Charlie Taylor Reports
James River
Above Richmond, smallmouth bass are taking plastics, top water lures and live baits. In the lower tidal sections, largemouth are orienting to creek mouths, coves and standing cypress. Blue catfish are biting well in the deeper channels below the city. White perch are still available below the Dutch Gap Power Plant.
Back Bay
White perch are hitting in the bay. Some bass are being caught around the grass beds on spinnerbaits and fly rod poppers, particularly in Red Head Bay. The creeks are producing bass on night crawlers and live minnows. Catfish, bluegills and a few crappie complete the action.
Lake Chesdin
Lots of bass in the 4-7 pound class are being taken from the lake. Buzzbaits are the best producing lure, fished early morning or late evening. Bream and crappie are providing good action for panfishermen
Chickahominy River
Fishing is picking up, as is the boat traffic. Lots of gar are being taken on live minnows around the dam. Largemouth bass, orienting to the lily pads, may be taken on buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and plastic worms.
Lake Gaston
Topwater baits are coming into their own on Gaston, where largemouth may be taken almost at will early and late in the day. The bass are active in shallow water on main lake points.
Buggs Island
The lake level is at 305 and rising. The most consistent pattern for bass this past week was Zoom Centipedes in pumpkinseed or watermelon seed, light sinkers, light line, fished on rocky bluffs. Lots of large crappie are taking slow-rolled spinnerbaits or jerk baits adjacent to brush. Crappie may also be found on bridge pilings and catfish are biting everything in sight. Cut shad or chicken livers in shallow water are the ticket for the cats. Striper fishing at the base of Kerr Dam is excellent. Fish to 18 pounds are not unusual. The key is determining when the gates are open. When only one gate is open, fishing is excellent. When more than one is open, fishing shuts down.
Occoquan River
Lots of Hickory shad continue to be caught in the back end of the river. Catfish are taking cut bait throughout the river. Crappie are consistent in the early evening along the shoreline and around boat docks. Best bait is live shiners. Bass are turning on, with most of the fish being taken on small plastic worms in shallow water or around wood cover.
Burke Lake
Bass are biting well. Most of the fish are in the shallows, with the best depth being less than three feet. Crappie fishermen are being rewarded with nice stringers. Some large bluegill are being taken from the spawning beds. Muskie are also becoming active.
Upper Potomac River
Smallmouth bass are taking small crankbaits, plastic grubs, spinners and live bait. Buzzbaits and Tiny Torpedos will also produce well early and late in the day. Anglers trolling Rapalas upstream, alongside weed beds, are taking occasional walleye. Carp are hitting Niblets corn.
Rappahannock River
The tidal section of the river is producing good stringers of largemouth bass, striped bass and giant blue catfish. Waders are still catching lots of Hickory shad around the Route 1 Bridge. Crappie action is spotty. White perch are being taken in numbers. Above the city, smallmouth bass are hitting plastic grubs, spider jigs and top water lures.
Shenandoah River
Both forks of the river are producing good numbers of smallmouth bass on small plastic worms and grubs. Bluegill are taking tiny spinners and Beetle Spins, while catfish may be taken on live minnows, night crawlers and chicken livers.
Lake Anna
Largemouth bass action is good on the main lake and in the creeks. Topwater baits early and late in the day are producing good stringers. A few walleye are being taken from shallow points on overcast days. Striper action is good, with most of the fish caught on Sassy Shads, Hopkins Spoons and live shad. Crappie are biting around the bridge pilings and beaver lodges.
Briery Creek Lake
Excellent bream fishing on crickets and red wigglers. Bass action is heating up with large numbers of 14-17 inch bass being taken on slowly fished soft plastics. Pickerel are hitting on top water baits. Crappie and bream anglers are creeling daily limits.
Smith Mountain Lake
Baitfish are moving onto the banks at night. This makes 9:30-11 p.m. the best time for striper fishing. Live shad are the best bait for the big fish, but Cordell Redfins and 1/3 ounce Hopkins Shorty with bucktail are also working. Largemouth bass are being taken on plastic worms and lizards in the Roanoke River arm of the lake, as they continue their spawn.
Plenty of large crappie are also available.
Lake Moomaw
Bass action is excellent. Anglers trolling or fishing live alewives in deep water at night are catching brown trout. Crappie fishing is very good. Rainbow trout have moved in the area around Fourtney Boat Landing. The fish are in the 12-16 inch range.
Philpott Lake
Smallmouth and walleye are the main targets. Plastic worms, soft plastic jerk baits and top water baits are luring the smallmouth, while crankbaits and night crawlers are catching walleye.
Claytor Lake
Stripers and hybrid stripers are taking Mann’s Stretch 20 plugs live bait and top water baits. Smallmouth bass are taking plastic grubs, while flathead catfish are taking cut bait, live minnows and crankbaits. Crappie action is fair to good. Lots of carp in the 20-pound pound range are being caught.
New River
Bass are turning on. There is also good catfish action, along with a few small walleye. Striper action is fair-to-good below the dam.
Trout Streams
Excellent conditions on both stocked and native streams as the Game Department enters the final month of spring stocking.
Potomac River
By Capt. Steve Chaconas
Fishing for Spawn and Post Spawn Bass
Bass are nesting and resting and this creates a change in presentations. A more targeted approach will yield bigger fish.
Texas-rigged Mizmo tubes are a great way to target bedding bass or bass holding tight to wood or grass cover. Use a 3/0 Mustad Mega Bite hook on 14-pound test Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon line with a 3/16-ounce bullet weight. Pitch to holes in the grass at higher tides and to outer edges at lower tides. Docks are a great place to find both bedding and recovering post spawn bass.
Lucky Craft Gunfish methodically walked over grass and around docks will get bites. Do not stop when fish hit and miss the bait. Just keep walking and they will come back for seconds. Line is important too. GAMMA Torque braid, 30-50 pound test has low stretch making it easier to walk the Gunfish and set the hook on long casts.
Chickahominy Lake
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Mickey Cleveland had 2 bluegills, 6 crappie, 3 white perch, one blue cat, and a bass. Don and Matt Pullen had 2 bluegills, 23 crappie, 3 white perch, 3 blue cats and 1 pickerel. Tom Porter had 9 bluegills, 1 shellcracker, 9 crappie, 1 yellow perch, 1 blue cat and 4 bass.