Northern Virginia (Nova) Fishing Discussion/reports

[quanjig]

Blame the rowers!! They somehow still have access! Go figure, just another fishing area dominated by by those that have the ability to force their will!!

[The Pennsylvania Kid]

Blame the rowers!! They somehow still have access! Go figure, just another fishing area dominated by by those that have the ability to force their will!!

Yeah that's bs that they're still able to use it........it's a shame and it'll prbly add pressure to the surrounding lakes.

[Choporoz]

Tomorrow, I'm going to head down to explore AP Hill.  If anyone has any knowledge/experience there, I'd greatly appreciate it.

2 thumbs up for AP Hill. Prob a dozen ponds and lakes, most with ramps. Caught my PB there today: 6.8!!! Another at 4.2. Great day

[Brick]

Blame the rowers!! They somehow still have access! Go figure, just another fishing area dominated by by those that have the ability to force their will!!

Don't get me started on the rowers. Haha. Can't stand when they are out full force on occ res. Nothing like enjoying some peace and quite out on the res until 6 teams of rowers come through one after another. Each group 8 boats wide, taking up the entire width of the reservoir. Not to mention that each group has a coach screaming through a megaphone. They do not give a flying f who they wake, or whether someones fishing or not.

[big poppa]

Don't get me started on the rowers. Haha. Can't stand when they are out full force on occ res. Nothing like enjoying some peace and quite out on the res until 6 teams of rowers come through one after another. Each group 8 boats wide, taking up the entire width of the reservoir. Not to mention that each group has a coach screaming through a megaphone. They do not give a flying f who they wake, or whether someones fishing or not.

 

I had a "nice talk" with a coach after his boat was within 5 feet of my boat and I had to beach mine to avoid a collision. He declined the offer to meet up in the parking lot after to "discuss" the incident.   

[quanjig]

Did you happen to find out which school he was with? I would call the school and make them aware of the incident and calmly let them know it is a multi use body of water and if it happens again, you will make a formal complaint to the proper authorities.

[Brick]

I had a "nice talk" with a coach after his boat was within 5 feet of my boat and I had to beach mine to avoid a collision. He declinedAn offer to meet up in the parking lot after to "discuss" the incident.

It doesn't matter what is in front of the rowers. They will do absolutely nothing to avoid collisions. You could be anchored for four hours in the same spot with a laser light show shooting off your boat in every direction, and if they are heading your way, you better move. I've considered getting a mega phone myself, and following right along next to them screaming at the coach for the duration of their practice. Aren't you supposed to stay to the right when in motion on the res? Why do the rowers not have to follow this rule? They think they own the reservoir, and I don't blaim them. The counties gave them 3 of the 4 launches found on the reservoir. Id think I owned the place too.

[big poppa]

Did you happen to find out which school he was with? I would call the school and make them aware of the incident and calmly let them know it is a multi use body of water and if it happens again, you will make a formal complaint to the proper authorities.

The coach wouldnt tell me but it was the third or fourth time that day that i was almost hit. Im considering calling up the school board for both fairfax and prince william county and dealing with the issue as a whole.

[DJ 6_6]

Why not team up on them, get 4-5 boats together and fish the middle of the res...when they come rowing by, an old lure with new treble hooks thrown cross their rowboat would send a message loud and clear.   after all you were there first, achored...they would be at fault for rowing that close to you .....

[quanjig]

Here is what some of the guys have come up with as a "solution", to make the rowers aware of our location while on the water. We use the small air horns with compressed air dealys! You can buy a few and give them to friends! Amazing what a blast with those things will do to rowers " in the grove!" , talk about freaking out!! It's very entertaining and gets your point across quickly!!

[DJ 6_6]

^^^^ yea they are!!!  good idea!! 

[Traveler2586]

The coach wouldnt tell me but it was the third or fourth time that day that i was almost hit. Im considering calling up the school board for both fairfax and prince william county and dealing with the issue as a whole.

 

IMHO, don't do, or say, anything to a rower or the coach; they could turn you into the bad guy very quickly.

