According to Capt. Steve Chaconas, bass in the Potomac River have committed to the spawning flats, but will move a bit deeper this week as water cools.
“Expect water to be cooling from the low 60s to upper 50s this week,” he says.
For fish close to drops, find them on the drops. In these areas, it’s drop shots and shaky heads. For shaky heads, try 1/4 ounce Mizmo BarbWire heads with black Quiver Stix. Keep baits on drops as long as possible with 8-pound test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon leaders tied to 15-pound test Torque braid.
For flats, cover water with a Lucky Craft LV-500 at high tide and LVR D-7 at low tide or in thicker grass. Using 12 pound test Gamma Edge will enable better strike detection and hook sets on longer casts. Using Mustad short shank triple grip triples will keep fish on better than round bends.
Time for split shot rigs on flats. Use 3/16 Water Gremlin BullShot bullet shaped split shot weights and the same line combo as the drop shot and make long casts. Soak soft plastics in garlic flavor Jack’s Juice Bait Spray. Slow short drags and stops. Also drop shot these areas. Make long casts and shake move a bit, stop and shake.
At low tides, use Mann’s Baby 1-Minus crankbaits over grass and around wood. Under cloudy skies or in stained water switch to 1/4 ounce Mann’s Classic spinnerbaits.
Speed is key. Slow in the cool mornings and a bit faster later in the day.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Trout Update
The mountain streams are in excellent condition and brookies are feeding on top. The Jackson has been productive following stable and reasonable water releases from Gathright. The South River in Waynesboro remains a hotspot with regular stockings and lots of holdovers.
Recent Trout Stockings
Allegany Co.: Jerry’s Run (04/06)
Amherst Co.: Davis Mill Creek (4/2); Pedlar River (Lower) (04/05)
Augusta Co.: Braley Pond (4/4); Hearthstone Lake (4/4); Lower Sherando Lake (4/5)
Bath Co.: Douthat Lake & Wilson Creek (Fee Area) (4/4); Pads Creek (4/5)
Bland Co.: Wolf Creek (4/4)
Buchanan Co.: Dismal River (4/5)
Craig Co.: Barbours Creek (4/5); Potts Creek (04/06)
Dickenson Co.: Cranesnest River (04/06); Pound River (Flannagan Dam) (04/06); Russell Fork River (Bartlick) (04/06); Russell Fork River (Haysi) (04/06)
Floyd Co.: Burkes Fork (04/06); Little River (04/06)
Greene Co.: South River (4/4); Swift Run (4/4)
Henry Co.: Smith River (Lower) (4/4); Lee Co.; Martins Creek (4/4); North Fork Powell River (4/4)
Madison Co.: Hughes River (04/06)
Patrick Co.: Dan River (below Powerhouse) (4/5); Ararat River (04/06); Clarks Creek (04/06)
Roanoke Co.: Glade Creek (4/4); Roanoke River (Salem) (04/06)
Rockbridge Co.: Irish Creek (04/06)
Russell Co.: Big Cedar Creek (4/5)
Smyth Co.
South Fork Holston River (Buller Dam) (4/4)
Wise Co.: Middle Fork Powell River (Appalachia) (4/4); South Fork Powell River (4/4)
Chickahominy Lake
Capt. Art Conway out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the high 50’s in the lower main lake and in the major creeks on Wednesday
Some blue cats and a few bullheads were still in channels and winter holes, but others had moved onto flats and into creeks. Cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie seemed to be in multiple patterns in response to recent temperature fluctuations, with some crappie on spawning sites, a fair number of crappie widely scattered along creek channels, and a few crappie on deeper cover outside creek mouths. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and on flats in major creeks and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Small to medium bluegill and shellcracker were starting to accumulate along some shorelines in major creeks and were hitting flies and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along shorelines, on flats, and along drop-offs in the major creeks. When active, bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Bill Edwards and Ron Hummel had 24 crappie, 4 yellow perch, 1 flier, 1 bowfin, 3 pickerel, and 2 bass. Jack and Rob Dietrich had 10 crappie, 1 yellow perch, 1 shellcracker, 9 pickerel, and 1 bass.
Rappahannock River
Charley Taylor reports that weather this weekend should bring on the shad, perch and herring run. Lots of stripers, white perch, crappie and largemouth bass are in tidal sections of the river. Above the city, smallmouth bass are taking small crankbaits and plastic grubs. Fish the deeper holes.
Shenandoah River
The river is up and stained. The cold front slowed down what was already slow smallmouth action. Catfish will be soon be active in advance of the spawn.
Lake Anna
Bass fishing is good, fronts permitting. Stripers are active in the Dyke Three area, and uplake, around the mouth of Christopher Run. Crappie are hitting small minnows and jigs around boat docks and beaver lodges.
Tidal James
Lots of 30-plus pound blue cats are being caught on cut herring or shad in the Tidal James. Fishing for both hickory and American shad is picking up. White perch fishing is good around the I-95 Bridge.
Lake Chesdin
Crappie fishing has been very good for anglers using live minnows and tiny jigs. Bass turned last week, with a good number of fish over the five-pound mark being caught.
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. Catfishermen are doing well on cut bait. White and yellow perch are biting throughout the river on bloodworms. Some herring and shad are taking small shad darts and small spoons.
Lake Gaston
Largemouth bass action is fair. Much of the lake is dirty, but clearing, although the backs of southside creeks are still dingy. Crappie fishing is good, with the better catches coming from brushpiles and bridge pilings. Striper fishing is off slightly, but fish are still being caught on live shad. The shad run at Weldon, N.C. is on with lots of fish being caught.
Buggs Island
The lake is at full pool. Stripers are biting well from Nutbush Creek to Palmers Point, and from the mouth of Eastland Creek to Butchers Creek. The stripers appear to be moving up the lake, starting their spawning runs into the Dan and Staunton Rivers.
Briery Creek Lake
Some decent bass were taken over the weekend. Several over six pounds were weighed. Most bass were caught on jumbo minnows. Bream and crappie are biting very well.
Smith Mountain Lake
Largemouth are hanging off main channel points. Bass are also starting to spawn in some of the shallow areas. Crappie are on brush piles, back in the creeks. Stripers running 10 – 20 pounds are coming from fairly shallow water.
Lake Moomaw
Anglers fishing live minnows in deeper water near the dam are catching some brown trout. Smallmouth bass are being caught on the main lake points with jig ‘n pigs and spinnerbaits. Lots of smallmouth bass are on the beds and not biting, but largemouth are taking up the slack, with a number of bass over five pounds weighed in last week. Crappie anglers are taking nice stringers of fish, along with an occasional catfish. Yellow perch are also biting well.