Tips for this newbie on catching bigger fish

[Jamie Carracher]

I started fly fishing back in May after taking the introductory classes at Orvis. I enjoyed those classes so much, I bought a rod and have gone out at least once a week ever since. On my first day by myself, I caught a little perch at the Tidal Basin and thought: this isn't that hard! And then I didn't catch another fish for six weeks.

I've really improved when it comes to casting (thanks for the tips at the Tidal Basin, Todd!). I also have caught a lot more fish. On a recent trip home to Ohio, I caught a sizable rock bass and a 15 inch or so smallmouth (my biggest catch yet). That was cool.

Here in D.C., I haven't had much luck catching decent sized fish. I'm using a 5 wt with floating line and flies like the woolly bugger and clouser minnow. I don't have a car, so I normally go to the Tidal Basin, C&O Canal or the river up by Fletcher's or Chain Bridge (let me know if you ever fish any of these places, would love to meet up!). I don't have waders yet because it seems silly to buy those when I'm mostly catching little bluegill.

I'm guessing my biggest problem is my floating line. Should I be using sink tip or even full sinking line? Is a 5 wt good enough? Is it easier to fish the river on a boat? Thanks for any tips!

[TurbineBlade]

You mean like, 40-pound striped bass?  This may not be the right forum for that.  

If you want big fish, the Potomac is a darn good place.  Sinking line? Sure, I have a 150 gr for my 5-weight that is in the closet somewhere.....I think. I haven't fished up at chain bridge, but it looks like a place for one if you have a stripping basket.  To me, full sinking lines are easier to manage from a boat/canoe etc. since you can put the line at your crotch or otherwise keep it out of the water and tangling.  My favorite full-sink line is an integrated shooting head -- which is something like 30' of fast sinking head connected (seamlessly!) to 70' of intermediate cost-savings.  

That said, I pretty much hate fishing sinking lines because it feels like I'm trying to prove a point by using fly tackle where it really isn't suited.  The only time I use one is for the shad run from a boat (which is fun BTW, you should definitely try it this Spring).  At least then you aren't the only goon repeatedly rolling that crap to the surface and then launching it (blindly, because you usually can't see it) to slam down onto the water at high speed.  

Gene

[Yambag Nelson]

You are kind of in a catch 22 situation.  The potomac is generally much more suited to fishing with some sort of sinking line (especially fletchers/chain bridge).  However, you should really focus on becoming a good caster with a floating line before really getting into sinking lines IMO.  They are not easy to cast and I would think would be extremely difficult to learn on.  I could very easily see someone developing bad habits if they did so.  The other thing is that the vast majority of flyfishing is done with floating lines.  Before moving to DC I never had any use for sinking lines.  I did have an intermediate line that I never used, but other than that, my fishing was entirely with floating lines. 

 

Ultimately, I would recommend becoming a good flycaster first and then worry about catching fish.  Or try to find some places that allow you to do both.  But ultimately, your success rate ate the places you mentioned will go up with a sinking line (I don't really fish the C&O, so my comment may not be valid there).

 

The flies you are using are fine.  Other than shad fishing, those are pretty much the only 2 flies I use on the potomac.

[Carl Z.]

Remember,  Size doesn't matter.  Fun matters.

That and the likelihood of you catching more/bigger fish goes up dramatically with the amount of time spent on the water.  There are good days and bad days.  And when you are there for a really good day, that's the type of story you will tell (and here of here).  You don't usually hear, "oh I caught 4 tiny bluegill and an 8" smallmouth".  

As for gear,  I wouldn't bother with a sinking line on the 5wt in the waters you mentioned.  If you end up getting a 7 or 8wt rod, then I would think about it.

Just put on a heavily weighted woolly bugger/clouser and a 10' leader.  It's not very fun to cast, but it is very effective in the tidal basin. You might try something like a less weighted size 8 or 10 woolly bugger for bluegill.

Targeting really big fish is a different game.  It means you have to find them first.  Just read the historic posts in this group.  Now is the time people are on the lookout for  stripers.  March/April/May are the shad run and big stripers move in to chase the herring run. Catfish and carp are around all the time, but water level and temperature can make a difference.  Big small mouth should start biting above great falls now that the temperature is cooling down and they are starting to put on weight for winter.

Part of the joy of fishing is learning these patterns on you local water and anticipating them.  

Carl

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[Terry C]

My son and I went fishing yesterday down to Mossy creek.  At the end of the day he was disappointed he didn't catch a huge brown trout that Mossy is famous for.  I reminded him that he had caught somewhere between a 78 and 96 inch of brown trout  if you added up the total of his 13 fish landed. Then he smiled.  Its not about the number, size, species,  go enjoy the day and time on the water.  As the years click by the numbers, size etc.. will add up.  

On Sunday, October 19, 2014 10:29:30 PM UTC-4, Jamie Carracher wrote:

[TurbineBlade]

Agreed -- I used to work for a gambler who would hit up the St. Louis casinos regularly, and he'd occasionally win big and share it around (which was cool for a kid as young as I was at the time)..and boy was he happy when he did.  A happy gambler is a sight to see.  

