Capt. Steve Chaconas
Colder nights and shorter days will cool the Potomac River. Depth and speed are the keys. It’s time to slow down.
Water temperature is falling from the low 50s this week. A dry week ahead with a chilly start on Monday, highs only in the upper 40s warming up to the mid 60s by the weekend. Friday, the low will be in the mid 40s.
Tight wiggle, flat-sided crankbaits on 10-pound test GAMMA Copoly line are the best way to trigger strikes. Work areas with wood cover close to drops. Lucky Craft KJ 1.5 crankbaits are good to 3 feet. To go deeper, try a Lucky Craft Flat Mini DR.
Grubs, like Mann’s Stingray on 1/4 ounce or lighter ball head jigs tied to 6-pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line, can be worked shallow to deep. Also try using 15-pound test GAMMA Torque braid with Edge leader. This setup will be effective for drop shot, split shot and shaky head. For drop shot, try a 1/8-ounce with green pumpkin Mizmo Doodle worms. Same bait and weight for split shot rigs with a 2/0 Mustad Mega Bite hook. For shaky heads, use 1/8-ounce Mizmo BarbWire heads and the same worm. Keep baits on the bottom moving very slowly with frequent stops. Punisher hair jigs soaked in garlic flavor Jack’s Juice Bait Spray are also a good way to encourage bass to bite. Let jigs sit and shake occasionally.
Slow down and take note of the depth fish are holding. Work down drops and focus on staying on or near cover.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Chickahominy Lake
Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the high 40’s in the lower lake and the low 40’s in the upper lake on Wednesday (11/25/2015). The lake level was a few inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown and very slightly cloudy in the central lower lake.
Blue cats and a few bullheads were moving into the channels and winter holes and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Moderate numbers of crappie were in loose schools in the main lake on deeper flats, channel edges, and channels, usually at depths of 7 to 15 feet, sometimes suspended, and frequently in the neighborhood of wood cover. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, small swim baits, jigging spoons, and blade baits. Some small to medium yellow perch were scattered on main lake flats and on flats in creek mouths and were hitting live minnows, small jerk baits, and small jigs. Most bluegill and shellcracker had moved to the deep edges of hydrilla flats, to mid-depth wood cover, or into channels and were hitting live crickets and worms, small blade baits, tubes, and jigs. Some bass and pickerel were on lily pad flats and along shorelines in lower reaches of major creeks and in shallow bays and some shorelines in the main lake, while other bass and pickerel were on deeper flats and channels in the main lake. Bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Carolyn and Mark Drexler had 12 crappie, 6 white perch, and 1 bass. Carolyn Conway had 6 crappie and 1 yellow perch. Tom Porter had 26 crappie, 3 pickerel, and 1 bass.
Rivers Overview
The James and Shenandoah are at full pool as water temperatures drop to the low 50’s. Successful anglers will fish slower and find the mid-afternoon time slot to be the best time to be on the water – as well as the most comfortable time to fish. Grubs and pig ‘n jigs will be top producers for larger fish.
Recent Trout Stocking
Albemarle Co.: Scottsville Lake (11/21)
Amherst Co.: Rocky Row Run (11/24)
Bland Co.: Wolf Creek (11/21)
Floyd Co.: Burkes Fork (11/24); Little River (11/24)
Roanoke Co.: Roanoke River (City) (11/23)
Rockingham Co.: Silver Lake (11/23)
Wythe Co.: Gullion Fork Ponds (11/23)