Weekend fishing report

Strong breezes along the middle Atlantic Ocean fronts last week kept many boaters tied to their docks, but those who went out scored mightily on yellowfin tunas, dolphinfish, bluefish, scattered billfish and wahoos. This is particularly true of the Virginia coastline.

Good fishing also was had up and down the Chesapeake Bay, and the merry parade of fish-catching boaters continues. From Poole’s Island in the upper Chesapeake down to Tangier Sound and the Northern Neck of Virginia, scads of rockfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel are hooked by trollers. Occasionally, surprisingly large redfish (red drum) are hooked by crab bait drifters around the Maryland/Virginia state line.

Inside the saltwater portions of the Rappahannock, Potomac and Patuxent rivers, you will find great numbers of fat Norfolk spot, white perch and various sizes of bluefish. As you head up into the tidal rivers, the Potomac holds the spotlight for bass anglers. Good catches of largemouths are seen by topwater and plastic worm users from the District’s waters down to western Charles County.

Only the mountain rivers have been a little disappointing, but that’s to be expected because there hasn’t been enough rain to raise the water levels and allow better fishing access with johnboats and rafts. All the same, a few fighting smallmouth bass are hooked from the low waters of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania down to Virginia’s James River.

…. = Excellent … = Good .. = Fair . = Poor

AREA 1: D.C. AND VICINITY

POTOMAC RIVER: 0-35 miles (…) — The Boathouse at Fletcher’s Cove (Georgetown, off Canal Road, 202/244-0461) and adjacent river areas are good mostly for catfish, but some bass and occasional walleyes are seen. Bass guides Andy Andrzejewski (301/932-1509) and Dale Knupp (301/934-9062) said, “We are still finding quality bass in grass beds. We start with topwater poppers during low-light conditions and while the tide is high work over the flooded vegetation. As the sun rises and the tide drops, we move to the outside edges of the grass and fish with stick worms and finesse worms rigged on a 1/8-ounce or 1/4-ounce slider head. Bass also will hit small crankbaits in firetiger or blue/chrome colors as well as white spinnerbaits with tandem Colorado blades in gold/chrome. Trees extending into the water beyond the grass edges have been producing some good size bass. Flipping boat docks with Berkley’s 4-inch Pulse Worms in the blue fleck color has also worked. The outgoing tide is by far the best, but some decent bass can be caught during incoming tides.” The lower Potomac has plenty of good spot fishing and a chance for scattered keeper rockfish and tasty young bluefish. In the Wicomico River, rental boaters who start at Quade’s Store in Bushwood (301/769-3903) continue to hook perch and some spot. Forget the croakers. They’re gone.

MATTAWOMAN CREEK: 40 miles (…) — If you can work a shallow and medium depth crankbait in crawfish or firetiger colors along the edges of a weed bed or marsh bank or around sunken wood, you might hook a bass. But soft plastic worms still are the most productive lures.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND LAKES: 40-50 miles (..) — Gilbert Run Park’s Wheatley Lake (Route 6, east of La Plata) is fine mostly for sunfish fanciers, although bass can be hooked and released here, too. St. Mary’s Lake (Route 5 south of Leonardtown, on Camp Cosoma Road) has shore walkers connecting on a few bass and plenty of sunfish.

LITTLE SENECA LAKE: 30 miles (…) — Black Hill Regional Park (off Route 117, near Boyds, 301/972-9396) and nearby Seneca Creek Lake (Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, 301/924-2127) are good for bass, sunfish and catfish especially if you fish as early or late as possible. Plastic worms on light slip sinkers or even weightless worms, rigged in “wacky” style, can produce bass catches.

WSSC RESERVOIRS: 20-30 miles (…) — (Triadelphia, off Route 97 or Route 650 in Montgomery County; Rocky Gorge, off Route 29 in Montgomery County) The DNR’s Keith Lockwood tells us about Laurel’s Peter Shumacher, who latched onto a 38-inch tiger muskie with a large Mepps bucktail spinner, then had a 36-inch rockfish a day later that struck a swimming bait. Meanwhile, early hours and lake points are a good combination for bass. Work topwater poppers around the edges of a point, then switch to plastic worms and you will score.

PATUXENT RIVER: 25-60 miles (…) — Ken Lamb of the Tackle Box in Lexington Park says, “Norfolk spot are still in the river and on the Chinese Muds. Perch fishing is as good as it gets. If you can see water, you are in the presence of white perch. Mixed with the perch are some 14- to 16-inch puppy drum that will take your spinnerbaits (orange Beetle Spins are my favorites). Puppy drum have to be 18 inches to keep in Maryland waters. A bit of peeler crab on the lure will drive the fish crazy as will a tiny piece of the bloodworm-flavored Fishbites and genuine bloodworms, too, of course.”

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR: 25-30 miles (…) — From the area of Fountainhead Park (Route 123, Fairfax County), park ranger Smokey Davis reports, “Buzz baits will take bass very early, but the bite doesn’t last long, so then go to deep blowdowns with jigs or brush hogs. Low water conditions have moved the crappies off the [Fountainhead] pier and boardwalk to deep blowdowns on the main lake. Catfish still are biting well on cut bait or chicken livers and bluegills remain plentiful. The reservoir is down five to six feet. Care must be taken when launching a boat. The water is still stained with surface temperatures hovering at the 80-degree mark.”

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