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#1 Mar-26-20 3:03PM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15560

3-26-20, Fletcher's

When I got to Gravely, I was amazed at the amount of cars in the lot. And very few people around. They took up virtually every spot!

John Lipetz and I were on the water by 8:45a to make the long ride up to the honey holes. It's longer now that they have the No Wake markers out in front of Memorial Bridge as they are fixing it.

We stopped at the Kennedy Center to make a few casts and break up the ride but we didn't score.

Up river we went.

Here is the depth just down from Three Sisters...

https://i.imgur.com/ZMWFqOO.jpg

Just up from Spout Run, we ran into Paula and Gordon. These guys are Fletcher's icons. They were fishing for white perch and Paula was cussin' like a sailor because they were not catching any.

Gordon's Rock is names after Gordon.

Up we went some more and ran into Mike Bailey and a buddy. After he cussed at me (I was going to fast) he told me that the shad bite was slower since the water temps were down and they were not catching many stripers.

John and I started fishing and it was slow until john declared he was hooked up...with a double!

https://i.imgur.com/2L5jTlT.jpg

What a way to start the shad season!

I got hit next and with some help from the net man, I landed this 18" beauty!

https://i.imgur.com/uYveF0j.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/viIgJaX.jpg

What a fatty!

Then John landed a nice one...

https://i.imgur.com/4n6N7Mn.jpg

...and then another REALLY nice one!

https://i.imgur.com/Ky0gr2i.jpg

This one went 18.25"! Now he has 1st fish, most fish and biggest fish!

The tide had topped out so we decided to go up river to our favorite spot.

The 1st one did not pay of so up some more we went.

The 2nd spot (my favorite) was slow but I did get a nice hit and run before the fish got off.

We ate some lunch from the same bakery as the last time. GOOD sammies!

We decided to drift down to where we started and we plucked off a couple more.

https://i.imgur.com/aD3oIBX.jpg

The one I caught has a story. As I am bringing him in, John asked if I needed the net. "nope, I can handle him". We saw the fish thrashing around and when he got close, he made a bee line to the bottom. Weird. Then, he sped up to supersonic speed and incredible strength.

We believe that a big blue cat or striper at my fish! All I had left was my leader...what a rush!

Later, I caught a blue cal on UL tackle!

https://i.imgur.com/PqDR57Y.jpg

The Cat Fish King!

We headed back by trying to drift with an increasing SW wind...not very productive so we headed down river.

Here is the work being done on Memorial Bridge.

https://i.imgur.com/VyTcUMS.jpg

We threw a few things at the mouth of Columbia Islands but we gt no hits so back to the ramp we went!


Time to go fishin' again!

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#2 Mar-26-20 3:30PM

drxfish
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Sterling
Registered: Jan-04-14
Posts: 2973

Re: 3-26-20, Fletcher's

Great job finding some fat ones!  I bet that big one that broke off was a rush.


Always wishin' I was fishin'

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#3 Mar-26-20 4:08PM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15560

Re: 3-26-20, Fletcher's

I had 2 rushes...one nice that broke off and then the shark that ate my bait fish (shad). That one was zingin' the reel!

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

BTW, most guys around us only caught 1-2 fish. One dude came in a yak and threw the fly. On his 1st cast he caught a shad and was elated. Not sure if he caught any more...


Time to go fishin' again!

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#4 Mar-27-20 12:01PM

T.
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Sep-30-09
Posts: 930

Re: 3-26-20, Fletcher's

Good to know they're biting. I've got a week of free time coming up.

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#5 Mar-27-20 7:11PM

Junger
Northern Snakehead
From: Potomac, MD
Registered: Aug-14-17
Posts: 720

Re: 3-26-20, Fletcher's

With all the rain we're getting, the shad bite will only get better right?

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#6 Mar-27-20 7:57PM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15560

Re: 3-26-20, Fletcher's

The shad bite gets better as the water temps hover in the mid 50's.

It ALWAYS starts slow during the last week of March, heats up in April and then wanes in May.

It's a 6 week game, give or take a few days.

Lots of rain will make it hard to fish (if over 5' at Little Falls gauge) plus it muddies up the water. And cools it.


Time to go fishin' again!

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#7 Mar-28-20 11:01AM

T.
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Sep-30-09
Posts: 930

Re: 3-26-20, Fletcher's

Temp is good now, let's hope the level stops rising.

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