Fishing Report for D.C, Maryland, Virginia - Nov

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wgbassgirl
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Fishing Report for D.C, Maryland, Virginia - Nov

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Fishing Report for D.C, Maryland, Virginia
Provided by The Washington Times
The Washington Times
Gene Mueller
November 8, 2007

AREA 1: D.C. AND VICINITY

POTOMAC RIVER: 0-35 miles (**) — At Fletcher's Cove (Georgetown, off Canal Road; call 202/244-0461) you will find a few smallmouth and largemouth bass on grubs, plastic worms or crankbaits. Catfish are always in residence. Downstream, grass beds continue to break up, but unusually large portions continue to look green and healthy, providing sanctuary for the largemouth bass. Most of the bass hounds now look for open pockets around sunken wood, boat docks and rock piles for their fish. Large blue catfish are active between Wilson Bridge and Piscataway Creek. Bottom-fished fillets of menhaden or gizzard shad will draw them to the hooks. Be sure to use stout tackle. In the lower parts past St. Leonard's, the river is loaded with rockfish in the 18- to 24-inch range, and they're found in deep and shallow water, Ken Lamb says.

MATTAWOMAN CREEK: 40 miles (**) — Decent bass activity is possible around Trash Point, Deep Point and upstream in the slow zone above Slavins boat ramp. Catfish are hungry. Young stripers are hanging around the points.

SO. MARYLAND LAKES: 40-50 miles (**) — Gilbert Run Park"s Wheatley Lake (Route 6 east of La Plata) is always good for a few bass and sunfish, maybe a crappie or two. At St. Mary's Lake (south on Route 5 past Leonardtown to Camp Cosoma Road), the crappies are waking up, and they like small minnows under a bobber in the standing timber. Also fish for bass with shallow crankbaits around the dam's rip-rap.

LITTLE SENECA LAKE: 30 miles (**) — At Black Hill Regional Park (off Route 117 near Boyds, 301/972-9396), catfish are almost guaranteed, but a few bass are hooked now as well. Nearby Seneca Creek Lake (Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, 301/924-2127) offers bass that like crankbaits in crawfish patterns, but catfish and sunnies are always active.

WSSC RESERVOIRS: 20-30 miles (*) — (Triadelphia, off Route 97 or Route 650 in Montgomery County; Rocky Gorge, off Route 29 in Montgomery County) Both lakes might turn up a trophy bass now and then even though lower water has become the norm. Medium depth crankbaits, plastic grubs and worms are best.

PATUXENT RIVER:25-60 miles (***) — Rockfish are in the mouth, particularly at Cedar Point's ring of rocks but also up inside the river. The white perch have left the creeks and have gone deep. They can be caught from Solomons Pier if you use bloodworm or crab baits and make long casts into the deep drops.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR: 25-30 miles (**) — From Fountainhad Park (Route 123, Fairfax County) ranger Smokey Davis reported, "Some fine bass catches came over the weekend. Several fish over four pounds were caught by anglers who used crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms in the mouths and inside points of long, deep coves. Fountainhead Park will close for the season this Sunday, November 11, at 5 p.m. We will reopen in mid-March 2008."
BURKE LAKE: 29 miles (*) — (Ox Road, Route 123, Fairfax County) Bass and crappie catches have perked up but are still not as good as in past Novembers.


AREA 2: CENTRAL, WESTERN MD.


UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: 35-100 miles (***) — November can be a great time for smallmouth bass anywhere between Knoxville and the Edwards Ferry area. Small crankbaits, loud surface propeller lures, Zoom flukes and other soft plastics will do well.

DEEP CREEK LAKE: 179 miles (**) — Lake guide Brent Nelson (240/460-8839) says cooler water has made smallmouth bass more active. Walleyes, yellow perch and some fat largemouths are also possible. Try trolling a crankbait across lengthy lake points and see whether a walleye, pike or big bass might inhale it.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER: 65-100 miles (**) — The water has cooled quite a bit, as low as 53 degrees in some parts. Rattle baits find a willing largemouth or striped bass down near the mouth now and then, but some stripers are also taken near Conowingo Dam.


AREA 3: CHESAPEAKE BAY


MARYLAND: 45-75 miles (**) — From St. Jerome's Creek in St. Mary's County, Christy Henderson ([email protected]) said, "No big rockfish yet, not the licey kind. Over the weekend we had a lot of fishermen, but they all got skunked. Captain Jeff Popp went for blues, and he got a lot of them." Ken Lamb from the Tackle Box in Lexington Park said, "Solomons charter captain Chris Staley caught rockfish up to 38 inches with sea lice while live-lining spot last Wednesday. Captain Greg Buckner caught plenty of rockfish up to 28 inches using live spot all last week. The 'targets' below Cedar Point have the stripers, [but] the spot for live-lining are harder to catch every day. Most boats are switching to trolling and doing well with rockfish just about everywhere. Trollers are using umbrella rigs with smaller lures now as the big fish are not here yet in quantity. Last week's storm will shake things up in the Atlantic and drive the big fish into the bay." Meanwhile, breaking schools of rockfish have been seen from above the Bay Bridges down to the Virginia state line. The rockfish are everywhere, it seems.

