Capt. Steve Chaconas doesn’t mind the rain when it comes to fishing on the Potomac. Steve says some big fish are being caught and if the weather holds up, this could be one of the best weeks of the year.
While aggressive baits like Lucky Craft LVR D-7 lipless crankbaits are good to snap free from grass and slow rolling spinnerbaits and Chatterbaits will also produce, it’s soft plastics in the grass that will land the big ones consistently. Texas rigged Mizmo tubes, green pumpkin with orange will be the best bet. Use 16-pound test GAMMA Edge Fluorocarbon line and a 3/16-ounce weight with a 3/0 Mustad tube hook. Pitch to grass and shake. Locate groups of milfoil clumps of 3 or more and pitch into the center. Also pitch along side of the clumps with the current. Add a spray of attractants like Jack’s Juice garlic.
Drop shot rigs with 6-8 inch leaders using a 20-pound Torque braid mainline and a 12-pound Edge leader. A 2/0 Mustad Megabite hook and a finesse worm will entice bedding bass into biting. Also a shaky head stickworm with a Mizmo BarbWire jig head will keep baits in beds to provide hits.
On wood, I still use the plastics, but add in a dose of Mann’s Baby 1-Minus crankbaits on 12-14 pound Edge. Crank these baits along lay-downs and make contact. Pause and retrieve.
With boat traffic, lower Power Pole shallow water anchors and turn off electronics. Make repeated casts in an area before moving.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Rivers Overview
We needed the rain, but if you were planning a fishing trip on the James, Shenandoah or some of the other major rivers this weekend, you might reconsider. The rivers are high, muddy and swollen. Smallmouth that were getting ready to spawn, have backed off the banks. Next week is looking better.
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. Shad darts and tiny gold spoons are the best baits.
Buggs Island Lake
The lake level is around 300, but rising, meaning the bass could soon be “back in the bushes.” Crappie are on fire, many spawning while some have finished. They range in depths from 1 foot of water out to 12 feet. Catfishing has been steady. Stripers are active below Kerr Dam during water releases.
Smith Mountain Lake
Night fishing has been good at Smith Mountain, especially for stripers. Bass are spawning throughout the lake and crappie are being caught beneath boat docks and on shallow brush.
Stanton/Dan Rivers
The stripers out of Buggs Island are making their way up the Dan and Stanton Rivers to spawn. Fishing conditions on both rivers are poor, now, with high, muddy water. In past years, the stripers moved at a faster clip in high water, so the big fellas (and ladies) should be well on their way.
Lake Orange
The lake is full, a bit discolored and is offering good opportunities for walleye, catfish, bass and crappie. Bream and redear sunfish have not yet gone on their beds.
Trout Streams
The mountain trout streams have gone from low and clear to raging torrents in a matter of a week.
However, this weekend will be an excellent time to visit one of the recently stocked streams below. Chances are, most of those fish are still around and they should be well dispersed.
Amherst Co.: Little Irish Creek (5/2); Rocky Row Run (5/2); Davis Mill Creek (5/3); Pedlar River (Upper) (5/3)
Bath Co.: Douthat Lake & Wilson Creek (Fee Area) (5/2); Cowpasture River (5/3); Jackson River (Hidden Valley) (5/4)
Bedford Co.: Liberty Lake (5/3)
Bland Co.: Laurel Fork Creek (Kids Day) (4/30)
Botetourt Co.: Jennings Creek (5/3)
Floyd Co.: Laurel Fork (5/2); West Fork Little River (5/4)
Giles Co.: Dismal Creek (Kids Day 4/30) & (5/4)
Highland Co.: S. Br. Potomac River (5/2)
Patrick Co.: Dan River (Above Talbott) (5/2)
Roanoke Co.: Roanoke River (City) (4/30)
Rockbridge Co.: Maury River (5/2); Mill Creek (5/2)
Rockingham Co.: Silver Lake (5/3); Dry River (5/4)
Scott Co.: Stock Creek (4/30)
Shenandoah Co.: Tomahawk Pond (5/3)
Lake Anna Outlook
By Guide Chris Craft
BASS- Early this month, you will still be able to find fish spawning. Although most of the fish spawned with the full moon last month, there will remain some spawning activity all month. Towards the middle to the end of the month, we will really be getting into post spawn conditions. Anglers will find male fry guarders and recovered females in search of an easy meal.
If you don’t want to sight-fish for spawners, break out soft jerkbaits and start fishing every boat dock, every lay down and every blade of willow grass you can reach. Although you can catch bass on spinnerbaits, shakey heads, jig & pig combos, shallow crankbaits and a variety of top water baits, the soft jerkbait is my favorite early in the month.
About mid month, the top water bite will really kick in. Walking baits such as the Paycheck Baits Repoman & Damiki Rambler as well as buzz baits will draw violent strikes from hungry largemouth. Fish them on rocky points, around emerging willow grass and boat docks.
Look for bluegill beds in the shallows, especially the ones around boats docks. There will be bass somewhere in the area waiting for the opportunity to seek revenge. Poppers are a great way to catch these fish, the new for 2016 Live Target Hollow Body Sunfish should also catch them around the bluegill beds.
As the month draws to a close, shakey head rigged plastics will be the number one choice of many anglers out here. Zoom Trick Worms are my favorite plastic to use. Watermelon Seed, Green Pumpkin and Junebug are my top 3 color choices.
CRAPPIE – The Specks are still shallow at this time, but will soon be heading back out to deeper water. Their spawn has been long and drawn out this spring due to Mother Nature not being able to make up her mind. They can still be found around willow grass, boat docks, lay down trees and beaver huts. Small minnows rigged on a slip bobber fished in 2 to 10 feet of water and 2″ curly tail grubs rigged on a 1/16oz jig head will produce best for you.
STRIPERS- The stripers are currently up-lake and will be heading down to their summer haunts by the end of the month. Four-inch swim baits rigged on a ¼-oz. jig head and broken back Redfins will catch fish. Live bait is also producing.
Water Temps- Up Lake- 65-69; ; Mid Lake- 65-67; Down Lake- 67-69
Capt. Art Conway out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the high 60’s in the lower main lake and in the major creeks on Wednesday, May 4.
Most blue cats and bullheads were on flats and channel edges in the main lake and scattered in creeks – hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was fluctuating, with scattered fish and loose aggregates in creek channels and in main lake feeding areas. 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 schools on some main lake flats, in channels, on flats in major creeks and were hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs. Small to medium bluegill and shellcracker were scattered on some shorelines in major creeks and in the main lake and were hitting live worms and small swim baits, jigs, and flies. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along shorelines, on lily pad flats, and along drop-offs in the main lake and 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, Jerry VanDyke, Pat Boyle, and Ivan Wood had 3 bluegill, 2 fliers, 19 crappie, 1 yellow perch, and 2 bass. Abe and John Longmire had 29 bluegill, 2 crappie, 1 yellow perch, 1 blue cat, and 3 bass.