[Pete]

Anyone ever fish these waters? It's been 30 years for me, but here I am ... crabs and oysters are out of season ... stripers aren't running ... there are small mouth in the river, but the water is warm and scummy and the signs along the banks warn not to touch the water. So maybe I should head up-river and look for some brownies. Wish I still had my boat on the Bay, but I'm sure she's long since finished her days as a fishing machine. She was 30 years old and leaky when I had her ... somehow I think a 60 year old mahogany hulled boat might have been retired by now. I wonder who last owned her?

Anyway, just wondering if anyone had any ideas ... I can't find IFISH.NET EAST :grin:

 

[GutshotApe]

A friend of mine owns property with frontage on the Rappahannock River about 20 miles above tidewater. He once told me there is a shad run and smallmouth bass there but by now the river normally is down and fishing "no good". However, this was a very wet spring back there...heavy, daily rains until just a few weeks ago...so who knows?

Check VA DFW, MD DFW, etc. websites?

 

[Scaup]

I just moved to the area myself and I'm in the crawl stage of learning how to fish the area (I've been out twice). Do you have access to a boat? Without a boat your options are limited.

I'm going to be fishing the lower Potomac/Chesapeake Saturday evening, Sunday, and Monday if you want to tag along. Otherwise it's just me and the dog. I'll send you a PM with my cell phone number.

In the lower Potomac river you can catch croaker on the flats (10-20 feet if water) using bait (store shrimp or squid). They are easy to catch, pretty tasty, and put up a good fight on light tackle. They run 10-20 inches.

Some stripers are being caught by chummers (I haven't tried chumming yet) at the mouth of the Potomac/Chesapeake and by trolling bucktail jigs over structure.

Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel are also starting to show up in the lower river.

Here's a web site with decent message boards about the Chesapeake: www.tidalfish.com

[ 07-26-2003, 07:47 AM: Message edited by: Scaup ]

 

[GutshotApe]

Well, you won't believe this, but I logged off to SSS and eat bfst and the phone rang...it was my friend Kurt C. from back east. He's buying some more land and wanted to run the deal past me... So, I asked about the fishing.

He says there is nothing going on right now in freshwater other than smallmouth bass, as usual.

In the Bay there is good fishing for "grouper, croaker and spot". Sounds like a boat show.

Kurt, who lives in DC, said he'd be happy to give you more detailed info...so send me an email if yo want and I'll give you his email add.

 

[Claybear]

If I had the choice, I'd run over to Maryland and do some flounder fishing or even Virginia beach area. Lived in James town and Richmond VA for a few years. Always some thing to fish for. Shoot go for the big Blue cats. :smile:

 

[DJFISHS2XS]

I have fished many Bass tournys on the river. Get a manns minus one crank bait and work the grass, or get a blue/black jig and craw and work the docks and along the pads...its one of the best largemouth fishing spots in the country...DJ

 

[Pete]

The good news is there are tuna off shore ... the bad news is the numbers are low ... the worse news is that charters charge 600 to 1000 for a day out ... I guess I'll plan ahead before I make that voyage. But at least there's something to plan for!

 

[Joe Schwab]

Pete, Funny you should bring up the Ches. My wife and I are heading that way for two weeks as soon as I finish up this job on the coast. Sept. 15 we fly back. We have friends there who have a boat and a house on the bay. Never been there but am looking forward to it. Tillamook Bay can wait.

 

[SKP]

I was back there 3 months ago. Visited Jamestown, Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, and D.C. I tried to find some info on fishing, but struck out. It's a beautiful area. Wish there were salmon and steelhead there. I had to resort to Captain George's.

SKP