Fishing Spots: Washington DC, following up the Potomac

[David Record]

So I have the pleasure of commuting down to DC (near the Kennedy Center) everyday from Frederick, MD. Anyone have some good spots for a shoreline angler? I'm definitely interested in Snakeheads when the weather improves as well.

[RichF]

I just moved to the DC  metro area a couple months ago and am looking for similar info as well.  If I find anything I'll let you know Dave!

[Logan S]

I'm not much of a shore angler, but many here should be able point you in the right direction.  I know a lot of people like to fish along the C&O Canal.  Every now and then I'll stop at the Great Falls parking area and fish the canal, have caught quite a few bass there in the warmer months.  If you avoid 495/270 like I do on my way out of town you pass right by it on Falls Rd.  

[patred]

Pretty much every parking area along the C&O Canal has good access to fishing from shore.  Or wading.  If you can bring a mountain bike with you, the trail is easy riding for the most part, and you can cover more ground.

In the "Maryland Who's Who" thread, somebody posted catching largemouth in one of the canal pools on the other side of the trail from the river.  It's a bit downriver from the Edward's Ferry area.

Pat

[BrianinMD]

Not a shore guy in that area but I think the area around Fletchers Boat House is good from shore. Maybe someone confirm this?

[Fried Lemons]

I've only fished fletcher's in the spring, but if you can make it during the shad runs, the fishing can be spectacular. White perch, american shad, striped bass, and blue catfish can all be had from shore. It gets very crowded on weekends though. I have heard the slackwater pools around the Chain Bridge hold snakeheads during the spring runs. There is a population which migrates up there to spawn. Supposedly they are difficult to catch at that time though.

[Turtle135]

On 2/2/2016 at 5:04 PM, patred said:

Pretty much every parking area along the C&O Canal has good access to fishing from shore.  Or wading.  If you can bring a mountain bike with you, the trail is easy riding for the most part, and you can cover more ground.

In the "Maryland Who's Who" thread, somebody posted catching largemouth in one of the canal pools on the other side of the trail from the river.  It's a bit downriver from the Edward's Ferry area.

Pat

That might be Violette's Lock. Largemouth in the canal and good wadeable smallmouth fishing in the Potomac River in the section called "Seneca Breaks".

[everythingthatswims]

Isn't there a warm water discharge called four mile run?

[fishwizzard]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 5:04 PM, patred said:

In the "Maryland Who's Who" thread, somebody posted catching largemouth in one of the canal pools on the other side of the trail from the river.  It's a bit downriver from the Edward's Ferry area.

Pat

You are giving out my spot man

Assuming we are talking about the same pool that is.   I have had some luck in the old quarry pond just north of Riley's Lock.  It is a huge pain (literally, with all the thorns) to bank fish most of the year.  This spring I plan to drag my yak out there and really give it a good once over.  As it stands now my B2LT (Bass to Lost Tackle) ratio is way too high there.  No idea what is under the water there but it is snag city. 

There are maybe 3-4 decent spots on the towpath side to fish from and a few more on the back side, but a small pair of pruning shears is pretty essential gear to fish there. 

[Logan S]

11 hours ago, everythingthatswims said:

Isn't there a warm water discharge called four mile run?

Yes, it's on the VA side just below Reagan Airport...The water release is up the creek a little bit, past the bridges.  Washington Sailing Marina is in the bay right outside the mouth of the creek and can be a good winter spot...But I don't know about shoreline access, either for 4-mile or for the marina.  The Mt Vernon bike/walking path runs right along river in that area so it's probably possible, I just don't know where you'd be able to park or if there are any property/access restrictions.  No issues in a boat as long as you don't get stuck on the big mud flat out front .

[fishwizzard]

 If the water level is up, the entire C&O has bass in it.   I don't have a way to post a picture now, but I caught a very decent SM right by mile 0, where the canal meets rock creek.  It is in the main MD thread, maybe 2-3 pages back.  I realty wish there was a legal spot to camp between G-town and Swains, it would make an excellent weekend trip.  I have done a few singe night trips, starting around mile 5-7 and camping at Swains, it is always a blast.  There are a ton of great spots, both canal and river, that are not very close to any parking. 

[Bigbarge50]

Hey guys I am a regular in the South forum as a Virginia guy....Arlington area..... but I have been dating a girl up in Takoma park MD so now when I want to run out and fish, I am often up above DC in md.  She likes to walk along the canal at that small park at lock #21 right at the end of swain park road.  Well we go to walk so I bring some spinning gear and poof she is hooked.  The last two weeks we have gone out.... in the freezing rain and had not luck in that section.  Not sure if the fact the water has just risen from super low and two bad cold fronts made the fish lock their lips, but I am also not familiar with this "body" of water.   

