Hunting Run This Sunday!!!

[flippin4it.]

             Paul and I had a great time other than the fact that neither of us "got in the game"! It was as I had been told, a dink fest. I boated non, Paul boated 5. If you held a tourney there, you would be hard pressed to carry 5 keepers to the scales. I will admite that I started off on the wrong foot this morning and end the trip with a twisted ankle.........SWEET!

           I would choose Fountainhead over that place anytime.  

[Wayne P.]

Was there a lot of fisherpersons/boats on the lake today? What time did you guys quit. The best times for catching the most and largest bass is from about 11:00 to about 4:00.

Can you catch 50 -- 100 bass a day at Fountainhead or a 30# limit? I've never fished there.

[Dan:]

Sorry about your outing, guys. I still wish I could have gone. All I did today was sit around and eat a sandwich. Although it was nice to rest and try to get better. Hopefully the next Fish a palooza will go better. (I just hope it's before August 15th... )

[SimonSays]

we left mid day at around 12.  Andrew and I boated three, 1 and 2 respectively.  There were a ton of boats out there today.

Afterwards we went wading for smallies, when I left at around 3 Andrew and I got pretty much skunked ... even though we were targeting panfish, lol.  Our friend Jeremy did get a good 2lb 10oz smallie though!

[Wayne P.]

Thanks SimonSays, that is why I don't fish on weekends any more.

[slomoe]

We didn't have a whole lot of luck either. My Friend and I boated five, My two and his three. Non over a pound. My first one didn't come until about 10 and I set the hook so hard the fish hit the side of the boat. I'm thinking this place will be better in a couple of years. The highlight of the morning was watching a six inch bass follow in my six inch mission fish. ;D

We grabbed lunch and headed back down elys ford rd to do some wading for smallies. Ran into Andrew, Simon, and their friend. I had a great time just goofing around and accually hooked into a dink smallie.

It was nice to Finally meet Simon who looked like a pro with the fly rod, and it was nice to see Andrew again too.

Note: Pale folks like me should not walk around with their shirts off on code red days. ;D Im burnt

[Wayne P.]

slomoe, all those little fish are the result of successful spawns and being undisturbed for 5 years. The lake was stocked in 2003 and 8# bass are being caught now. It probably won't be better in a couple of years with all that fishing pressure.

[slomoe]

No doubt that there are some big fish there. The guy renting out the boats said on saturday that there were a five and six caught. But I can't help but imagine that all those small bass are competing for food with the bigger fish.

I dunno, I'm sure you know more about the place than me.

[Hung up Paul]

Was there a lot of fisherpersons/boats on the lake today? What time did you guys quit. The best times for catching the most and largest bass is from about 11:00 to about 4:00.

Can you catch 50 -- 100 bass a day at Fountainhead or a 30# limit? I've never fished there.

There were quite a few people out there, but there was still plenty of secluded places to fish. I've had better luck in other lakes with more pressure than yesteday. In yesterday's conditions I'd be surprised if the total take from the res was over 50. A fish finder probably would have helped us scout it out and find where they were hiding.  There seemed to be some pretty steep dropoffs and at times we were definitely fishing blind.

[A.Do?]

It was rough, but I was able to atleast get one keeper. Good seeing everyone again. After Simon (my badluck charm, just kidding! ) left the wade I picked the right fly to use and started hooking up with panfish left and right. Ended day with a smallie, a LMB, a lot of bluegill, and a rockbass. Saw a HUGGGGGGGE smallie (22"+) cruising at this one spot but didn't have the tackle to throw a tube and try and hook up with her! DDDDDDDDAAAARN!

I'll post the pic up of my friend's 2lb smallie later. Too many people (at the reservoir and the river) for me to really enjoy myself. I think I'm going to stick to fishing on weekdays at places where i know there will be a lot of people.

No doubt that there are some big fish there. The guy renting out the boats said on saturday that there were a five and six caught. But I can't help but imagine that all those small bass are competing for food with the bigger fish.

I dunno, I'm sure you know more about the place than me.

Good seing you buddy! That's why the reservoir promotes anglers to keep slot fish. They really want it to be a trophy bass fishery. This was strike two for me so unless I figure out the secret and how to use it, I probably won't be back anytime soon.

[slomoe]

There were quite a few people out there, but there was still plenty of secluded places to fish. I've had better luck in other lakes with more pressure than yesteday.

I agree, although it was a nice change of scenery and was glad to see a park renting out 55lb thrust motors instead of the usuall 36lb.

[Wayne P.]

Wrong, Skip2mybass, you don't keep slot fish, those are the ones that must be released.

[A.Do?]

woops, my mistake (obvious beginner here). My point is that they ask you to keep bass of certain size.

[flippin4it.]

Was there a lot of fisherpersons/boats on the lake today? What time did you guys quit. The best times for catching the most and largest bass is from about 11:00 to about 4:00.

Can you catch 50 -- 100 bass a day at Fountainhead or a 30# limit? I've never fished there.

