Northern Virginia Pre Spawn Get Together Thread

[SimonSays]

Put me down as a maybe.  Lets go where the big fish are.

Jason

x2

I'm up for J choosing but I'd like to go where the big fishies are =D

[JCrzy4Bass]

Well fellas I didn't want this to turn into a "this guy knows more than or is more knowledgeable than the other", I was just trying to put something fun together where we could all get to meet maybe some new guys here on the forum in Nova and just bring in the season.

I know some of us have caught bigger fish than others, heck I only have a 2lb 14 oz pb, but look forward to breaking that very soon.  Some of us have 4lbers, others 5.5, and then some 7+, doesn't by any means mean that we are better at diagnosing where the fish are than other guys.

The most important part of this get together was the "fun" idea.  If people wanna learn and they ask another guy there, "hey how do you throw this or what's a good bait for this area"?  We can help and answer that person's question.  If not it's mostly about being there, hunting, and sharing some time together.  Every fish caught is a bonus.

I've caught 2+ pounders out of Huntsman and Mercer on a fairly regular basis now, I know it's not much to some of ya'll but the location really doesn't matter to me.  

It just seemed like most people were saying Huntsman and Mercer worked for them so I just kinda implied the idea that maybe that was best.  However, in the name of fairness and ust to see what everyone would like based off the previous posts (even if they have not fished these lakes before) I will put up a poll on this thread to decide.  Seems like the lakes in contention are the following-

-Lake Mercer

_Lake Huntsman

-Lake Royal

-Burke Lake

On the Saturday before, a decision will be made about the location so we can all prepare and get an idea of what areas on the lake may be the best to fish.  At this time we can all contribute here and try and get ideas as to where the fish may be moving to, or where they could be caught from.  That way we can keep an eye on weather ad the changes taking place as we move torwards spring in those weeks.

Alright guys, make your pick.  Doesn't matter where we go, this will be about fun!  Let's all bring in the year and start it off great!

[JCrzy4Bass]

Everyone gets one vote fellas.  Make it count.  If others are not fond of the choice we can split this up.  But I think it would be cool for us all to have a get together to remember where we can share info, learn some new things, and maybe even catch a nice bag.  It's a perfect type of get together for the guys on this forum because this is what we do here.  Later fellas.

[A.Do?]

I don't mind where we go....i'm in desperate need of a catch though! MAJOR DRY SPELLL!!!! I forgot what a bite feels like.  :'(

[Dan:]

I honestly don't care where we fish, I don't even care if I catch any fish...It'll be fun finally being able to fish with someone who cares about it as much as I do. I have only fished with one person who had their own tackle...

I really hope I can make it.

[A.Do?]

I honestly don't care where we fish, I don't even care if I catch any fish...It'll be fun finally being able to fish with someone who cares about it as much as I do. I have only fished with one person who had their own tackle...

I really hope I can make it.

If you hook a fish, can I reel her in?  ;D jk

[rondef]

Rob,

Where are all of the pictures of the hawgs being pulled out of Lake Royal?  To date I have only seen you show us one old picture of a hawg being pulled out of that lake, and that was from years ago.  Out of the three times that I have been a part of get togethers on Lake Royal  I have only seen dinks pulled out of the lake.  It may be a good lake to fish, but I don't see it that way right now.  I would love to be proven wrong by someone here on this forum.  It would only take someone to post pictures of the hawgs that they have caught on Lake Royal last season.  I personally have seen more hawgs pulled out of Mercer and Huntsman.  I am not trying to argue with you, I am just stating what I have first hand knowledge of.  I have put up pictures of some hawgs on this forum showing what has been caught at both Lake Mercer and Lake Huntsman.

[Hung up Paul]

I voted for Royal mainly because it's only a few minutes away from me.  

Rob, tell me more about night fishing at Royal.  I'd like to try that some time as after the kids are in bed is the only time I can fish during the week.  Does it close at dusk?  Are the cops really d1cks about it?

[Trevor in Burke]

if it's Royal I'll be there, if not i'll be at my lake on the boat, Rob wanna climb in?

[flippin4it.]

    Trevor, you know I'm down with that.

   

        Ron,I'm not a camera kinda guy, most of the pictures I have taken are on my phone and ever since getting thrown from a boat last fall prefishing a tournement at Fountianhead I am unable to down load any pictures, take any pictures and the screen does not light up. The following weekend you and I went out on your boat. If memory serves me right, I showed you and your son the pictures on my phone. One 7+ pounder, two 5 pounders and a slew of 3-4 pounders. If there is any doubt, we can review them all again in the proper lighting. As for the Royal Lake record, it hangings on the wall at Marvin's house. I'll take some pictures when I go over there next.  I just got off the phone with him and I did shoot myself in the foot, but here is the fix. The lake record did not weigh over 10. But darn close. It was a northern strain female which makes it that much more incredible. They don't get  big as often as southern strain. As  for the fish that I posted, it was not weighed, the length and width had been messured and run through the bass calculator which is accurate with in 2-3 ounces. Exact weight will be coming in a day or two, I shot him an e-mail.  As for any other fish I catch, ask Trevor or Drums. They can vouch for the times spent with me, which is alot. Drums may have some pics to share.

