Northern Virginia (Nova) Fishing Discussion/reports

[Choporoz]

I've taken a couple of steps to try to mitigate....just a little when renting boats around here.  (My kayak has Lowrance, thankfully.) 

- I bought cheapest Humminbird Fishin Buddy...around $100, IIRC.  Useless for marking fish, but good enough for depth.

- For the rez (and Potomac...and Anna), I got the GMCO map http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/cats/fish/fish-va.htm#p4

- Not made for detail work, but a start:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelakepark/downloads/lakedepth.pdf

 

 

One last thing...don't waste too much time before getting on to Hunting Run.  For me, that's the best place to rent/fish within an hour from here. 

Search for @Wayne P.'s posts before you go, and you'll feel like you know it before you ever get your line wet.

 

I also like Anna, but the only place I've found that rents (other than pontoons) is Sturgeon Creek...and, while a decent enough option, that has some challenges.

[RichF]

43 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

I've taken a couple of steps to try to mitigate....just a little when renting boats around here.  (My kayak has Lowrance, thankfully.) 

- I bought cheapest Humminbird Fishin Buddy...around $100, IIRC.  Useless for marking fish, but good enough for depth.

- For the rez (and Potomac...and Anna), I got the GMCO map http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/cats/fish/fish-va.htm#p4

- Not made for detail work, but a start:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelakepark/downloads/lakedepth.pdf

 

 

One last thing...don't waste too much time before getting on to Hunting Run.  For me, that's the best place to rent/fish within an hour from here. 

Search for @Wayne P.'s posts before you go, and you'll feel like you know it before you ever get your line wet.

 

I also like Anna, but the only place I've found that rents (other than pontoons) is Sturgeon Creek...and, while a decent enough option, that has some challenges.

 

Thanks a bunch for the info!  I'll definitely pick up that Rez map.  Right after I read your last response, I checked out Cabelas online looking for a portable depth finder.  They have a great deal on a Lowrance Hook-4 with extras for $200 and I could get the suction cup mount to make the transducer portable for an extra $20.  Super tempting.  

 

I saw Hunting Run on google maps as I was scanning the area for new places to fish.  It's close to Motts correct?  

[Choporoz]

Close on a map....not even close comparing bass fishing

[RichF]

Anybody ever launch on the Occoquan Res at Lake Ridge park?  I'd really like to check Sandy Run but I don't think I can rent a boat at the park there.  Lake Ridge would be my closest option with the trolling motor. 

[Choporoz]

Been out of Lake Ridge a number of times. (Renting and kayaking.) Sandy Run very accessible from there.  Loading is a pain unless you are renting their motor and battery.  I usually row to the ramp and load there if it isn't busy.

Spent a few hours Friday on Gunston Cove.   Only open water fish were from throwing traps into bait balls.  But the bigger girls were very tight in laydowns.  Pulled four bass out of one tree.  This was the fourth one.

[sc1978]

@Choporoz nice fish. I plan on making trips to Occoquan regional park and target some snakeheads and bass. just waiting for good weather....this week should be beautiful....

[RichF]

I never made it to Burke Saturday.  I called friday afternoon to make sure they'd be open but they told me they wouldn't know until around 9 or 10am saturday.  I didn't wanna wait so I decided to just go to Fountainhead again bright and early.  Fished from 730AM  to around 6PM and only boated 12.  Lost a couple others.  I hooked a giant fish flipping super shallow but am pretty sure it wasn't a bass.  Never felt a bite and didn't set the hook very hard.  My XH flipping stick was doubled over for a hot second and the fish made a massive swirl next to the boat and was off.  

 

The bite was really slow until I decided to just chunk a spinnerbait around shallow wood in the afternoon.  Not my favorite way to fish but it got me most of my bites.  Biggest one hit right around the 3lb mark.  The rest were 1.5 to 2.5. 

 

I think I'll launch out of Lake Ridge next time.  I'm really interested in going up Sandy Run.

 

 

1 hour ago, sc1978 said:

@Choporoz nice fish. I plan on making trips to Occoquan regional park and target some snakeheads and bass. just waiting for good weather....this week should be beautiful....

 

But that means more people will be on the water! lol.  I only saw around 10 boats all day Saturday.  It was kinda nice.

[sc1978]

2 hours ago, RichF said:

But that means more people will be on the water! lol.  I only saw around 10 boats all day Saturday.  It was kinda nice.

