Tidal basin 5/17
Andrew LaVigne
I hit the basin today around 10am to find the incoming tide and high river pushing water over the walls in a big way, and carp and goldfish were up and splashing around on the flooded grass by the Jefferson. Fish were crashing around in inches of water, tourists were going nuts....but i had very little interest from fish in eating. Tried buggers, nymphs, sort of a crayfish pattern, rubber worm, even a bonefish fly, fish just were too busy (spawning behavior, maybe?)
I ran into a couple other fly fisherman in the first 2 hours, and none of us had much luck while the fish were in berserker mode. Once things settled down, though, things got good. I landed 4 sizeable carp (with net assists from some guys fishing for dinner), 3 of which were pushing 10lbs or better, and had a bunch of overachieving white perch and bluegill throughout the afternoon.. Black, brown, and olive buggers were getting hits, fished slow and towards the bottom. Also had several fish get foul-hooked; with as many as there were moving around, it was sort of inevitable.
Hit it while you can with the high water, and enjoy the circus down there. One guy from a group of Chinese tourists even waded into the floodwater and barehanded captured a goldfish that had to be 3 lbs.
