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#1 Dec-04-09 6:38AM

Charlie NHBA
Northern Snakehead
From: Herndon, Va.
Registered: Apr-06-08
Posts: 193
Website

Weekly Fishing Report - December 2, 2009

FISHING REPORT                          By Charlie Taylor

                   Potomac River Tide Information                 Twilight
                      High Point, Occoquan River                     Hours
  Day             Date     High      Low     High     Low       A.M.    P.M.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday  12/02     0616    1236    1817    0056     0639    1716   
Thursday     12/03     0701    1330    1905    0145     0640    1716
Friday          12/04     0749    1425    1956    0234     0641    1716
Saturday     12/05     0840    1521    2050    0324     0642    1716
Sunday       12/06     0935    1619    2149    0414     0643    1716
Monday       12/07     1034    1720    2253    0505     0644    1716
Tuesday      12/08     1137    1823    - - -     0557     0645    1716
Wednesday 12/09     1241    1928    0002    0651     0645    1716
Thursday    12/10     1344    2035    0112    0746     0646    1716
Friday         12/11     1442    2139    0216    0842     0647    1716
Saturday    12/12     1537    2240     0315    0938     0648    1716
Sunday      12/13     1627    2336     0410    1031     0648    1717
               
POTOMAC RIVER - D.C. - Largemouth bass in the city are to be found on shallow
sand, rocky or gravel banks adjacent to dropoffs. These areas are feeding
grounds for the bass, as they come up from their holding areas in deeper
water. Jig 'n pig, small plastic grubs and small crankbaits are the better
choice for artificial baits. Fish deeper water with Silver Buddies. The
outflow from Blue Plains is holding large numbers of bass, along with crappie,
gizzard shad, carp and catfish. Catfish are also biting well at the outflow
from the Alexandria Power Plant. The Spoils are giving up some good catches of
largemouth bass. Smallmouth bass are cooperating nicely on live bait, fished
along the Virginia shoreline, above Key Bridge. Some walleye are reported from
the upstream point of Three Sisters Islands and in the coves above Fletcher's
Boathouse.

POTOMAC RIVER - BELOW WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE - Most of the action here is to be
found on main river points and creek mouths. Shallow flats along creek
channels are producing good largemouth bass for anglers fishing patiently with
small baits. These areas are particularly good in the late afternoon when the
sun has warmed the water. Best method is casting plastic grubs and small wide-
wobbling crankbaits in 2-3 feet of water, and slowly working them down the
dropoff. Plastic grubs and jig 'n pig, fished at the base of the dropoff, will
also produce fish. Yellow perch and crappie are active around submerged cover,
particularly on outside bends of the creek channels. Some pickerel are
available in the lower creeks. Main river anglers will do best by fishing
wooden structure in 15-20 feet of water. The Mount Vernon dock is a good
example. Slow presentations of plastic grubs and jig 'n pig are successful.

OCCOQUAN RIVER - Yellow perch are thick on the flat below the Route One
Bridge. Largemouth bass are available along the rock wall in 8-15 feet of
water, and on the rock points along the southern shore. Hopkins Spoons, Silver
Buddies, plastic grubs, jig 'n pig and live bait are the preferred choices.
Plenty of bass are available under the baitfish schools in the mid section of
the river. Crappie are taking live minnows and tiny jigs around the boat docks
below the Route One Bridge. Stripers are reported, taking Sassy Shads, in the
deep water around Hoffmaster's Marina.

OCCOQUAN RESERVOIR - Anglers with access to the lake will do well by fishing
main lake points and rock walls with jig 'n pig, plastic grubs and slow-rolled
spinnerbaits. Crappie fishing is excellent for anglers dunking live minnows
over creek and river channels where the tasty fish are suspended.

BURKE LAKE - Few anglers out. Those who are fishing report some bass action on
the dropoffs along the weed beds. Live bait is producing best, but occasional
fish are taking jig 'n pig and plastic baits. Panfishing is excellent.

POTOMAC RIVER - UPPER - Anglers are catching some smallmouth bass in the
deeper sections of the river on small plastic grubs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits
and jig 'n pig baits. Smallmouth bass and large catfish are also available at
the outflow from the Dickerson Power Plant. Live minnows and plastic grubs are
taking the smallmouth, while live waterdogs, when available, are taking large
channel catfish. Don't neglect topwater baits, as the water is warmer than the
main river. Lots of crappie are being caught, along with the largemouth bass,
at the mouths of the feeder creeks.

RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER - Some activity for largemouth bass and crappie is noted in
the tidal stretches. Blue catfish, to 30 pounds, are taking cut shad baits in
the deeper portions of the channel. Crappie fishing is said to be good around
the blowdowns just below the city.

SHENANDOAH RIVER - Excellent fishing for smallmouth bass and sunfish. Small,
floating crankbaits, fished slowly, are taking good numbers of the scrappy
fish. Live minnows and nightcrawlers are also producing, with an occasional
catfish nipping the hook.

LAKE ANNA - Biggest news here is stripers. Most of the fish are being taken on
four inch Sassy Shads, Hopkins Spoons and bucktails. Better areas are around
the 208 Bridge, the mouth of Pigeon Creek and around the Splits. Trollers are
taking fish on deep diving Cordell Redfins and Rebel FasTrak minnows over the
river channel off Jett's Island. Some bass activity on secondary points in the
creeks, but most are taken in the backs of coves with small creeks. Jig 'n pig
and plastic grubs are the chief baits. Jigging with Silver Buddies and Hopkins
Shorties is producing some big largemouth bass. Crappie are biting well.
Schools are to be found in the back of creeks, suspended over the main
channel.

