Fish Report June 2017

The Tidal Potomac will be back to normal after the significant high water events we experienced at the end of April that put a premature end to #shadnessmadness. Sadly, the shad and migrant stripers are gone but as is the case with fishing in around the District – one window closes, another door opens….now is the time to pick your shots at the three main bass species on the river (schoolie stripers, largemouth, and smallmouth) or attempt to tangle with one of our odd ball warm water species (northern snakehead, carp, walleye, & gar). While all of these options are a blast, they all require different tactics.

            Striped Bass: Fish early and late in the day in areas that feature current, structure, and ample bait supply. As the water warms, expect activity to almost exclusively be under these conditions. Spots like Gravelly Point, the gates at the Tidal Basin, and Chain Bridge are all strong recommendations for coming tight to line-siders. We recommend a 6-8wt fly rod with a Hydros Depth Charge 250grain sinking line for streamers and the Saltwater All-Rounder for topwater antics. As far as flies go, you’ll want to have a good mix of small streamers and topwater in your box. Make sure you’ve got a couple gurglers and #2 clousers in there!

            Largemouth: Similar to stripers, look to fish early and late in the day for “Larry”. Largemouth will be looking up for the next month or so as the frog pattern develops on the main river and tributaries. Be sure to load up on deer hair frogs, divers, and mice patterns but don’t be afraid to through the tried and true Boogle Bug either.

            Smallmouth: Look for the smallmouth bite to pick up in a big way as the thermometer starts to rise. Unlike largemouth and stripers, smallies LOVE warm water. Fisheries such as the Shenandoah and Upper Potomac will be firing on all cylinders as the calendar churns towards the dog days of summer. Don’t neglect local smallie havens such as Chain Bridge and Rock Creek Park….Fishing early and late in the day will give you your best shots at tangling with a big bronzeback. Must have flies will be CK Krittermite, Boogle Bugs in black, yellow, and blue, small streamers such as the Midnight Minnow or flash buggers, and crayfish patterns.

            Northern Snakehead:  Focus on areas with dense vegegation and pretend like you’re fishing for largemouth…

            Carp: The C&O Canal, Shenadoah, and Upper Potomac will be carp strongholds through the dog days of summer into fall. The best way to target these “river donkeys” is to sight fish them in shallow water. Carp this time of year will often be tailing – feeding with their head down in the mud as they suck up nymphs, small crayfish, and other macro-invertebrates. Presentation is 98% of the game – so be sure to lengthen those leaders out to 10ft or more and make quiet, stealthy casts near or around the fish. Productive flies will be damselfly and dragonfly nymphs, small woolybuggers and crayfish patterns. In areas that have cicadas…be sure to have a few patterns in your box.

            Gar: Now is the time to tangle with one of the Potomac’s most bizzare species – the Longnose and Alligator Gar. Due to their bony beaks, it is hard to make a solid hookset using standard flies. We recommend using “rope flies” – large, hookless streamers that are specifically designed to get tangled in the Gar’s teeth. While fish do not eat during the spawn, Mid-June through July offers anglers the unique opportunity to sight fish these monsters.  Fish over 5 feet are not uncommon…

            Walleye: Fish slow and deep during low light hours in areas with steep depth change. If walleye are your fancy, the Potomac has a strong population of these rarely seen critters. Gravelly Point, Chain Bridge, and Fletcher’s Cove are a few of our favorite spots. As far as flies go, standard #2 clousers and a 250gr Depth Charge line are hard to beat.

Trout Water

Expect trout to start looking up in a big way as terrestrial season will soon be upon us! With the recent rains we’ve received, the spring creeks and free-stones will be flush with water offering up prime opportunities for trout enthusiasts to do some serious work. Whether it’s drifting a #20 zebra midge in the riffle, floating a #18 caddis on the seam, or swinging our “iced out” sculpin along an undercut bank – it is a great time to be a trout fisherman.

Spring Creeks: With the recent rains, be prepared to bring the meat! Most spring creeks have been off color, but as the water clears up you can expect the usual assortment of small nymphs, dries (BWO, sulphurs, & terrestrials), and streamer. Typically the bigger fish feed in low light conditions so throw streamers early and late in the day. Let the conditions dictate your fly selection!

            Freestones:  Fish will be looking up all summer. Pack your favorite nymphs, dries, and streamers and hit the park!

Salty Stuff – Chesapeake Bay

Similar to the Potomac, most of the large migratory striped bass have left the Chesapeake to summer in the cooler waters of the Northeast. That said, there are still plenty of good fish around! From boat, look to fish the main channel ledges and use electronics to mark schools of fish. While the average size decreases in the summer to around 18” or so, there are still a few, big stragglers around. Use a Hydros Depth Charge 350gr sinking line to get your flies down deep and to the fish! As the summer progresses, we’ll start seeing fish breaking underneath birds. While these fish are often schoolies, they put up a great fight on lighter fly gear (6-7wt fly rods) and absolutely destroy topwater flies! Gurglers, poppers, & crease flies are your best bets when thrown around breaking fish, but if streamers are your game – it’s very hard to beat a small clouser or bay anchovy imitation.