Potomac Help

[hawghuntin]

All - I discovered this site a month ago and have enjoyed reading the forums. I live in VA and work in DC with two kids under 4 and it seems never ending house projects. Have been bass fishing since grandpa took me out on Smith Mountain in the late 70's in his 14' aluminum vhull. I have mostly fished VDFG waters, local NOVA ponds (did some fence hoping growing up), my cousin's farm ponds down 29, and the upper tidal Potomac.

I plan to start breaking up my commute to work and back home by squeezing in a few hours on the upper Potomac somewhere off GW. I know there are a couple places to access the river on foot off the parkway and also from some of the Arlington parks that run down to the river. Any info on which spots provide the quickest access and are the easiest to fish from the bank would be much appreciated.

[mudkart]

IME, for wading, it's easier to access that part of the U.P. from the MD side (e.g. off of the Clara Barton Pkwy). It's one long park where the C&O canal use to be and there is access at many of the old locks.

Oh, and be careful, a pair of folks just drowned in the UP while wading near Difficult Run.

[Dan:]

I don't know of any spots on the GW Parkway up that way. Most of it is elevated pretty high above the water and the water there gets VERY deep.

If you find a spot, make sure you have a DC license.

[hawghuntin]

Thanks for the info.  Great weather on Tuesday so I left work at 4:30 and hit maybe a mile of traffic before pulling over at Turkey Run.  It's a short 1/4 mile hike down to the river.  Found out a trail a runs along the river bank so fishing the VA side is just a matter of trail access.  The section I fished had deeper pools sandwiched between shallow sections with a strong current.  Probably a better idea to wade from the MD side.  I found numerous spots to make accurate casts from the bank.  Fished for over an hour and only caught this funny looking trout .   

Didn't see anyone on the trail or river so had the place to myself.  Going to try accessing the trail from one of the Arlington parks next week.

[Dan:]

nice smallie!

be careful near Arlington. I know there is a path along the river there but the banks above there are super steep and I am not sure how to get down to the path. I saw a lot of people walking/running/fishing along the path but I don't know where they came from. Again, remember to have a DC license, I know they used to bust people on the VA side near Chain Bridge, it wouldn't be a stretch for them to check people down river.

That section gets REALLY deep (Spout Run to Chain Bridge) so I'm interested to hear about your catches.

I would start at Spout Run. I believe the spot where it drains into the river is usually stacked with baitfish.