 

Just make sure you keep a video camera of some type with you at all times, keep it hand and make sure the date & time are correct.

 

If anyone comes close to you pull out the camera and start recording.

 

I think you'll find that when they see you recording their actions they'll change what they're doing.  If they still harass you, you'll have something to show the officials.

 

I would then write a letter with your complaints and evidence to the Director of the Park Service and Director of the school board.  This way your complaint will filter it's way down through each system and be seen by more than one person.  Keep your letter professional, never get emotional, and stay on point; if you don't your letter will not receive the respect it deserves.

 

Again, never do anything to disrupt the rowers; just collect your evidence, and above all stay calm, one word can dig a big hole.

[quanjig]

Traveler, those are excellent points and thanks for recommending that course of action. Having fished the Occoquan reservoir for 25+ years, I've seen how the rowers have changed the way things operate there. Plenty of the fishermen I know that have just as much time or more have seen it as well. We have tried friendly banter and written more than our fair share of letters to the proper people. Unfortunately, there has been little to no change to the attitude of the crew teams. I'm nt saying each and every rower is a problem, it seems to be the high school rowers and the coaches. I've never had any problems with singles, doubles or college teams, they are well aware of other people that use the reservoir for things other than rowing!!

If it was as simple as recording and reporting the incidents, it still wouldn't be a day in day out problem. Unfortunately, some of these people think they own the place and it's up to you to get out of their way! Until they change the elitist attitude they have, short of "taking some of the coaches to the bank", I'll have my air horn at the ready and kill them with kindness when I stand my ground and make them row around me!!

[Traveler2586]

Traveler, those are excellent points and thanks for recommending that course of action. Having fished the Occoquan reservoir for 25+ years, I've seen how the rowers have changed the way things operate there. Plenty of the fishermen I know that have just as much time or more have seen it as well. We have tried friendly banter and written more than our fair share of letters to the proper people. Unfortunately, there has been little to no change to the attitude of the crew teams. I'm nt saying each and every rower is a problem, it seems to be the high school rowers and the coaches. I've never had any problems with singles, doubles or college teams, they are well aware of other people that use the reservoir for things other than rowing!!

If it was as simple as recording and reporting the incidents, it still wouldn't be a day in day out problem. Unfortunately, some of these people think they own the place and it's up to you to get out of their way! Until they change the elitist attitude they have, short of "taking some of the coaches to the bank", I'll have my air horn at the ready and kill them with kindness when I stand my ground and make them row around me!!

 

Sorry to hear you've been down this road many times; all I can suggest at this point is to keep at it, and with the support of as many anglers as you can muster.  There is strength in numbers.  This past December/January I worked with a few neighbors to muster our community to defeat a rezoning attempt for the second time; we could not have been successful without the support of so many people.

 

Hang in there, and tight lines.

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

I will second quanjigs post. I believe the rub lies with how much money fisherman contribute to the park authority vs the amount the crew teams contribute. Hands down the rowers unfortunately win and thus get better treatment.

That all being said there are plenty of weekend warriors that wake rowers by driving there vessel dangerously to close. On the other hand there are plenty of rowers that feel they own the reservoir and aren't courteous.

A shoreline meeting may be the only solution.

May the victor go the spoils!

J-

[mudkart]

I've had the Rez rowing community yell at me to slow down.  However, slowing down = more hull in the water = larger wake, unless the boat is at or near idle speed. Presuming that it is the wake they have a problem with, I don't understand.  

OTOH, they have no problem throwing a significant wake (not the crews, the follow/coach boats) in my direction as they putt-putt along behind the crews.

Another thing; as "unpowered" craft, the crew boats have right-of-way according to VA maritime rules.  It's a gray area how this would apply if you are not under power as well (e.g. stopped and fishing a spot), but if you are under power, my understanding is you must yield under all circumstances. 

[big poppa]

I will second quanjigs post. I believe the rub lies with how much money fisherman contribute to the park authority vs the amount the crew teams contribute. Hands down the rowers unfortunately win and thus get better treatment.

