Need Some Advice

[Jacob Weaver]

Hey all,

I am new to the Arlington/DC area and looking for some advice! 

Last week I tried fishing Chain bridge...(1) I hated it because of the ridiculous amount of people (2) I didn't get a bite. I tried a black woolybooger and a clouser minnow during a falling tide. My first mistake was probably going out on Memorial Day. 

I then went and tried Gravely Point on a Wednesday night during a falling tide, which was a much more enjoyable experience. I used a clouser and wooly again, but I failed to get any bites. 

Can anyone offer me any advice on where to fish and what to use? Being from Michigan and purely trout fishing, this is all a bit new to me! Any help is appreciated! 

Thanks,

Jacob Weaver 

[Misha Gill]

Hey man, sorry you haven't had any luck yet! Despite what you might be feeling, you're on the right track. I'm going to send you to the place where I learned to fly fish, way back in the beginning. Try some woolly buggers and clousers for bass in the C&O Canal. Explore further up than Georgetown and Fletcher's - Widewater would be fun. Also bring some large nymphs for panfish and maybe even some carp. If that doesn't suit you, try Rock Creek, same arsenal. Avoid Roaches Run and Gravelly for the time being, there was a raw sewage leak, see for reference the recent post on here. If you want to fish the Potomac for smallies, you could try Seneca Breaks (access it at Violette's Lock), or Riverbend Park. Hope that's enough info to get you started!

[Jacob Weaver]

Hey Misha, 

Thank you so much! I really appreciate all of the info! I will definitely put these places on my list and try to get out there in the next few weeks! 

[Lane Thurgood]

 

I echo the C&O Canal.  Keep moving and you'll find fish, especially around structure.  Trees, locks, whatever.  Small poppers and #10 to #14 beadheads under an indicator should find you plenty of bluegill. Those will score on small bass also. I use #4 or #6 poppers and those same sizes of klawdads for largemouth on the canal. (Those same flies will work for smallies in the river.) Riverbend is a good suggestion.  If you are a trout guy, you may be relying too much on a dead drift.  (I did, coming to the area as a trout guy.)  Impart some life.

[Carl Z.]

If you are coming from trout land,  Just think big.   Size 10 is the smallest thing I use and that is for bluegill, not that I won't catch a bass with it but when fishing for bass I usually start as size 8 and work my way up to size 2.  

Chain bridge is a mixed blessing of places.  Sometimes great, but it isn't the easiest place to fish.   Fishing the tidal Potomac is still a bit of a mystery to me, but a rising tide in the morning or evening is usually the best time.

If you fish the canal, try right below a lock.  It is usually wider there.  Size 6-10 wolleybugger stripped slowly (play with the retrieve) should give results.  Don't be afraid to keep moving.  Just don't hook a bicycle on the backcast.

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[namfos]

Picking  up on Misha regarding the Potomac, if you have wheels, you can explore it up around Harpers Ferry (and beyond) as well. Keep in mind that the Potomac is BIG WATER and check the river level via the gages on NOAA's site. There's a link to them here on TPFR.

Mark

[Misha Gill]

Spot on Mark. I don't like to wade the Potomac when Little Falls is above 4 ft. Like any smallmouth river, it is very slippery. I will often wade wet with my wading boots to benefit from the spikes, and I'll even carry a wading staff. Seriously, it's a good idea. 

[Richard Farino]

For safety, we tell everyone that when the USGS gauge at Little Falls (Brookmont) hits the 3 foot mark, the entire Potomac is low enough to safely wade and clear enough to see the bottom.

R

Richard Farino

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

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

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[Jacob Weaver]

You guys are awesome! I really appreciate all of your help! 

[namfos]

I second Misha's recommendation re wading shoes and wading staff - Potomac can be very slippery and the rocks vary from sand to gravel to large cobble to the huge stone reefs that extend across the river. I know from hard won experience when I lost a rod, reel, line and biggest smallie I ever hooked 3 or 4 years ago.

BTW, the Potomac is Maryland and Maryland forbids felt soles. Still I have heard no tales about unfortunate anglers in felts being warned, fined, etc. Maybe someone else can amplify on this?

I'll second Rich Farino re the Little Falls gage. For farther upriver, Harpers, Weverton, etc. I go by the Point of Rocks gage and prefer it to be 2 feet or less. One might even go out when it's 2.25 and dropping.  If it's too high up there, find a seat and a beer and watch the rubber hatch.

Mark

[namfos]

Here's some other information sources for you, Jacob.

http://www.prfc.us/history.html

http://www.potomacriver.org/ -ICPRB sells some useful maps