The bass are pouting with the arrival of hot water and the crappie have moved to deep brush in up to 30 feet of water, but the striper fishing now at Buggs Island Lake is on fire. Bobby Whitlow at Bobcat’s in Clarkesville said that recent striper action has been the best of the year, but anglers are having to go deep for their catches. The stripers are being caught at depths of 40 to 50 feet in 80 feet of water overall. Bobby notes that deep jigging tactics and trolled lures on downriggers are picking up nice stripers in the 10-12 pound range.
Catfish action has been good up in the rivers. Crappie are taking jigs, but again, in deep water. Bass are coming up for topwater baits in early mornings, then they back off to main lake points in 16 to 24 foot depths.
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 low to mid 80’s in the main lake on Wednesday (7/15/2015).
Blue cats were scattered throughout the lake and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Moderate numbers of crappie were in loose schools in the main lake on deeper flats and channel edges, usually at depths of 6 to 12 feet. A few crappie were scattered singly or in small schools on shallow to mid-depth cypress knees, wood cover, and shoreline weed beds in the main lake and in mouths of major creeks. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Some small to medium yellow perch were scattered on main lake shoreline flats and were hitting live minnows and small jigs. Some nice bluegill along with smaller bluegill were scattered and in small aggregates near shorelines in some areas near mouths in major creeks and in the main lake and were hitting live crickets and worms, flies, and small 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 and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, and jigs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Karen Anderson had 42 bluegill, 3 shellcrackers, and 2 roach minnows.
Chickahominy River
Mike Johncox at Riverside Camp in Lanexa says the bass fishing has been excellent. Chris McCotter and son visited recently and had a picture snapped with 7 very nice largemouth. Catfishing is strong with blue cats in the 20-pound range showing up with regularity. Cut shad is the top choice for catfish baits.
The Potomac
Top Water Time!
A good week for morning top waters as the Potomac clears. Low light will enhance these opportunities.Water temperature will be in the low to mid 80s. Mornings around 70.
Start with Lucky Craft G-Splash 80 poppers on 10-12 pound test GAMMA Copoly line. Cast to the inside line of grass and find the speed and cadence fish want. Also target pads at high tide. Hollow frogs like Mann’s Goliath on 60-pound GAMMA Torque braid work too.
If the topwater bite fades, go to moving lures, depending on cloud cover and water clarity. With some sun and clear water, gradually work deeper with Mann’s Baby 1-Minus on 12-14 pound Edge Fluorocarbon line. Snap free from grass. Chatter jigs in craw patterns will work too. Use new Mann’s Reel N Shad by itself or as a trailer. Classic spinnerbaits with clouds and a bit of stained water.
The reliable bait is the stickworm. Mizmo Quiver Stix rigged wacky with an O-Ring in the center on 12-14 pound test Edge fluorocarbon line tied to a 2/0 Mustad Octopus Hook. I like red rubber rings and hooks. Try green pumpkin patterns. Cast and let fall. Let them sit and pull up, snapping free from grass.
At lower tides in the afternoon, heavy drop shot with a 2/0 Mustad Mega Bite hook and a 3/16-ounce Water Gremlin Bullshot weight. Pitch to hard outside edges. I like braid with a fluorocarbon leader. Soak plastics in garlic flavor Jack’s Juice.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Shenandoah River
The water temperature is in the upper 70s and the bass bite has slowed, except very early and later in the day. Few large fish are biting. Most catches are dinks. Bluegills are cooperating with anglers tossing small spinners and some anglers are targeting carp. Catfish are taking chicken livers.
Lake Anna
Stripers are busting bait in the early hours and again at dusk. Deep trolling tactics will pick up a fish or two throughout the day. Smaller bass are also ganging up on baitfish and are hitting Flukes in the surface. Crappie are deep and deeper, hanging near bridge piloings in 20-feet. Catfish are biting throughout the lake on cut bait. Carp are active in the coves during cooler periods of the day.