That all being said there are plenty of weekend warriors that wake rowers by driving there vessel dangerously to close. On the other hand there are plenty of rowers that feel they own the reservoir and aren't courteous.

A shoreline meeting may be the only solution.

May the victor go the spoils!

J-

 

Some are just as courteous on land. Launching out of LRP sucks on weekdays. Crew teams double park in the trailer spots and use the ramp for exercises and to stretch on. Its disrespectful.

[quanjig]

You know who causes the most shoreline erosion on the res? Rowers chase boats!! Mike is spot on!!

[quanjig]

Enjoyed a nice day Saturday at Burke lake! 12 fish, all between 2.5-3.5lbs! Senko and jig, lots of beds, some occupied, some empty.

[Traveler2586]

Has anyone noticed in the May Bassmasters magazine the Potomac didn't make the top 100 fisheries "ON THE PLANET" !?! 

 

Too much pressure?

 

Too few ramps?

 

Too little area support?

 

Too few hotels near ramps?

 

Too little coordination of resources between jurisdictions?

 

What do you think?

[s freud]

I was thinking about the crew teams today, and wanted to pass on a thought. I've had them yell at me, almost hit me, etc, but one thing to keep in mind when expressing our frustrations, is that there are high schoolers in many of those votes. That means if someone started a fight and a minor jumped in, an adult is looking at assault on a minor. If we harass a boat to where they feel threatened, it's threatening a minor (or group of them). We all get frustrated, but no one wants to be in court on a felony.

[Nitrofreak]

Well , only got 3 1/2 hrs in today , sustained winds above 30 mph , I dunno what the gusts were but they were pretty wicked .

Water was 60 at the surface , stained to partly stained , fish were all mixed up , some suspended , some on the flats , suspended , some coming in for the spawn , some on the bottom but very tight lipped , started out with jigs for the ones one the bottom , got 3 that way , 4.1 , 4.8 , 5.4 , tried going after the suspended ones but to no avail , just could not hold the position , secondary points were my focus , seems most all the activity was on these points that had hard bottom areas , no discernible breaks that I could see , I changed up when I could not find what they wanted , they certainly were not in the mood to chase , I caught the next two on a LC pointer suspending JB , first one went 5.7 , last one of the day , 6.6 , brutal day to be out , lost one reel to my inability to control my balance and stepped on the darn thing , lost my LC pointer on the very next cast because of a wind knot , it was just too much after that , boat control was insane !!

[quanjig]

Nice fish Sonny!! That's the way to make the most of your time, just big ones!!

[quanjig]

Traveler, I thought the bassmaster article was "lakes" not "rivers" and Freud, I would never condone a physical altercation with the rowers or coaches, so not worth it! The smugness to which they conduct themselves on the res is truly amazing tho!! Traveler had it right, make your intentions known that you will be making a formal complaint. Get the name of the person and the school they represent and take it from there. Most of the time, these complaints fall on def ears! I hope that one day someone actually gets out there and sees how these coaches refuse to recognize that the res is multi use and that no one group of people has exclusive rights to use that body of water!!

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Well , only got 3 1/2 hrs in today , sustained winds above 30 mph , I dunno what the gusts were but they were pretty wicked .

Water was 60 at the surface , stained to partly stained , fish were all mixed up , some suspended , some on the flats , suspended , some coming in for the spawn , some on the bottom but very tight lipped , started out with jigs for the ones one the bottom , got 3 that way , 4.1 , 4.8 , 5.4 , tried going after the suspended ones but to no avail , just could not hold the position , secondary points were my focus , seems most all the activity was on these points that had hard bottom areas , no discernible breaks that I could see , I changed up when I could not find what they wanted , they certainly were not in the mood to chase , I caught the next two on a LC pointer suspending JB , first one went 5.7 , last one of the day , 6.6 , brutal day to be out , lost one reel to my inability to control my balance and stepped on the darn thing , lost my LC pointer on the very next cast because of a wind knot , it was just too much after that , boat control was insane !!

 

Nice fish where were you fishing?

 

J-