Bobcats Lake Country Store says striper action is good at Buggs Island Lake. Fish are back in most of the major creeks feeding on shad, and can be caught live-baiting with shad and jumbo minnows or by casting lures. Fishermen are getting good numbers of fish, though keepers are harder to come by.
James at Lynchburg
Tom Reisdorf at Angler’s Lane says the James is currently too cold to make for pleasant fishing right. This should change as temperatures rise by the end of the week.
Trout Fishing
The rainbows and browns in the Jackson are hitting big streamers, according to Angler’s Lane in Lynchburg. The water is clear, 44 degrees and at a normal level. The mountain brookie streams are giving pretty good fishing, but it’s very hard to get to them. If you can, try small to medium sized nymphs. The water is in the 30s, very clear and at a normal level.
Harry Murray notes that the stocked and delayed harvest streams in the Valley are at a normal level, very clear and 39 degrees. A good tactic is to fish a streamer, like the Murray’s Skunk Streamer, size 10, with a size 12 Mr. Rapidan Soft Hackle 2 feet below it on the same line. Fish this set up very slowly and deeply below the riffles.
Upper New River
Right now the Upper New River is low, clear and frozen over from this cold blast, but warming temps should have it thawed out toward the end of the week. Muskies will be hitting deep cranks, glides and don’t overlook big tubes bounced off the bottom. Walleye should be heating up with crankbaits, jerkbaits and jigs tipped with grubs providing some action. For information on fishing the New, go to www.newrivercharter.com.
Shenandoah River
Harry Murray at Murray’s Fly Shop says that the north and south forks of the Shenandoah are at a normal level, clear and 41 degrees. The best approach is to use streamers and nymphs, fished slowly in deep pools and pockets beneath the riffles. Harry says the brook trout streams on his side of the mountain are simply too cold to fish.
Potomac River
Look for good weather later in the week.
Hold on for warmer weather and fish very slowly on steep drops out of the current.
Water temperatures will be in the mid 30s. Strange winter weather. Low 30s on Monday. 40s on Tuesday. 50s on Wednesday and 60 for Thursday into the weekend. Chance of rain mid week. Overnight temperatures this week from 20 to 45.
Silver Buddy lures work well on 10-pound test GAMMA Edge or with Torque braid main line. Cast to the shallow end of drops and allow the bait to reach the bottom. A short sharp pop and slowly allow the bait to drop back to the bottom. This is where bites occur. Use a medium action rod with a fast reel and set the hook. Focus on the steep drops.
Try Punisher Hair jigs with a small plastic chunk and Punisher rattle. A spray of Jack’s Juice will soak into hair. Use 8 pound test GAMMA Edge or as a leader with 15-pound test Torque braid. Fish the same drops and barely lift and allow the jig to glide and sit. Mix in small shakes and slow drags. A medium heavy spinning rod works best. The Quantum Smoke spinning reels are fast and can take up line for better hook sets.
During the warmest part of the day, cast Lucky Craft Bevy Shad suspending crankbaits and work over warmed areas on flats on the drops. Either drag or drag and lift, working pauses into this presentation. Lighter 6 pound test Copoly will allow the bait to run deeper and enable bites to be felt with much more effective hook sets.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River info@nationalbass.com
Virginia Saltwater
With rockfish season in the bay now closed, little is happening in the bay and tributaries. There is some tautog action at the CBBT and tilefish awaiting offshore anglers – but few are fishing. No word on big bluefish off the Virginia coast.
Hatteras Surf
On Tuesday, Ramp 55 anglers had nice size Speckle Trout and small Puppy Drum. Frisco Pier had nice size Black Drum. No report from the It was a beautiful day
It was a beautiful day Wednesday and fishing was good, too. Frisco Pier was the hot spot today. There were limits caught on Black Drum and Puppy Drum. There also were some nice Speckle Trout caught. Ramp 49 produced small Flounder and Black Drum.
Through Tuesday, no boats fished offshore out of Hatteras. Warm weather, mid-week, could change that.
