Accotink

[Paul Kalajainen]

Hey everyone,

I recently moved from Alexandria to Burke, which puts me about an 8 minute drive from Accotink Creek.  I've been there a couple times over the last month (probably a half dozen times total over the last couple years) without any luck.  Now I'm the first to admit I'm not a very good trout fisherman - I have a lot more practice fishing for Bass.  I park at the Wakefield Rec Center off Braddock Rd, walk down the mountain-bike trail to the stream and fish my way north.  I usually stick with an olive bugger, but I've tried san juan works and pheasant tail nymphs over there too.  I mostly fish the deeper pools where there's a bend in the creek - basically anywhere that I can't see the bottom.

Has anyone had luck there recently?  Should I try fishing further north on the creek near or above Little River Turnpike?  Or maybe south of Braddock Rd - I haven't ventured that way either.

I'm sure the answer is "they're right under your feet - you just have to learn how to catch them," but if anyone wanted to point me in the right direction I would appreciate it!  This place is so close to my house - I really want to learn how to fish it.

Thanks
Paul

[TurbineBlade]

Hi Paul -- they're usually pretty easy to catch within about 2-3 days following the stocking event, though this fall the water stayed fairly low and the fish seemed to be concentrated in several pools rather than throughout.  If you want to meet up some day out there (I live in Danbury Forest -- walking distance), I can show you 10-12 holes where I've caught trout in the last 3-4 years. 

There's a bend behind wakefield with several holes up and downstream, there are good ones between wakefield and upstream toward the other ball park, and there are holes above the ballpark up to this one house on the edge of that cliff. 

I have caught them far down, almost into the lake itself (and posted pictures on here in April of this year...using left over shad flies).  That was fun - and demonstrated that the fish do indeed survive the winter and begin feeding again. 

I did not catch anything when I went out for a couple of hours about 3 weeks ago.  That doesn't mean they aren't feeding though.  I think the temp at the USGS reader is hovering around 40F though. 

I'm sure poachers take some, but I don't personally feel that it is bad enough that ALL of them would ever be removed. 

Gene