Yellow perch are one of my favorite fish. They are beautifully colored, they are second to none in flavor and they are usually the first fish of spring to spawn and feed.
The yellow perch run is now on in the Chickahominy River, the Potomac, the Occoquan, Rappahannock and James. The fish are also becoming active in lakes such as Anna, the Chick, Lake Moomaw and others. Lake Orange, which ones this month, is another choice spot. Typically, perch set up shop on the edges of river channels in 12 to 14 feet of water. They will eat small minnows, small jigs and tiny spoons. Let’s go fishing!
Big Lakes
Things are starting to happen on Virginia’s big lakes. Bass are active now at Smith Mountain, moving from points to the shallows as they seek spawning grounds and partners. Crappie are biting, as well.
Lots of five and six pound bass are coming to scales now at Anna. Stripers are still busting bait at the Splits and there are reports of nice crappie biting near deep docks.
Buggs Island is on fire for crappie anglers. The fish are staging from the fronts to the backs of coves. Bass fishing is also very good. At Gaston, slab crappie are stealing the show, though bass and striper anglers are also scoring well.
Trout Streams
A-one shape! The days are becoming longer, the water is warming and trout are biting in stocked streams and lakes as well as on such hot spots as the Jackson below Gathright and the South River in Waynesboro. Shenandoah Valley spring creeks are also fishing well.
A Warm up on the Potomac!
Longer days and warmer water has fish moving shallow.
Water temperatures have reached 55.
Time for lipless crankbaits! Use ¼ ounce in less that 3 feet and ½ ounce size for anything deeper. Red or craw patterns are best as water is not really clear. Cast on 10-pound test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon and slowly crawl this bait on the bottom. Changing hooks to MUSTAD KVD short shank triple grip trebles will secure fish. These hooks can be one size larger! A medium action 7’ KVD Quantum cranking rod will cover water and have the backbone to set the hook while not putting too much pressure on the hooks. When engaging grass, pause and snap, then hesitate to trigger bites. The bite is a loading of the rod.
Capt. Steve Chaconas
Chickahominy Lake
Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the mid 50’s in the main lake and slightly higher in the major creeks on Wednesday. The lake level was about even with the top of the dam.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Tom Porter had 15 crappie, 1 pickerel, and one largemouth bass.
reports of Slot Drum coming in from the Inlet and Black and Slot Drum from near the Frisco Pier.It was told there was a big Red Drum bite just before sunset at the Point. Most were 40 + size. That is good news for the 1st of March.
The other good news is coming from the offshore fleet. Daniel Stilling fishing the Fantastic out of Oregon Inlet caught a 597 lb Bluefish. Another angler on the same boat released a Bluefin. An angler from another boat received a Trophy after a 4 hour fight. Awesome day. Also there were nice size Yellowfin caught by multiple private boats with one boat reporting a 69 in Bluefin. Wow! It is so nice to have some good news to write about this morning.
The winds are W at 7 and the water temp is 47 degrees. Rain, Calm winds, clean surfing swells.