         

        As stated before, I apparently come off as a > pr!ck or a know it all. Next time read all of my posts while picturing me  :)smiling in a friendly fashion . I thought the point of this thread and the forum in general was to share and help each other out. All I'm trying to do is share a location and tactics that I know can put some of you on your next PB! Thats all. For those of you that have fished with me know that already. I give tackle to everyone I meet, Ask ado124 and Trevorlakebraddock.  

       

          pkshul, PM me your e-mail and I'll shoot you a map of the flat/drop off that seemed to produce alot of the evening buzzbait fish.    

[JCrzy4Bass]

Rob do you know of anywhere where I can download or print out a topographic of Lake Royal in prep?  I found one site but it was not in depth at all and only had one depth marking for one drop off on the entire lake.

What kind of sturcture or bottom content is there mostly in this lake?  How deep on average is it? Is the water typically clear or dirty, etc?

I know most places have stained water from the run off with the ice storms, snow and rain as of late, but Huntsman seems to be fairing well as well as Burke.  

Anyway looks like this is pushing to Lake Royal as of now.  I'll keep the poll up until week before in case any of the guys south decide to come up and decide on others, but let's plan for Royal now.  Hopefully we can all just concentrate on fishing and having a good time.

I know forums can be hard to read someone's views etc and people can interpret things the wrong way as I think some of us have here.  We all need to remember this is about meeting up and having fun.  Don't matter where it is.

[flippin4it.]

   I have never seen a topo of Royal, even if there was. The lake has become so silted in, it probably would not be accurate anymore. They are preparing for a draw down of Royal in the spring to do work on the dam area. As for depth I would say 12-15 feet on the other side of the spillway, at least that is what I remember seeing on the depth finder a few seasons ago.  There is no real structure.

        The water is always dirty/stained as long as there is rain, during a drought the water has a nice tint to it, just enough to keep shallow fish from getting spooked.

         Early mornings in the spring and the summer, before the sunlight touches the water is the best time to fish Royal. Once the sun hits it, it is over.  

[JCrzy4Bass]

So we're looking at primarily humps, drop offs, flats, etc?

I'm figuring an early get together right before sun up would be better then before sun gets over head to high, maybe we'll get lucky and have some overcast skies or semi-cloudy day.

You think this early on there will be any top water bite here? Maybe throw that buzzbait or jitterbug?

First time fishing a late winter/pre-spawn bite here and this lake in general so just trying to get an idea.

Already have an idea of some baits to throw based off what you told me, but just trying to get the full picture.

Searchin' for fish without cover in stained water can be intimidating...

Spinnerbaits w/ colorado blades, jigs w/ rattles, buzzbaits, jitterbugs, rattle traps and wide action cranks sound like a good start?

[rondef]

Rob,

I hope I didn't come off wrong either, if I did I didn't mean to.  I know you are a nice guy, you are cool to fish with and you are a generous person.  I did not get a chance to see any of the pictures on your cell phone but I will trust you that you have them.  Like Jay stated this is a get together to have fun and meet each other.  I just have not personally seen any good size lmbs pulled out of this lake and that is all I was trying to say.  By the way, how is your daughter doing?  I hope she is recovering well.

[flippin4it.]

         This time of year, I would drop shot, cranks and football jigs. In the winter I would start off in the late morning and fish deep into the afternoon. Topwater this time of the year might not be your best bet.  Think Winter patterns, forget pre-spawn. What is considered to be pre-spawn is not for at least a month.

[flippin4it.]

  Ron, my girl is doing great. She is back in school and as happy as they come..... Thanks for asking about her.

[JCrzy4Bass]

Sounds good, depending on whether or not that cold front comes in Friday/Saturday my dad and I may pre-fish it Sunday.  I'm gonna look for some of the run off areas around the lake where it meets up with the main lake, any structure I can find and whatever shallow flats next to deep water I can find.

Probably won't catch much, but I'm gonna give it a try. These muddier/stained lakes should be warming up quicker than the clearer lakes based off what I've been reading so who knows.  Anyway, we'll let you know how we do.  You gotten lucky at all this year yet here?

[flippin4it.]

   I have had really good luck with the drop shot the past 2 Sundays, yesterday I landed 6 keepers and the week before I landed 9. But the water I was fishing was clear. Before that it was all about the shaky head.

[Hung up Paul]

Where is the best place to park at Royal?  The times I've been there I've parked on a dead end street culdesac down by the manhole cover a ways down the path to the right of the dam.

[Trevor in Burke]

i've lost track... when is this again? the 23rd?

[A.Do?]

Ditto on Trev's question,  i know we're debating the location, what about the date? Saturday or sunday should be fine for me but i'd like to know so i don't make plans.

[JCrzy4Bass]

We are planning on Saturday the 22nd.  If weather is a factor we will move it to Sunday.  That's the only reason I chose both dates for that weekend, so if one was bad we could use the other.  So plan on Saturday.

[VABasser]

Im down to go if I happen to be back from college that weekend.  Doubt I will be but you never know.  But later on in spring and summer I'd definitely make it out if we had another one somewhere.  Flippin4it, you mind if I pm'd you a few questions regarding Royal, you've sparked my interest?

[flippin4it.]

Vabasser, PM me and ask away.

[rondef]

Has anyone fished Lake Royal lately (last week or so)?  If so what have you caught?