Fishing Report

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AREA 1: D.C. AND VICINITY

POTOMAC RIVER: 0-35 miles (...) -- At Fletcher's Cove (Georgetown, off Canal Road; 202/244-0461) anglers will hook catfish, a bass or two and even a couple of stripers that still hang around. Now that the bass spawning is over, the downstream largemouths have taken up residence along tidal creek marsh banks, especially those with nearby "deep" water of five or six feet. Lots of action also can be found in milfoil, wild celery and hydrilla weedbeds. River guide Dale Knupp (301/934-9062) has had no trouble finding bass for his clients. Wacky-rigged scented worms, "creature" baits like Berkley's Beast or standard Texas-rigged plastics will produce in Aquia, Potomac, Quantico, Powell and Occoquan feeders on the Virginia side and every feeder creek from Broad Creek near Wilson Bridge down to the Chicamuxen Creek in Charles County. Topwater poppers and grass "rats" can do well if the water begins to recede. In the salty waters below Route 301 bridge, small croakers have been biting at Swan Point, with bigger specimens showing up toward Point Lookout.

WICOMICO RIVER: 55 miles (..) -- We keep hearing about great croaker catches out of Bushwood, but whenever I speak to local croaker fishermen, the word is the "hardhead" fishing has been fair at best, lousy at worst but never super productive.

MATTAWOMAN CREEK: 40 miles (...) -- A receding tide coupled to flooded grass or spatterdock fields can result in topwater popper bass catches, although soft plastics will be the best all-around lure from the Deep Point area clear up to Hancock Cove and the railroad tracks.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND LAKES: 40-50 miles (...) -- Gilbert Run Park's Wheatley Lake (Route 6, east of La Plata) turns up a mixed bag of bass, sunfish and surprising remnant trout that were stocked here earlier this year. St. Mary's Lake (south on Route 5, past Leonardtown to Camp Cosoma Road) delivers the goods for bass fans and sunfish fly-rodders or minnow and bobber anglers looking for crappies.

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) show good crappie action, especially around beaver huts, with bass going after Carolina-rigged plastics in deeper water ledges.

WSSC RESERVOIRS: 20-30 miles (...) -- (Triadelphia, off Route 97 or Route 650, in Montgomery County; Rocky Gorge, off Route 29, in Montgomery County) Bass can't be kept until June 16, but if you are practicing, note that they like scented plastic worms around waterlogged wood or long lake points early in the day. Crappies and sunfish are available.

PATUXENT RIVER: 25-60 miles (...) -- White perch are moving into the lower feeder creeks, with small rockfish seen on the main stem from the mouth up to Benedict. Croakers are active after sundown from the mouth up to Greenwell State Park.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR: 25-30 miles (...) -- In the Fountainhead Park area (Route 123, Fairfax County) and up-lake, anglers will score on good-sized bass along lake points and drops as they use Texas-rigged worms or slow-roll spinnerbait. Sunfish catches are super. Crappies are found more often now.

BURKE LAKE: 29 miles (...) -- (Ox Road, Route 123, Fairfax County) After the Occoquan Reservoir, this lake is rated second best for bass in Northern Virginia. That's good news for users of plastic worms, medium depth firetiger or shad color crankbaits. Crappies and sunfish are willing.