             The lake had no more than usual amount of people for any given resevour in northern Virginia on a weekend.  I don't think I was targeting dinks, I was looking for a larger/quality bite. I have always tried to fish for larger on Fountianhead. I never intend to catch 50-100 on a outing. If all I'm catching is dinks, I will switch to a larger profile bait. If your wondering what kind of weights are caught out of Fountainhead, just look here. http://www.fountainheadbassclub.com/ .  Are you asking if you could catch a 30lbs bag at Fountainhead? Preston Clack did'nt do that at Santee Cooper during the spawn, soooo I would have to say no. A 20lbs bag is big for there. I just did'nt feel that that place is as good as Fountainhead. Thus it does'nt justify the drive/time/money.

[Pigsticker]

from what i hear there are some big bags brought in from fountainhead during the spawn 30lbs probably not. 25lbs(5 fish) with a possibilty of something higher? yes but most likely on a weekday with out all the tournement guys all over the place

Can you catch 50-100 fish an outing at fountainhead? No but I think you can catch 20-30 SOLID fish with a nice portion past 4lbs

For the record fountainhead is not one of my favorite places to fish at all but it is a nice fishery when your with someone that knows it well

and all my fountainhead info is secondhand from Matt Strykul

[Wayne P.]

Thanks for your comments flippin4it. I was wondering about the quality of the fishing at Fountainhead. Thanks for the website- it looks like it is not worth a trip there.

I have caught 30# + for 5 bass at Hunting Run.  

You should try Briery Creek Lake sometime if you like to target big bass. There are schools of bass in the 3#--5# class-lots of fun when they are chasing shad on the surface. The lake record is 16 pounds and 2 ounces.

[Hung up Paul]

How bout we nip all the tongue in cheek bickering in the bud.  I can see this getting ugly fast.

I'm sure everyone's favorite spot has it's good and bad days.  Fish where you want to fish and let's leave it at that.

[Wayne P.]

Thanks Paul, I can see your point of view.

[flippin4it.]

Thanks for your comments flippin4it. I was wondering about the quality of the fishing at Fountainhead. Thanks for the website- it looks like it is not worth a trip there.

I have caught 30# + for 5 bass at Hunting Run.  

You should try Briery Creek Lake sometime if you like to target big bass. There are schools of bass in the 3#--5# class-lots of fun when they are chasing shad on the surface. The lake record is 16 pounds and 2 ounces.

           Wayne, I think I wrote it wrong (which I seem to do alot) or your reading it wrong. I forgot to say that it looks like a great place and I'm sure that it can and will be a fine fishery. But after the day I had, I was frustrated. Up at 4 and finished with a severely twisted ankle, I was not happy. I do not get skunked alot and refuse to point the finger at myself (it's something I'm working on ) so it had to be the lakes fault ;D ! Not me, never me.......Right guys? :  Wayne, no hard feelings. OK? I would have loved to been in the boat and had you show me the ways, but you turned me down. I would have paid for it all and bought you a beer at the end. I enjoy reading your posts and respect you as and angler, so I am sorry if I offended you in any way.

        It is not easy for me to say I'm sorry, even more so in public. GEEZ! :-[  

[Wayne P.]

Thanks flippin4it, I was in no way bothered by your message. I really was interested in Fountainhead and it's potential. When I discover a productive body of water like Hunting Run, my intent is to let others know about it so they can have the opportunity to have the same success that I experience. In one's lifetime, the chance to fish a newly created body of water is very low. I have been around long enough to have fished 10 different newly created lakes at the time of opening for fishing.

[Dan:]

we left mid day at around 12. Andrew and I boated three, 1 and 2 respectively. There were a ton of boats out there today.

Afterwards we went wading for smallies, when I left at around 3 Andrew and I got pretty much skunked ... even though we were targeting panfish, lol. Our friend Jeremy did get a good 2lb 10oz smallie though!

Did you go to the Rapidan? If so, did you go upstream past the bridge or downstream?

[A.Do?]

we left mid day at around 12. Andrew and I boated three, 1 and 2 respectively. There were a ton of boats out there today.

Afterwards we went wading for smallies, when I left at around 3 Andrew and I got pretty much skunked ... even though we were targeting panfish, lol. Our friend Jeremy did get a good 2lb 10oz smallie though!

Did you go to the Rapidan? If so, did you go upstream past the bridge or downstream?

Yes we did, we went up river. We got shoulder deep in some water. If we were so tired we would have fished it more and better. The heat was killlller.

[Hung up Paul]

For what it's worth, I'd like to check it out again this fall when it gets a little cooler out.  I'll have my boat (with fish finder) and hopefully a trolling motor by then.

[okrod]

Looks like I missed a fun weekend.  I was up in NJ saltwater fishing with my brother.  It's a lot different when your wading out in waves over your head and using 3 oz sinkers, but a blast none the less.  We landed a few strippers between 20' - 25", but I was out of my element completely.  

[flippin4it.]

For what it's worth, I'd like to check it out again this fall when it gets a little cooler out.  I'll have my boat (with fish finder) and hopefully a trolling motor by then.

            Paul, you know I might be down for that. Late Sept or Oct would be killer.