JAMES RIVER - Catfish action is excellent in the Dutch Gap area. Best bet is
fishing large pieces of cut shad on the bottom in the outside bends of the
river channel. Use heavy tackle, as these bruisers can run upwards of 50
pounds. Gar action has picked up, with cut bait being the more successful
lure. Crappie action is still good in the barge pits, while bass action has
slowed. Live bait, fished along the river side of the islands in the Dutch Gap
area, should produce a mixed bag of smallmouth and largemouth bass, along with
some crappie. Striper action is still excellent around the Benjamin Harrison
Bridge and the power lines just upstream. Best lures are Rat-L-Traps, Sassy
Shads and shad colored crankbaits.

LAKE CHESDIN - Crappie anglers are catching some nice bass, mixed in with the
crappie being taken from the bridges. The fish are being taken on live minnows
and crappie jigs.

CHICKAHOMINY RIVER - Some bass are being taken on live minnows by dedicated
anglers. Most of the fish are being caught in stump fields and at creek mouths
on moving tides. Some crappie, catfish and yellow perch are also available.
Stripers are still taking Rat-L-Traps and trolled Redfins near Walker's Dam.
Crappie anglers are taking some citation fish near Walker's Dam at twilight,
from the bank, on live minnows.

CHICKAHOMINY LAKE - Bass to six pounds and pickerel dominate the action, with
both species being taken on live minnows, fished deep. Crappie anglers are
also taking good stringers of fish on live minnows.

LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR (TOANO) - Bass are still biting well, along with
crappie to two pounds and pickerel to three pounds. Some of the larger bass
are caught by crappie anglers on crappie jigs. Stripers are caught daily.

BACK BAY - Very few catches of bass, but some nice white perch are reported
from West Neck Creek on minnows. Catfish anglers are scoring well on clam
snouts.

SUFFOLK LAKES - Most of the action in Lakes Smith, Western Branch and Prince
is centered on stripers. Live bait, and trolled deep diving minnow imitations
are the chief baits. Some bass are reported, but few large ones. Most anglers
are concentrating on crappie. Lake Whitehurst reports pickerel, crappie and
some small bass.

LAKE GASTON - Live bait and deep-trolling are producing some good striper
catches, although the fish are running small. White perch continue to be
caught, jigging in the creeks with Hopkins Shorties. Walleye are taken along
with the white perch. Crappie anglers are taking good stringers of fish on
live minnows, as the schools suspend over the creek channels. Bass fishing is
so-so, with fish being caught on long points in 10-14 feet of water, on
crankbaits and Carolina rigs. Lots of patience is required.

BUGGS ISLAND LAKE - Largemouth bass anglers are catching fish on topwaters and
suspending jerkbaits, fished adjacent to the brush, early and late in the day,
and jig 'n pig and Carolina rigged plastic grubs during daylight hours. Most
of the striper activity has moved downlake, below Clarksville, with the mouth
of Eastland Creek being particularly good. Live bait is the key. Crappie are
being caught around the bridge pilings on live minnows and tiny grubs.
Overall, fishing is good.

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE - Scattered catches of stripers on live bait, "in the
woodlot" are reported, with fish to 20 pounds. Largemouth and smallmouth bass
are being caught on slow rolled spinnerbaits, jig 'n pig and deep running
crankbaits on main channel points. Crappie are being caught around brushpiles,
in the creeks.

LEESVILLE RESERVOIR - Bass are being taken on lipless crankbaits, with a stop
and go retrieve. Most of the hits are coming while the bait is falling.

LAKE MOOMAW - Fishing activity has picked up. Some good sized smallmouth and
largemouth bass are being taken by die hard anglers. Crappie anglers are
having good success on live minnows and tiny jigs. A few brown trout in the 4-
5 pound class are reported being caught around the Fortney area.

PHILPOTT LAKE - Smallmouth bass fishing is reported to be very good, with
large numbers of fish being taken on live minnows. Fifteen pound limits of
smallmouth are not uncommon. Crappie anglers are catching good numbers of fish
on live minnows. The Smith River is giving up some nice trout for
flyfishermen.

SOUTH HOLSTON RESERVOIR - A few bass and lots of crappie is the word here.
Live minnows and jigs are the choice of bait. Walleye anglers are jigging a
few fish on Hopkins spoons. Trout fishing is good below the dam, when the
turbines are running.

CLAYTOR LAKE - Striper fishing is hot in Peake Creek, with lots of fish being
caught on topwaters, such as the Zara Spook, and on chartreuse Roadrunners.
Bass action is good in Dublin Hollow, where Gitzits and Silver Buddies are
taking their toll on both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

NEW RIVER - Although the river is high and clear, a few fish were taken this
past week. Reported catches include mostly small fish.

TROUT STREAMS - All scheduled stockings are continuing with no weather
delays. Water conditions are good throughout most of the area and most streams
still fishable.

SALTWATER - Striper fishing is excellent for the big sows that come into the
Bay from the Atlantic Ocean this time of year. Best action seems to be
centered just below Reedville. Most of the fish are taken by trolling umbrella
rigs and parachute rigs, with Sassy Shads at 32-35 feet. Watch for working
birds. There are reports of large grey trout under the schools of stripers.
These fish are taking jigging spoons, such as Stingsilvers.


Charlie NHBA.........

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