VIRGINIA:75-150 miles (**) — In the Northern Neck, charter fishing captain Billy Pipkin (www.captbillyscharters.com) said, "The main pressure continues to be on the striped bass. They're available in great numbers just outside of Ingram Bay [Great Wicomico River area]. The Northern Neck Reef is yielding easy limits of 22- to 28-inch rockfish this week. Bluefish are running a consistent two to four pounds each day. The percentage of blues to striped bass is certainly dropping with the water temperatures. Chumming is the catalyst that encourages fish to gather at the reefs." Pipkin said topwater action can be had in the Rappahannock River from the bridge down to the mouth, at Windmill Point and up at Smith Point. He said that the ocean-run stripers have not yet come into his waters. Lower bay fishing around the Bay Bridge-Tunnel delivers smaller rockfish and flounder.


AREA 4: EASTERN SHORE/MD.

CHOPTANK RIVER: 120 miles (*) — (Route 50 east to Cambridge) Rockfish by the numbers, some of them occasionally erupting on the surface, are delighting local anglers.

POCOMOKE RIVER: 140-170 miles (*) — (From Snow Hill down to Shad Landing) Crankbaits and small plastic worms will get the bass anywhere shallow water drops into deep, especially near tree roots and such.

NANTICOKE RIVER: 120 miles (**) — (Sharptown ramp off Route 313 or use the Marshyhope Creek ramp outside Federalsburg) Wind has been a problem, but the bass are willing in brush, stump fields and spatterdock edges.


AREA 5: CENTRAL VIRGINIA

LAKE ANNA: 82 miles (..) — (Route 208, Spotsylvania County) Windy weather curtailed much of the fishing earlier this week, but the stripers, bass and crappies have felt the temperature changes, and they will be feeding.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER: 47-100 miles (**) Upper river smallmouth bass are crazy about a small tube jig in brown/red or chartreuse. The tidal waters below Fredericksburg will give up fair numbers of largemouth bass. Cast Rat-L-Traps into the creek mouths between Fredericksburg and Port Royal. If that doesn't work, switch to soft plastics and never overlook shoreline timber.

LAKE BRITTLE: 59 miles (*) — (Route 793, off Route 29) Crappies and bass are possible. Use small jigs and minnows for either species.

LAKE ORANGE: 75 miles (*) — (Concessionaire: 540/672-3997; look for left turn sign on Route 20 before entering town of Orange) Catfish will take bottom baits in channel ditches. A few bass are scored.

LAKE GASTON:. 179miles (*) — (Route 46, Gasburg) Don't give up
on the plastic worms. Four-inch scented Power Worms have done well around lake points and in the creeks. A few fat stripers have jumped on spinnerbaits and jerkbaits.

KERR RESERVOIR: 185 miles (**) — (Route 58, Clarksville) Crappie fishing is getting better every day. Deep brush piles are holding well-fed specimens and also some beautiful bass.

JAMES RIVER: 115 miles (**) — (Tidal Richmond area and downstream) It's mostly catfish for bottom bait bouncers from below Richmond to the Appomattox River.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER: 135 miles (**) — (Williamsburg area) Good bass and catfish action. Cut baits fished on weighted bottom rigs are deadly on the "cats," but crankbaits and plastics are better for bass.


AREA 6: WESTERN VIRGINIA

SHENANDOAH RIVER: 75-85 miles (**) — (Route 340, Front Royal, Luray and Bentonville areas) Improving chances for bass, including some smallmouths for fly-rodders that inhale Clouser Minnows and small deceivers.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE: 210 miles (*) — (Route 122, east of Roanoke) Call 540/721-4867 to see whether the boat ramps are operational. The bass fishing can be good right now. Hard jerkbaits have been best around obstructions in the water.

UPPER JAMES RIVER: 130 miles (**) — (Route 6 south of Charlottesville, Scottsville) Again this week the smallmouth bass fishing has been fine for waders and johnboaters who use a variety of spinning lures or fly-rod streamers and poppers.


AREA 7: ATLANTIC OCEAN

MARYLAND: 153-175 miles (**) — (Route 50 to Ocean City) Wind was a problem again, but things calmed down eventually, and anglers looking for rockfish and tautogs can score in the Ocean City inlet. The surf might deliver a striper now and then, while headboats look for sea bass and tautogs. Distant offshore fishing was canceled by strong winds.

VIRGINIA: 210 miles to Virginia Beach (*) — Ken Neill of the Peninsula Salt Water Sport Fisherman's Association has found flounder, sea bass and bluefish near the Chesapeake Light Tower, which is about 11 miles east of Rudee Inlet. Julie Ball says, "Consistent speckled trout action is happening in Rudee Inlet. The best producing lures are chartreuse or red/white Mirrolures, smoke-colored grubs and any colored Gulp grub. The inshore and bay tautog bite is beginning to draw more interest as reports of keeper fish up to eight pounds are trickling in. Chopper bluefish will begin circling offshore structures soon along with a possible bluefin tuna sighting." For more information, go to http://www.drjball.com. For charters, call the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, 757/491-8000.
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