Visiting from SFL for One Day in October

[alans...@gmail.com]

Hi y'all. I'm going to be in DC for about 24 hours for a friend's birthday on 10/28, and was hoping to get some recommendations on where to fish. I've only got from about 10 a.m. through to 4 p.m. that day, so I was hoping to find a spot or two where I could walk and fish. I won't have a car, so it's gotta be Metro/Uber accessible. I'll be bringing a 6wt with me. No waders, but I'll fly in wearing a set of throwaway clothes and shoes, so I don't mind wet-wading (or fishing from the bank). 

I'm from Miami, where pretty much all of our fly fishing is streamer fishing (canals and salt) for cichlids, cuda, jacks, ladyfish, etc. I don't have any experience fishing for trout or carp. Would somebody be willing to point me in the direction of a couple fishing spots that are within city limits, or just outside DC in Arlington? (that's where I've got to be at 5pm) Also, what are some of the area's go to flies that I should stock up on?

Also, I've heard that the Tidal Basin can be fished 24 hours. Is that true? If so, I think I'll save that for 1-4ish a.m. before my 6 a.m. flight back to Miami.

Thanks in advance for any help, and I'll more than happy to post up a primer on catching peacock bass in South Florida (that's kind of our jam) in return for the assistance! Also, I'll post my plan a day or two before, in case anybody wants to join.

-Alan

[Yambag Nelson]

The best fishing within city limits that time of year will be gravelly point park on an outgoing tide during low light conditions.  It is hit or miss but there can be decent fishing for schoolie stripers that time of year.   You could actually walk to the airport from there.  You can't park there after 10pm so it would probably be better to uber.  

Alternatively, you could try fletchers boathouse or chain bridge on the potomac itself.  It is not really a great time for either of those spots, but they are famous DC locations and have plenty of shoreline access.  Be very careful if you decide to get into the water though, people drown there every year.  There might be some smallmouth and other random fish around but i wouldn't expect much..  

You can fish the tidal basin as well.  I don't spend much time there and have never fished it in the fall, but if you do look at the inflows/outflows on a moving tide.  

Clousers are probably all you really need but you can bring some wooly buggers as well.  

Come back in the spring when the fishing is really good.  

[Yambag Nelson]

Actually I take that back, I don't think gravelly is actually within city limits but it is just outside in virginia.  

[Connor Donovan]

I second Yambag's advice.  If the weather is decent, I would hit Fletcher's boat house (pretty sure they are open through end of Oct) and rent a row boat and row upriver as far as you can.  You'll want to find current and breaks from the current.  An hour before you need to be on the road, start floating down river back to Fletchers. If you want to keep fishing while you float back, target the shoreline current breaks along either side of the river.

6wt and some streamers will give you a shot at smallmouth bass, schoolie striped bass if you get lucky, and big ol' catfish, blue, channel, and maybe a bullhead. A floating line will suffice but a sink tip or full sink might not be a bad idea to try if presenting with a floating line isn't producing.  An 8wt might not be a bad idea either if you have one just in case you hook a decent blue cat.

Overall though, fishing will probably be slow at most spots in and around DC.  But if you hit fletchers, you'll at least be on a boat.  In DC.  Where it doesn't feel like DC.

If you have access to a smallish cooler, bring it.  In my opinion, a properly stocked cooler and a boat, no matter the size, and regardless of number of handled fish, makes for a fine way to spend a few hours.  Hell, bring a friend. Other than the stray paddle boarder or random sculler, you'll probably be the only person on the water. 

Let us know how it goes!

[Connor Donovan]

And by bullhead, I mean flathead. 

[alans...@gmail.com]

Thanks everybody for the recommendations! I'm starting to see something of a plan come together. I'm writing up my peacock bass primer, and I'll post it up as soon as it's finished. If any of you guys find yourselves in South Florida, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to show you some of the good spots.

-AB