The illusion is that he didn't tell you about the 50 other trips he made before winning something ;).  Fishing is very much the same, only more dirty and slightly more fiscally responsible.  

Point - This past Saturday Beth and I had the best day of fishing either of us have ever had, period -- we stopped at 100 combined at 2:30 (I know because it was so unreal I looked at my watch and noted it) and called it a day.  Fantastic experience, but it may be another X months before we have a day like that again, and I'll be "that one weird guy" casting in the grass near our place for X weeks over and over, etc. in the meantime.  It's all about putting time in, getting better at your presentation (and approach in our case), and some luck of being there at the right time.  

No doubt this winter will provide many 2-3 fish days and the occasional skunking, and days where we get skunked and rained on in 40 degrees -- but that's the way it is and it beats sitting on the couch.  

Keep at it and it'll happen to you.  Big fish are a fun thing -- and I've gone "snagging" in Missouri (Paddlefish or "spoonbill" if you're a local) and hooked some fish pushing 80 pounds.  I suppose the larger SW fish are a thrill, but I've not done that.  Other members here certainly have -- I've seen the pictures!

That said, solving the mystery and getting that one tricky "devil" to bite is just as rewarding to me.  Sometimes that might be a 5" sunfish feeding on midges on the Shenandoah -- so I don't discriminate.  I love catching fallfish because they talk to you, and I'm happy catching creek chubs if they're around.  

Gene

[Jamie Carracher]

Thanks for all the great comments! I probably was a bit misleading in my initial comment... "big" to me is an 8 inch smallmouth. About a month ago, I landed a bluegill the size of my hand at the Tidal Basin, which is the biggest fish I've caught here. Most of the fish I've caught in DC have been a lot smaller.

It's interesting the consensus seems to be to stick with floating line. I typically stay at the canal or tidal basin because I can bike there and the conditions seem most favorable for that. I have no big desire to go with a sinking line, I just assumed I needed one because I haven't had a ton of success with floating. I live right near Rock Creek but I havent seen too many fish in there, unfortunately. I like being on the river because it's the most natural option, and I can focus on casting without worrying about tourists. The Tidal Basin is where I go most often though because it's more open and the potential fish are more diverse than the canal.

I'm sure I'll improve. I go on hot streaks. I'll catch three bluegill one day and then nothing for three weeks. Right now I'm in a slump. I'll start playing with the times I go next.

Jamie

[John Smith]

Have you tried fishing a topwater pattern yet? Say a gurgler? You should be able to cast that alright with a 5wt and floating line. Stripers love them when feeding on the top. Bass too. Just another option.

[John Mathews]

Jamie,

Welcome to the insanity of fly fishing.  Now all you need to do is start tying your own flies so you can "save money".  All fly equipment, lines, rods, reel and leaders have their place and uses in the sport.  I restarted fly fishing in the salt 10 years ago with a Medalist reel, and 8wt fiberglass rod and a hand full of flies.  On that day, I caught a dozen or so 36" stripers in the surf of Cape Lookout NC.  I was a piss poor caster with very cheap gear. I fished sinking lines for years, 130 to 500 grain lines.   It was just a few years ago that I bought a floating line to fish Crease flies and surfaces poppers for surface feeding fish and I didn't use it much.  Now, here in the salt marshes of Beaufort SC, chasing tailing reds in the grass, a floating line is about all I use.  Here, sinking lines only have you in the masses of oyster rock that are ubiquitous to the area but I still use them to get down to fish in the deeper holes and at the beaches.  Back on the OBX, I used 4 to 6 foot of leader.  Here, it's 9 to 12 foot.  The bottom line, they all have an appropriate use so don't disparage any lines or gear, just learn to cast and use them properly.  As for casting.  learn to do it right and practice every day if you can.  You can cast on a good grassy area as well as you can water.  Good casting comes from proper casting techniques practiced over and over to develop the needed muscle memory.  Join the local Fly fishing club and attend any and all of their casting instruction events.  Most of the time those event are at little to no cost.  To try other lines, shop sales and Ebay.  I've bought some great lines on ebay for very little money.  I've also bought some great lines from my Orvis dealer at $5.00 a piece. Be sure to over line by one line weight and learn to build your own tapered leaders.  Best of luck to you and if you're ever in the Lowcountry of SC, drop me a line and we'll sling some string.

John Mathews

[Abe Ogden]

Jamie,

I've actually been in a very similar situation this year (in fact, I took the Orvis class in May, and may have even been in there with you). I just picked up a fly rod this spring for the first time since high school (and wasn't much of a fly fisherman to begin with) and have more or less been starting from scratch. To be honest, the most difficult aspect for me wasn't necessarily the casting (though that's hard as hell and I'll be working on that for the rest of my life), it was learning how to actually, you know, fish. Reading the water, adapting flies to different species, and simply trying to figure out where in the hell a fish might be were all new to me. And since none of my friends fished and my family lives elsewhere, I was sort of on my own. Thusly, I've spent a lot of time this summer either getting skunked or catching a single pumpkinseed after two hours on the water. Maybe you bait/spin fished beforehand and this isn't a problem, but that was a big hurdle for me.

