Saturday Afternoon - 4 Mile Run or Tidal Basin Mouth?

[Paul Kalajainen]

I've finally got some free time this upcoming weekend.  I'm planning to head out around 3:30 and fish as long as I can into the evening (hopefully a headlamp will let me stay out after dark). 

I'm not sure whether I should go to 4 mile run near the warm water discharge or try the mouth of the Tidal Basin (I haven't fished either before).  It'll be low tide as I get out and depending on how long I can stay I may have some good flow coming in once it starts getting dark.

Is one of these places a better option for low tide?  I'm still relatively new to fishing the Potomac - so any advice would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

-Paul

[TurbineBlade]

I like 4MR on a moving tide -- at low tide you're limited to just a couple of pockets that seem to hold some fish (including the outfall).  It seems like we do best on a rising tide, but who knows.?  

I've heard that tidal basin at low tide will definitely require a long-handled net, but I've not fished there yet ;).  

Gene

[Aaron O]

I will say that the Tidal basin is lighted so it would be easier to fish after dark and its pretty awesome to walk around the lighted up monuments.  I'm sure Gene is right that a long handled net would help but in my opinion it is not nesessary.  I have fished there countless times and I don't even have a net yet.  I would bring a 6 or 7 wt. if you have to hail the fish over the railing.  I have done most of my fishing to the right of the Jefferson Memorial where there is no fencing and you have plenty of space behind you to back cast.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Aaron 

[Paul Kalajainen]

I hadn't considered that the Tidal Basin has lights around it - that's a really good point.  I've fished the Tidal Basin once before in front of the Roosevelt without any luck (though I know others have done well there).  Have you had much luck over by the Jefferson?  I was also thinking I may try to go out to the mouth once the flow in is moving some and try to take advantage of the movement there.

[Aaron O]

I have heard plenty of guys fish the area near the mouth with lots of success but I have not had any luck.  As far as the spot I mentioned, I have not had any luck there recently however I was doing pretty well there in the early spring.  I will say that if your looking for any company, let me know.

 

[Paul Kalajainen]

Aaron - some company would be great - I'll see you out there!

[Aaron O]

Paul,   I am going to have to take a rain check on fishing Saturday night.  I hope to still go out there but it may have to be earlier in the day or possibly sometime Sunday.

 

Sorry about that.

 

Aaron

 

 

[Paul Kalajainen]

Aaron - no worries.  If you get out there Saturday morning and have time to shoot me a message letting me know how you did I'd appreciate it.  I'll post a report after I go - if you aren't there until Sunday maybe it can be helpful.

Anyone else free Saturday at 4 and want to hit the Tidal Basin?

[Paul Kalajainen]

TRIP REPORT -

I got to the TB around 4 pm on Saturday afternoon.  I fished around the wall from the mouth towards the Jefferson, then came back and moved from the mouth up and past FDR.  I tried a variety of colored clouser minnows - sizes 6 and 2.  Not so much as a nibble.  I was trying to hit a range of distances out from the wall ranging from about 2-20 feet and very slowly retrieving - I figured a fast retrieve wouldn't have worked well in the colder water (is this true?).

When it got dark I figured my clousers were near invisible underwater and tried to make a commotion on the surface with some poppers/bugs, but didn't have anything big enough to make a significant disturbance with me and couldn't attract any interest.

Around 8 I went over to Gravelly Point.  There were some spin fishermen set up along there that seemed to be doing pretty well.  The water was still very still (not long after low tide) so there wasn't much current to try and fish.

Since I couldn't scare anything up there I drove down to 4 mile run to check out the warm water discharge.  I hadn't been there before so I figured I could at least see the river and plan for my next outing to head down there.  On a related note, I've been searching through older posts and found several of Todd (if you're reading this I'd love some advice) catching some beautiful carp in 4 mile run in the winter.  Looked like you were standing under a bridge in some of the pictures.  I've never fished for carp before but it seems like they are still active in the winter?  I'd love some tips on how and where to fish for them.

[TurbineBlade]

Hi Paul, thank you for the trip report.  There is very sincere honesty in posting wins/loses and a lot of people (like me and my wife) really appreciate it.  4MR is a fun place to fish really -- if you want to virtually guarantee that you'll catch some fish, just tie on a #6-8 boogle bug popper or a small beetle or ant foam bug of ANY kind and pitch it  along the bank anywhere where you see sticks, logs, debris, shopping carts, or concrete structure.  Last weekend, and every trip I've been there this has produced...and there are some really nice bluegill in there.  

I got this stupid Tilapia a few weeks ago but didn't post it because someone else already caught what was probably the same fish -- 

We've seen carp in there several times too but haven't had one poking around, appearing to be eating.  Usually they're on the move and we don't see them for long...although a few weeks ago there was one acting really weird along the bank, but he wasn't biting either.  

You never know what you'll get in there (or anywhere along the Potomac)-- just keep making trips and throwing flies in there and you'll eventually get hit.  GP is the same way -- I got a needlefish there a few months back on a white woolly bugger....dirty little sucker ;).  Never hit the tidal basin.  

Gene

[Lane Smith]

Was it a very dark color carp which looked kinda 'tore up'? If so I bumped into it, literally. Was acting like it was sick or something. Little disconcerting.

Lane

[TurbineBlade]

Yeah, that fits the description -- there was something wrong with that fish.  Carp don't act like that.  

Gene

[Charles Chi]

Speaking of carp, does anyone know how and where to catch baby carp? about 6-8"

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
To post to this group, send email to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/-/au2_twztumIJ.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

--
-Charlie

[Richard Farino]

Tie a fly that looks like goldfish flake food  =)

 

 

Richard Farino

Urban Angler VA | 108 N. Washington Street  2nd Floor | Alexandria, VA 22314

(703) 527-2524 | fax: (703) 527-3313 | ric...@urbanangler.com

[TAEHWAN KIM]

Charles,

That's gonna be real hard, because the average carp that we catch is 5 to 13 lbs.

Your best bet to catch a carp this time of the year is 4 MR.

I have been fishing for carp there with an oriental telescopic pole, but there aren't any carp that are the size that you're looking for. I also have not seen anyone catch one that size.

-----Original Message-----
From: "Charles Chi"<charle...@gmail.com>
To: <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>;
Cc:
Sent: 2012-11-22 (목) 01:36:39
Subject: Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Saturday Afternoon - 4 Mile Run or Tidal Basin Mouth?

[Lane Smith]

I imagine your local pet store might have baby carp. Are you trying to populate a pond?