 

yeah, I thought the same thing. But I do have plans for stripe bass fishing down Northern Neck on Thursday AM...

[Fisheye89]

Hey everyone new member and fishermen here, just wanted to introduce myself. Only been fishing for a little over a year so I know I have much to learn. I've been doing a bit of reading on here and several other sites to gather as much information as I can. I know experience is the biggest advantage when it comes to fishing, so this season I have been doing my best to hit the water as much as I can. So far I have been out there at least once a week and some weeks 2 or even 3 days a week if I get the chance. While reading up on tips and advice from other fishermen has been helpful, I think actually being out there with some who has a good amount of experience would be a lot better(I'm more of a visual learner) Unfortunately none of my fishing buddies have a lot of experience and usually rely on me for advice.

 

Example- I was out early one morning at Algonkian park fishing a stream just before it goes out into the river. It had rained pretty hard the day before so there wasn't much water clarity if any at all. I started out with live worms and when they didn't produce anything I switched to a spinnerbait. When that didn't work I tried a football jighead, still no interest. All while I could hear the fish jumping out of the water catching their breakfast. At one point I even saw one leap out of the water and make a huge splash as if to mock me. What did I do wrong or not do???

[Choporoz]

I've never fished Algonkian.  I've asked about it here on BR and got crickets....Anyway, I threw the kayak on top of the car a week or two ago and went up there with every intention of hitting it.  After looking at the somewhat swift chocolate milk, I slowed my roll a bit and started talking to everyone that I could find with a boat or fishing rod or just hanging anywhere near the ramp.  Nothing I heard led me to believe that putting in there would be a good use of my time.  Between the current and the lack of bass, according to those somewhat familiar, I decided not to bother.  Now, they could have been way wrong and that stretch might be filled with bass, but I didn't see any reason to question them.  I'd bet a good bit of money that you saw evidence of catfish and/or carp, jumping and rolling, and otherwise breaking the surface.  You can spend a LOT of time in these parts chasing splashes, only to learn that you've been casting at carp.  That's experience...not hearsay...:)

    Good luck, and welcome.  Lots of information in this thread and others. 

[Burtonxj]

I work at Algonkian. Pretty good fishing around the launch but it gets better down around the breaks. Sugarland Run is also fun to take a yak up in.

 

TONS of carp in the slackwater.

[SeeNoSun]

8 hours ago, Burtonxj said:

I work at Algonkian. Pretty good fishing around the launch but it gets better down around the breaks. Sugarland Run is also fun to take a yak up in.

 

TONS of carp in the slackwater.

Are there Largemouth and Smallmouth in Sugarland Run?  I was thinking of taking my Yak up there.  Anymore info would be awesome.

[RichF]

You guys are right...Burke Lake is a turd.  I ended up there Saturday because the employee at the Res decided not to show up for work.  Wow Burke is a zoo.  Such a tiny lake to have so many boats, canoes, and yaks on it.  No peace and quiet at all.  My buddy and I only caught 3 bass and a walleye in 5 hrs.  Definitely not worth the $29 bucks for park entry and boat rental.

 

Oh how I miss NY  

[Choporoz]

I spent Saturday on Hunting Run.  Couldn't believe how many trailers in the lot when I got there around 10.  Most boats were deep in the bays and creeks, so I figured that's where I'd start...late spawners, maybe?  Couldn't do jack in the shallows, nor shore laydowns.  But, I began to notice that every single time I crossed 11' mark, my fishfinder would beep.  Almost like a depth alarm.  So I anchored off a windy shore and started dragging big worms through 10-13 feet of water.  Turned out to be a solid pattern for the next four or five hours.  Caught more good fish (2-4#) than I ever had there.

  Sunday, I hit Occoquan River for a few hours in the afternoon, and took a bunch of decent fish from cover on the Fairfax side of the river.  Nothing over 3, however. 

   Found some big gars cruising grass flats...pretty cool to watch...just glad I didn't hook into one.

[georgeyew]

2 hours ago, RichF said:

You guys are right...Burke Lake is a turd.  I ended up there Saturday because the employee at the Res decided not to show up for work.  Wow Burke is a zoo.  Such a tiny lake to have so many boats, canoes, and yaks on it.  No peace and quiet at all.  My buddy and I only caught 3 bass and a walleye in 5 hrs.  Definitely not worth the $29 bucks for park entry and boat rental.