If that's the case, and if you have the funds, I'd highly recommend spending a day with a guide. I did this early on this summer and it was incredibly helpful. I didn't even catch a fish, but I asked a lot of questions and learned a lot about fly fishing and fishing in general in my 6 hours on the water. It's not cheap, to be sure, but I certainly think it was worth it (and you don't get into fly fishing to save a lot of money, from what I can tell). I've since gone again with a different guide, and was able to ask more advanced questions. Now I feel like I have a better understanding of tackle and what strategies/techniques I need to work on, whereas before, it was all pretty much a mystery.

Also, you may simply need to find some wheels and try different water. I know there's big fish in there, but I've personally not had a whole lot of luck at Fletchers or the Canal (and I've never fished the Tidal Basin).

--Abe

(Also, I highly recommend fly tying. Like John implied, you absolutely WILL NOT save any money, but I think it gives you a better understanding of flies, and of how and when they should be fished. I just started and it's a lot of fun.)

[Rob Snowhite]

A lot of it is being in the right place at the right time. My biggest fish of the year was caught while I was standing under a tree at the Tidal Basin. I was on the phone and holding my rod under my arm. The biggest gar I've ever hooked into came up vertical and sucked in my size 10 damsel nymph dropper. The fish was into my backing within seconds. The fish eventually threw the hook.

I was fishing Gravelly below Merrick 4 years ago. I was into nothing but 6" schoolie stripers. As soon as I left he got into a 30" striper.

Keep at it, maybe make a spreadsheet journal of each outting's locations-conditions-flies used-fish caught etc. to compare what worked, when, where, and mostly why. Big fish will be heading into Four Mile Run soon for the winter, muskie putting on the feed bag, and the striper bite will taper off in about a month. Plenty of close in fishing.

On Sunday, October 19, 2014 10:29:30 PM UTC-4, Jamie Carracher wrote:

[Terry C]

Jamie, I fish out of my kayak a lot and I found switching fly lines from floating too sinking was difficult having to string the line while seated. My solution was to geT a set of poly leaders. There are 4 different sink rates and you can use a loop to loop connection to your floating line giving you a variety of sinking options without having to buy another line and spool.  This may be the way to go .  Curious what others think about this. It works well to get down 10 ft or so.  If you need to get deeper you would need a full sinking line. IMHO

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[Mike]

You mean hooked? The one below was hooked and then caught.

t.

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[Scott Stankus]

Rob - are you implying there are muskie in Four Mile Run. Shenanigans, I say! 

--Scott

On Tue, Oct 21, 2014 at 7:21 PM, Rob Snowhite <r...@robsnowhite.com> wrote:

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[Rob Snowhite]

You never know. There was a report of one in the tidal basin over the summer. 

The gar ate the damsel dropper which was below an Ehler's reaper. 

Sent from my iPhone

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[Yang Chang]

Hi John:

When was the time you fish striper in the surf of Cape Lookout? December? Friend in Miami asked me to go there to fish inshore and offshore on the 11/8 weekend, but it won't be a fly fishing trip. If I decide to go, then I need to find another time to go OBX.

Thanks!

Yang

 

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[Marek Rich]

I completely agree with Rob. I’ll only add, as others have prior, that fishing isn’t just about catching that trophy.

 

That 30”er was pretty spectacular though….!

 

Keep at it…

 

Marek

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[Jeffrey Silvan]

Echoing what Rob/everyone else said on right time, right place. The one thing I will say is if you're fishing the C&O canal often, you're likely going to catch all small fish. Sure, there's a handful of bigger bass in there, but they're pretty hard to find. The majority of the fish are 4 inch sunfish and bass. Of course, there are also some huge carp, but those are not fish I'd recommend a beginner go after.

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[John Mathews]

Yang,

It was in January 2004.  Since then, every year the area had some amount of stripers but nothing like it had that winter.  The biggest concentration of stripers seems to be in the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and occasionally at the northern OBX beaches.

The best time to fish the Cape LO area is late Sept to mid October as soon after the first Noreaster of the fall or what they call a mullet blow.  The mix of fish in the water at that time can be quite incredible.

Tight lines,

John 

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[Yambag Nelson]

I use polyleaders for steelhead on my two hander and they work great.  I also have used them on the potomac with my 6 weight single hander and have certainly caught fish with them, but have found that even the extra fast sink do not get deep enough/fast enough at times.  Especially for shad.  I have caught plenty of stripers on them though. 

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[Bruce Mathews]

Johnboy,

What happened to that Fenwick Feralite rod and that classic Medalist 1498 reel?  I know some fiberglass guys on this list that would like to see that rod.

 

Bruce Mathews
703.772.7167

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