Northern Virginia (Nova) Fishing Discussion/reports

[bluezed]

I noticed we have a lot of anglers in NOVA, and over the past couple weeks we've been pretty fragmented across various threads even though the topic of discussion was the same.  I figured it might be a good idea to try to consolidate as much of our ongoing NOVA-area fishing discussion to one thread.  I searched to see if there was an existing thread of this nature and couldn't find one.

 

 If anyone thinks this is a bad idea, please let me know and I'll contact a mod to remove the thread.  

 

On that note... where have you been fishing and where do you plan on fishing?  Any luck?  Spots?  Techniques?  Discuss!

I've been bank fishing exclusively for the past several weeks as our canoe is not yet ready to hit the water.  I've had luck at Lake Mercer on Senkos.  Have had some luck at Lake Ridge Marina on Senkos as well, but only dinks so far.  I would like to try Bull Run Marina from shore when I get a chance.  

 

Speaking of our canoe, it's a basic Coleman Scanoe which is being equipped with Spring Creek stabilizers, Minn Kota Endura Max 40LB, and various creature comforts... seat backs, rod holders, etc.  Should be fun and serve our needs well.  

[bluezed]

Ended up at Lake Ridge Marina today for a little bit. Hiked a ways through to woods to find some decent spots. Caught a 1.5lber and a wee little dink on a 5" Senko, wacky rigged.

I need to start trying something other than a Senko soon.

[beergogglin]

Took 2 of the kids to Woodglenn for some worm fishing last night. Needless to say I got maybe 10 casts in total. All my time was spent baiting hooks and un-hooking bluegill. I had my daughter throwing a small buzzbait at dusk. She got bored and wanted to switch baits after 5 casts or so. Teaching kids to fish is exhausting! It's very hard to fish with others who have little patience. It's something I just need to struggle with though. I need to teach them right!

[DJ 6_6]

Smart idea to have a General NoVa thread.  I'll be sure to follow.

Last few weekends I've been down in Locust Grove, VA fishing at Lake of the Woods where my folks live.   caught a fair amount of 1-2.5 lb bass, all on Wacky Rigged Senko.  I love that I catch fish on this bait, but hate the fact that its a slow, time consuming presentation.  I 'm reluctant to switch it up because the few times I've thrown crankbaits or spinnerbaits, I haven't had a bite

 

Saturday morning I think my brother and I will be launching from Lake Ridge Marina to try the Occoquan Res.  We usually use the boat to crab in the summer, but with the crabbing reports being really bad, decided to try  the boat for fishing.  That being said, anyone with advice for the Res as far as colors/baits etc., I'm all ears!

[bluezed]

Took 2 of the kids to Woodglenn for some worm fishing last night. Needless to say I got maybe 10 casts in total. All my time was spent baiting hooks and un-hooking bluegill. I had my daughter throwing a small buzzbait at dusk. She got bored and wanted to switch baits after 5 casts or so. Teaching kids to fish is exhausting! It's very hard to fish with others who have little patience. It's something I just need to struggle with though. I need to teach them right!

 

It's all for a good cause!  Hopefully their interest in fishing only grows stronger.

 

Speaking of bluegill, my mom tries to fish for those and other panfish almost exclusively.  She rarely gets any big ones so I'm wondering if we even have large bluegills around here, or if we need to try someplace else.  She almost always fishes from the docks at Lake Ridge Marina.  

[bluezed]

Smart idea to have a General NoVa thread.  I'll be sure to follow.

Last few weekends I've been down in Locust Grove, VA fishing at Lake of the Woods where my folks live.   caught a fair amount of 1-2.5 lb bass, all on Wacky Rigged Senko.  I love that I catch fish on this bait, but hate the fact that its a slow, time consuming presentation.  I 'm reluctant to switch it up because the few times I've thrown crankbaits or spinnerbaits, I haven't had a bite

 

Saturday morning I think my brother and I will be launching from Lake Ridge Marina to try the Occoquan Res.  We usually use the boat to crab in the summer, but with the crabbing reports being really bad, decided to try  the boat for fishing.  That being said, anyone with advice for the Res as far as colors/baits etc., I'm all ears!

 

With the Senkos, natural colors (green pumpkin, watermelon, etc) have been working for me.  Black with blue flakes also works really well.  But I've also caught some on the blue pearl (looks like a silver senko with metallic black flakes), as well as black with blue tip, plum apple, and green pumpkin with chartreuse tail.

 

I have limited Senko experience but it seems to me like if fish aren't biting when you are T-rigged, switching to wacky rig or a simple color change is all it takes for them to start biting.  I always try to start out with a natural color and adjust as necessary.  With the Senko, I think it's less about color and more about action.  If you can find the fish 99% of the time they will bite regardless of which one you throw in there.  

 

Like you, I find Senkos a little boring to fish since they are so slow... but they work, so I keep using them.  I have had success pitching to the edge of grass lines or in little pockets from the shore and almost always pull something out.  They are usually small, but it's still fun.  

[DJ 6_6]

I fish the Senkio exclussively wacky style.  The only two colors I use, which i've found productive, are a watermellon/Pearl and a natural/pumpkinseed color with a chartruse tip on one end.