I know the C and O is loaded with all sorts of species, but is that area not great?  My knowledge of fishing the canal is small bass and carp in Georgetown.....  and I am a total river noob..... I have typically fished Roaches Run and Pohick bay on the river so they fish in many ways more like a lake with tides as opposed to the much faster waters of the river up there.

Anyone have any knowledge of this part of the canal?  Have i just hit some bad circumstances or do I need to hit another part of the canal?  This VA fisherman says thanks in advance and if anyone wants to message me about NOVA fishing feel free.    

[fishwizzard]

The Swains lock area is where I do most of my fishing on the canal.  You day is totally dependent on the water level.  I have caught 4 fish on 5 casts in the spillway right next to the parking lot, on other days I have hiked 6 miles and been totally skunked.   My general sense of the canal up that way is "plentiful small bass, plentiful small sunnies".  I have seen reports of bass in the 3-4lb range but I have never caught one.  I cut my teeth on that section of the canal and it is really a good school, as the cover and structure changes so much over a mile or three, that you can practice a bunch of different stuff in one afternoon.  This summer I am going to try my hand at finesse flippin (Tiny Brush Hog and a 1/16oz bullet weight) once the SAV comes in, there are always a ton of clear holes among the downed trees.  

Near Tacoma Park there is a stretch of Northwest Branch above Burnt Mills that is about 2 miles of deepish slackwater behind the old dam.  It is very very heavily pressured, but I have seen some decent bass swimming right by my lures.  It is a nice little trail in any case, and there is always the fallback of panfishing.  

[Bigbarge50]

Thanks Bunnielab, I figured the water levels was a big factor.... first trip is was LOW... it was way up the second time, and down about 6 inches from the highest I saw.  

The down trees seem to be a great place to hold fish... I did not see any nests yet.  

[patred]

I always check the river levels on the Potomac before fishing, usually monitoring throughout the week if I'm thinking of heading up over the weekend.  Americanwhitewater.org is the site I use, although there are others.  

Pat

[Fried Lemons]

Swain's is a great place to go frogging in the summer once the surface mats up. I caught my pb there last year.

[fishwizzard]

Yea, last summer was my first where I really focused on bass, and I mostly used a Ned rig.  Im excited to get out and try some other stuff.  

Anyone ever fish the Widewater section of the canal by Angler's Inn?  It looks like it was designed as bass habitat but I have only ever caught anything in a shallow muddy corner of it.  I really need to drag my kayak out there some day.

 

[Bigbarge50]

Just as a follow up.... the canal has produced some fish my last two trips..... with a 2 1/2 lber being the biggest.  Water was still pretty cold and I saw nothing to indicate any beds have been formed little yet fish on them..... 

 

All fish were hugging super tight to wood cover.... literally right up on it.  

[fishnkamp]

Another possibility is Little Seneca Lake in Black Hills Regional park.  It is located over near Germantown in Montgomery Co. Check around Father Hurley Blvd if I remember correctly.  It has been a while since I fished it.

[newbiedmv]

There is a coal fired power plant near Dickerson north of mouth of the monocacy. You get on the tow path head west and keep an eye out for trails going over to the river. The trail used to be marked by a hacked up tree  25 years ago. You will end up either at the discharge or a little below. We used to night catfish there and got 40 pounders all year long. You can see it on google. It's been a long time since i could make that hike. 2-3 miles depending where you get on the tow path. The current it deadly fast around there so you need a lot of weight

 

[Bigbarge50]

Hey guys, to continue sharing 

The C and O canal @ Swains lock has been real hit or miss with a little more miss than hit the last few trips.  Earlier this week the water had clearly dropped and only managed a little one on a senko.  I saw what sure looked like a snakehead cruising the far sure and followed a buzzbait for about 6 or 7 feet.  The three previous trips were also tough fishing, with small ones biting on soft plastics.  The water is super clear now with the weeds coming in, they are really filtering the water.  

I did go try the Northwest Branch just north of Burnt mills..... got skunked.  The water was high but pure chocolate milk and viability was non existent.  Did not see a fish or see anyone there catch one.  I did not get a hit either.  

[fishwizzard]

I fish Northwest Branch north of Burnt Mills fairly often and yea, right above the dam is no good.  I have managed to catch decent numbers of small LBMs maybe 1/2 north of the dam, the fishing getting better the further up you go.  

There is so much run off from the surrounding developments that it isn't really worth going if it has rained recently. 

[e3uddd]

Swain's Lock. We can walk to the lock room our house. Just today we saw 3 rather large snakeheads on the north side of the lock.

[fishwizzard]

7 minutes ago, e3uddd said:

Swain's Lock. We can walk to the lock room our house. Just today we saw 3 rather large snakeheads on the north side of the lock.

 

Wow, lucky guy, that is one of my all time favorite spots to fish.  I am like an hour or so away though, so the water level gamble really kills my desire to go there more often.