All the rain has made for poor conditions recently, with many trout streams out of their banks, but prospects look good for June and July. Rivers like the Jackson, Bull Pasture and the Tye still have lots of holdover fish, they well dispersed and anglers will have summer opportunities where few usually exist.
The Rivers
The upper James, Shenandoah and Rappahannock are currently high and muddy, but perhaps fishable by Sunday, barring more rain.
Potomac River
Capt. Steve Chaconas says that the most rain in years has made the Potomac near D.C. high and muddy. Fish can still be caught, just find clearer water and slow down.
Lake Anna
Some bass are available on boat docks. Striper fishing is consistent, with fish being caught from the Power Plant to about a mile above The Splits. Live shad continue to be the best bait, when free lined in 20-25 feet of water. Crappie have dropped to 12 and 14 foot depths.
Tidal James
Tidal waters are producing good stringers of largemouth bass on topwater baits. Catfish are active and aggressive. Live perch, cut bait and clam snouts are the more productive baits. Gar and bowfin are active, taking minnow imitating lures.
Chickahominy River
Lots of catfish, bream and largemouth bass are being caught on wood structure and lily pads. Catfish are taking cut bait, clam snouts and nightcrawlers. Bream are hitting crickets, Beetlespins and grass shrimp.
Chickahominy Lake
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Luke and Barton Schafer had 63 bluegills, 1 shellcracker and 1 yellow perch. Art Morgan had 23 bluegills, 4 crappie, 1 white perch and 2 striped bass. Karen Anderson and Jerry Davis had 42 bluegills, 1 shellcracker, 1 crappie and 1 bass.
Buggs Island
The water level at Buggs is 302, but dropping. Bass are back in the bushes and on drop-offs adjacent to the bushes and are feeding heavily. Stripers are taking live shad around Nutbush Creek between Buoys 1-3. Crappie action is excellent with live minnows fished around bridge pilings. White bass are schooled from Bluestone Creek to Buffalo Creeks and on The Hump.
Briery Creek
Bass fishing is fair for 2 to 3 pound fish, but bream fishing is excellent. Crickets are the primary bait. At Sandy River, anglers are catching small bass and pickerel.
Smith Mountain Lake
Nice sized stripers are being caught on live shad near the dam. Some 15 pounders were reported this past weekend. Bass anglers are also having success for 3-7 pound largemouth at 15-foot depths. Crappie anglers are taking good stringers at dusk.
Lake Moomaw
The big trout have turned on again. Lots of browns up to five pounds were caught this past week. Most of the fish are being taken by deep trolling tactics. Others are being caught at night, under the lights, on live minnows. Large shellcrackers and yellow perch are also being caught.
New River
Conditions are decent but fishing is spotty for smallmouth –sometimes good, sometimes nothing. Quite a few flathead catfish are being caught.