I use a small dentail Rubberband or two (braces rubber band) to hold the senko to the hook.  helps keep the lure on after a few bites

[bluezed]

I bought some o-rings off Amazon to use for wacky rigging my Senkos.  I fish them both wacky and texas weightless and have had equal amounts of success with both.  I like the Gamakatsu 1/0 weedless finesse hooks for wacky rigging.    

[beergogglin]

t-rigged senkos are good for slow dragging over big rocks, particularly right along the shore of a dam at dusk.

I've actually had more luck with creature baits this year. Baby brush hogs worked when I couldn't get a single bite on a wacky rigged stick bait.

[The Bream Reaper]

I always keep a senko ready to go.  Texas rigged though, i never fish it whacky style, which i probably hard-headed of me.  I just feel like a get most of my strikes when i give it a subtle twitch on slack line about 2-3 seconds after it hits the water (when fish are up shallow).  Especially on the edge of grass and weed beds.  I have all the terminal tackle to work it whacky style, but am stubborn.  I'm heading out to occoquan res on saturday out of FH and will defintely let you all know how we do and if we can key in on any patterns.  Quanjig usually has the best insight though so hopefully he can chime in if he gets out there this week or over the weekend.

 

I plan to work the grass beds early on with topwater and spinnerbaits, then try to locate anything we can deep on those main lake points.  I think Quanjig alluded to some better water clarity this week with the lack of rain and cloud cover...hopefully that will make things a little easier, but we'll see.

 

Has anyone tried to punch into those grass beds midday when it gets super hot out there? 

[DJ 6_6]

I'll hve to try T -rigged.  one problem I was having witht he Wacky rigged was gut hooked fish.  it was taking me a few seconds to detect the bite...basically feeling the weight of the fish before I set the hook.  I tried to crimp down the barb, and since some of my fish have been hooked in the mouth and 2 that were gut hooked, I removed one hook easily and one fish didnt make it. 

[bluezed]

Yeah seeing/feeling the bite was really hard for me at first.  Just watch your line like a hawk.  Eventually you'll be able to tell quickly when something is "different" and you have a bite.  But that said, sometimes fish just INHALE the Senko.  Can't stop 'em when they want it that bad.  

[bluezed]

Heading down to Bass Pro Shops Saturday to get a new rod and reel.  Most likely the Pro Qualifier and Carbonlite combo.   

[DJ 6_6]

Heading down to Bass Pro Shops Saturday to get a new rod and reel.  Most likely the Pro Qualifier and Carbonlite combo.  

 isnt easier to just order it online? 

[DJ 6_6]

Yeah seeing/feeling the bite was really hard for me at first.  Just watch your line like a hawk.  Eventually you'll be able to tell quickly when something is "different" and you have a bite.  But that said, sometimes fish just INHALE the Senko.  Can't stop 'em when they want it that bad.  

 

I try watching my line..usually i feel the bump/tap and then feel the weight..other times its just dead weight so i set the hook  

[bluezed]

 isnt easier to just order it online? 

 

Perhaps, but I love being in the store.  Plus I want to get a feel for a variety of rods and reels before I pull the trigger.

[bluezed]

I try watching my line..usually i feel the bump/tap and then feel the weight..other times its just dead weight so i set the hook  

 

So boring!  But productive.  

I want to try some jig fishing soon.  

[DJ 6_6]

yea i havent really attempted a jig or even T-Rig worm.... 

[hwiv24]

Fellow NoVA angler here and wanted to say hello. Fished Occ. Res. last Saturday when it was flooded and muddy. Threw a spinnerbait most of the morning and switched to a worm later on. Didn't get a single bite which was slightly discouraging. Anybody else out there catch anything? I'm thinking about heading back out on Saturday launching out of Bull Run.

[quanjig]

Check out the res thread!

[nitro557]

new occ res fisherman here haven't fished for 20 years ,fell in hook line and sinker and bought a jon boat with a 9.8 merc and last weekend installed a foot controlled trolling motor

been doing good on catching 2 lbers on spinners and crankbaits still working on finding the big fish

[Redneckbmxer24]

I fished the private side of lake anna today and it was extremely slow. I caught one mid afternoon on a smoke w/purple and blue flake senko T rigged. Couldn't get a single hit on a spinnerbait, crankbait, or topwater. I caught two more later in the evening after the sun set on a gold sexy shad KVD crankbait. Once again not a thing on any other color, spinnerbaits or soft baits. My buddy got one on a lucky craft popper but I couldn't manage to get anything with topwater. The water must have been 100 degrees even in the deep channels after sun set. 

[beergogglin]

Wow. Some of you guys fished yesterday?! It was HOT. Still is. No wonder it was slow. If I was a fish I'd go deep looking for the AC!

Hey Redneck... would you happen to race at NOVA BMX? I'm an old school bmx guy myself and got my daughter into racing a bit last year. Sorry to the rest for the threadjack.

[bluezed]

I was going to go, but you're right... it was HOT!  

 

What type of line are you guys using on baitcasting gear?  I'm using Yo-Zuri Hybrid 12# right now and it's been working well, but since I'm adding rods/reels I have been thinking about braid.  Maybe 50# power pro with a fluoro leader if I need it.  Would probably be nice around trees and grass and such.  Thinking a high vis braid might help with me actually being able to watch my line, too. 

[DJ 6_6]

I'm using 14 lb Flouro on a few rods.  Seems to fit my needs.  I forget which one It was maybe Berkly, thts orange/yellow above water and clear underwater.  Its still not that easy to see above water LOL