 

Oh how I miss NY  

 

It is super busy most of the time. Not to mention all the runners and bikers all along the trail. It's hard to bank fish as well.

[RichF]

16 minutes ago, georgeyew said:

 

It is super busy most of the time. Not to mention all the runners and bikers all along the trail. It's hard to bank fish as well.

 

Yeah, the hikers and runners added a bit of annoyance for sure.  They obviously didn't get in the way or anything but just hearing all the talking, shouting, and overall noise was frustrating.  Hard to enjoy nature when everyone from the city fills the greenspace.  

[Choporoz]

Also makes taking a leak more 'interesting' than it is on most lakes

[Wayne P.]

2 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I spent Saturday on Hunting Run.  Couldn't believe how many trailers in the lot when I got there around 10.  Most boats were deep in the bays and creeks, so I figured that's where I'd start...late spawners, maybe?  Couldn't do jack in the shallows, nor shore laydowns.  But, I began to notice that every single time I crossed 11' mark, my fishfinder would beep.  Almost like a depth alarm.  So I anchored off a windy shore and started dragging big worms through 10-13 feet of water.  Turned out to be a solid pattern for the next four or five hours.  Caught more good fish (2-4#) than I ever had there.

  Sunday, I hit Occoquan River for a few hours in the afternoon, and took a bunch of decent fish from cover on the Fairfax side of the river.  Nothing over 3, however. 

   Found some big gars cruising grass flats...pretty cool to watch...just glad I didn't hook into one.

 

I was at Hunting Run Saturday from about 8:30 to 4:00. Caught a lot in that size range also. Total 55 bass, one pickerel, and one bluegill.

[sc1978]

went to my usual lake, Lake Brittle. got busy in the afternoon. fished for only 2hrs. foul hooked small carp on its side and fished 1 lmb. 

 

 

[vaparrothead]

Just returned from Huntsman Lake; didn't expect a lot and I was surprised when I landed a pound to pound and a half large mouth just off the rocks at the dam end of the lake.  Didn't take a camera; why would I?  Anyway there are bass in Huntsman!!

[PECo]

1 hour ago, vaparrothead said:

Just returned from Huntsman Lake; didn't expect a lot and I was surprised when I landed a pound to pound and a half large mouth just off the rocks at the dam end of the lake.  Didn't take a camera; why would I?  Anyway there are bass in Huntsman!!

 

A buddy who just moved down to central Virginia told me that a guy fishing from the fishing dock next to the ramp at Briery Creek Lake landed a 12-1/4 pound largemouth bass last Saturday. Supposedly, the guy took photos and released it. I'm still waiting for a photo of it to show up online somewhere.

 

I guess that Virginia isn't just for lovers.

[David Brown]

First time posting on here so forgive me if this should go somewhere else. 

 

Been fishing from the yak a few times this year (Germantown and Frederick) but I'm overdue to get the kids out. Been in NOVA for a year and a half and haven't found any place to take them where we can pull in a mess of sunnies and the occasional bass that isn't elbow to elbow...or skunk city. Any recommendations? Also thinking about renting a jon boat somewhere (cause heading out in the boat is half the fun for them) if anyone can point me in the right direction. Thanks!

[RockvilleMDAngler]

Open tournament on Saturday out of Hope Springs Marina if anyone is interested, should be a good time:

 

http://va-outdoors.com/threads/19547-VAO-2017-Potomac-River-SummerSlam-Smackdown-Tournament-**Open**

[Choporoz]

On 6/5/2017 at 9:12 PM, David Brown said:

First time posting on here so forgive me if this should go somewhere else. 

 

Been fishing from the yak a few times this year (Germantown and Frederick) but I'm overdue to get the kids out. Been in NOVA for a year and a half and haven't found any place to take them where we can pull in a mess of sunnies and the occasional bass that isn't elbow to elbow...or skunk city. Any recommendations? Also thinking about renting a jon boat somewhere (cause heading out in the boat is half the fun for them) if anyone can point me in the right direction. Thanks!

I don't fish for panfish, but I catch 'em on the Occoquan with regularity.  I'd rent a boat from either Fountainhead or Lake Ridge; pretty similar - mostly would depend on whether you live in Fairfax or PW county.   If you're out more towards Loudon, you can try Brittle - but, IIRC, the boat rentals there were kinda expensive for my tastes.

[Wayne P.]

Hunting Run Res, Motts Run Res, and Ni River Res near Fredericksburg rent jon boats.