here, with live

minnows being the preferred bait. A few trophy bass are taking rattling

crankbaits, spinnerbaits and live minnows, while yellow perch are taking live

minnows. This week should see bluegills taking flies.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR - Good largemouth bass action, as fish 2-9 pounds were

caught on plastic worms and crankbaits. Crappie action has picked up, with

lots of large crappie being taken. Stripers are biting well for those who fish

the lake consistently.   

BACK BAY - A few bass are being caught around the duck blinds in the bay and

on spinnerbaits in the creeks. Lots of channel catfish, 12-18 pounds, are

being caught throughout the bay, while anglers are taking smaller bass, white

perch and crappie in the creeks at the northern end of the bay. Bass are

beginning to spawn in West Neck Creek, as beds are reported in some of the

coves.

SUFFOLK LAKES - Lots of panfish action, with bream and crappie providing

excellent catches. Bream are taking live crickets, worms and small grubs,

while crappie are being taken on live minnows. Shellcracker action is

beginning to heat up, with a number of citations being caught this past week.

Bass are active, taking jig 'n pig and spinnerbaits, with a number of larger

fish being caught this past week. Catfish are suckers for cut bait. Striper

action exploded this past week in Western Branch, with lots of the big fish

being caught.

LAKE GASTON - Largemouth bass are biting well. Look for the warmest water and

throw rattling lipless crankbaits or Zoom Flukes around boat docks, around

cover on points and in the shallow coves. Retrieve the lures at medium or fast

speeds and you should catch fish. Most of the lower lake is clear, so rattling

crankbaits should work extremely well. Crappie fishing is good, with most of

the better catches being made around brushpiles and bridge pilings. Striper

fishing is off slightly, but fish are still being caught on live shad. Lots of

catch and release striper fishing, along with the shad, in the Roanoke River,

below the dam.

BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - The water level is falling. Currently, it stands at 303

feet. The current has all the fish biting well. Stripers are biting on live

shad, from buoy 10 to Bluestone Creek. Fishing is good in the upper end of the

lake, as the stripers continue their spawning run. Red Fins and small Shad

Raps are the prime lures, while three inch Sassy Shads are taking white bass,

from Bluestone Creek upriver. Largemouth bass are taking spinnerbaits, Speed

Shads and plastic grubs in the willow bushes on main lake points. These fish

are in the pre-spawn mode, while the fish in the backs of the creeks are

fanning beds and taking jig 'n pig and topwater lures.

BRIERY CREEK & SANDY RIVER RESERVOIRS - Excellent bluegill action, along with

continuing catches of Florida strain largemouth bass. Most of the bass caught

this week ranged from 3-6 pounds, with a couple of fish weighing over eight

pounds. Crappie are biting well in both lakes and pickerel are doing well in

Sandy River.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Largemouth bass fishing is excellent. Small jigs

and pumpkin, blue-flash or smoke colored, four inch plastic worms are the

better choice for lures. Stripers, 14-20 pounds, are being taken between

the islands at the lower end of the lake in shallow water. Stripers are also

active on the points in Craddock and Witcher Creeks. Fish bucktails in 2-8

feet of water and live shad at 15 feet. Crappie fishing is excellent, with

lots of big fish.

LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - Minnows are the choice of baits for schooling white

bass. Good striper fishing on Cordell Redfins. Some fish over 20 pounds were

caught this past week. Good largemouth bass fishing with Rat-l-traps, jigs and

plastic baits. Catfishing is good.

LAKE MOOMAW - Some brown trout, to five pounds, and smallmouth bass, also to

five pounds, are being caught, along with a few citation yellow perch.

PHILPOTT LAKE - The lake is clear, but the water temperature is in the mid-

fifties. Crappie and bass are being caught on live bait. Bluegills are taking

nightcrawlers and fly rod poppers. Smith River trout anglers continue to do

well, as do trout anglers in the lake, when the turbines are not turning.

SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - Crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and white

bass are being caught by anglers using live minnows, small jigs and

crankbaits. The bass are being taken in the shallows.

CLAYTOR LAKE - Lots of crappie action, along with a few stripers, bluegill and

bass.

TROUT STREAMS - Excellent trout fishing everywhere. Bullpasture and Jackson

Rivers and Stoney Creek are all doing well. Headwaters of the North Fork of

the Shenandoah River is producing good rainbows. Back Creek and Paddy Run

continue to be good, producing on streamers or small spoons. The Robinson

River around Criglersville is also producing well for anglers fishing small

spoons or spinners.

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

at: cetaylor2@verizon.net