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OVERVIEW: The end of the week produced some much-needed rain for the area. The forecast offers plenty more of the same through this week, so the weekend is probably going to be spotty at best. The reports are good, but this time of year can be tough. Between the constant threat of thunderstorms, extreme heat and summer patterns, we fisherman tend to get lazy. Don't do it. There are just to many great options.
RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER: Chris Hicks of Hicks Landing reports that the fishing has been good for small catfish, but not many people are fishing for them. Cut bait and minnows have been working well. The main river is producing some good catches of bass on crankbaits and plastics. In a six-hour Singles Bass tournament over the weekend, Christie Bradley of Fauquier took the top spot with 12 pounds on a five-fish stringer. She also caught a 4.5-pounder to take the big bass category. She was the only female in the field. Ronnie Williams of Caroline came in second with five fish weighing 11 pounds.
POTOMAC RIVER: Andy Andrzjewski of Reel Bass Adventures reports that bass have been feeding aggressively all week, with Rico poppers boating large numbers both on cloudy days or mornings/evenings, especially while fishing banks where shade is present. Small crankbaits worked on creek ledges during low tide phases have caught both numbers of bass and some large fish as well. RBA Guide Bob Troup and Dr. Jack Rosenblatt each caught an 18-inch northern snakehead in Pomonkey Creek last week. Maryland DNR biologists plan to conduct a shock survey of the creek this week in an attempt to gauge just how many of these invasive fish are in the area. Bass are being caught both in main river grass beds as well as inside of many of the tidal creeks on banks with grass and at least 6 feet of water. The same patterns have remained consistent throughout the week.
MOTTS RESERVOIR: Don Minor from the boathouse reports that fishing last week and weekend was spotty. A few anglers fishing from boats did check in nice stringers of channel catfish and bluegills, caught around the reservoir. Chicken liver and night crawlers were used. Tom O'Neill and son Sean from Fredericksburg checked in a 4-pound, 26-inch northern pike for pictures. Twelve-year-old Dakota Sexton landed a 4-pound largemouth bass from the beaver hut in the Mine Run Cove using a soft plastic lure. Lou Morris landed another citation largemouth bass from the point in the Turkey Run Cove. His fish tipped the scales at 5 pounds, 22 inches long. The night catfishing was slow; The best stringer was checked in by Rick Hill's boat, along with Trever Rodgers and Dashawn Moore-Taylor from Stafford, who weighed in six of their catch at 4 pounds per fish. A few were landed from the piers. Erik Peterson, fishing for catfish from the old pier, landed an 11-inch citation shell cracker. The next night cat fishing will be July 7 from 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m.
LAKE ANNA: Fishing this summer has been great and the striper timetable is about 2 weeks behind last year's, meaning July fishing may be the best in years. Stripers are roaming the main lake from Dukes Creek up to Stubbs Bridge and Rose Valley. There are literally hundreds of schools of stripers foraging on schools of herring right now and should start attacking the new bait fry on the surface with vengeance. Once you locate the fish, you can use one of many methods to catch them. Many anglers simply troll deep-diving Redfins, DD-22's or LEC-15's with a bucktail tied to the crankbait. Others locate the schools of Stripers and vertically jig for them using ¾-ounce spoons. Simply drop the spoon to the bottom and jerk your pole up 2-3 feet and follow your spoon back to the bottom. The most productive way to catch stripers is locating fish and dropping herring, gizzards or jumbo minnows on them on downlines. Guide Jim Hemby and customers have been catching limits daily. Andrew Shamcskin of Richmond caught one 16-14. Ryan Walton had one 8-8. According to Glenn Briggs, bass fishing has still been good by casting Stik-O baits with - to -ounce Texas rigs around boat docks and deep water dropoffs.
CHESAPEAKE BAY: Jerry Thrash of Queen's Creek reports that that 2 citaition flounder were registered and several "near misses" were weighed. One red drum release citation was also registered. The threat of severe weather kept many fishermen off the bay Friday and Saturday. Sunday was unfishable. Saturday the water temps in the Cell area had warmed to 74 degrees. Spades like 75 and above to be active feeders. Thrash's group boated 12 spades Saturday and lost several others. All were caught on clam amidst heavy chumming with ground clam chum. Large croaker are still available near the cell. Small # 3 spot were caught in good numbers in the lower Rappahannock this week.
--Compiled by Michael O'Malley
