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6/3/2014

District dawg days.

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Last weekend I teamed up with Urban Angler for the second annual Potomac Snakehead Tournament which is held at Smallwood State Park in Southern Maryland. With a bevvy of cool sponsors - Urban Angler, Alewife Annapolis, Profish, Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders, and Flying Dog Brewing Company - how the hell could this not be a fly time? Factor in the post-tournament free Flying Dog Snakedog IPAs and fried snakehead tacos and you could say the time spent getting laughed at by snakeheads most of Saturday and Sunday was well worth it. Props to the @MDVASnakeheadSlayer, Austin Murphy, for putting together one hell of an event. I'm sure it will only get bigger in the coming years. Additionally, mega props to Urban Angler owner Richard Farino for sponsoring our kayak team of degenerate fly fishermen. It was a fantastic time. Not sure there is anyone on the river trying to figure these things out harder on fly tactics than Austin and the Urban Angler crew of Richie, Grizz, and Ivan. While the bow fishermen out fished us fly rodders by about 1,050lbs of snakehead to none - the challenge is still out there. Who will bring the first snakehead Next year these fish are seriously f*cked. Now on to some fishing reports, eh?

With Memorial Day in the rear view mirror and the shad run almost officially flat-lined, the Potomac is ready to change gears as we transition from spring to summer here on our Nation’s River.

 For fly anglers in and around the District, this means a few things to look forward to as the thermometer gets all uppity:

1)      No more shad until next April – sorry dudes, all good things must come to an end. Expand your mind, man.

2)      Stripers? The big boys are deep and down river but there are some bigger fish still around. Expect them to move shallow again come Fall (60 degree water). Schoolie action becomes hot n heavy.

3)      Poppers, poppers, poppers (give J&M a call!)

4)      BASS SEASON (Smallies, schoolie stripers and largemouth)

5)      Snakeheads…..everywhere…take your shots…check out the Tidal Basin if you want to see one

6)      C&O Carp (Mulberries in Georgetown, sight fishing at Locks 7&8)

7)      Rope flies and gar

8)      Dry flies for rising trout (SNP and spring creeks)

9)      Fishing at low light hours (sun up, sun down…night)

10)   WET WADING! (lose the waders and hop in….unless you’re in the Potomac...safe flows for wet wading Tidal Potomac up to Harper's Ferry are generally when the gauge at Little Falls reads 3-4ft)

So…that’s a bunch of random words and vague fishing references in list form – but you catch my drift, the waters in and around the District pose a multitude of options this time of year for those with fish on the brain. The show isn’t going anywhere either.

Right now, local options for fly fishermen are very, very good.  Spots such as Rock Creek Park,  C&O Canal,  Tidal Basin, Four Mile Run, and the outflows of Little Hunting Creek and Gravelly Point are all offering up shots at bass (smallmouth, largemouth, schoolies), carp, snakehead, catfish, gar, and panfish while also producing some pretty darned, impressive catches. The spring creeks and mountain trout water are also fishing very well right now according to my sources.

Since our last update (sorry for the delay in posting some new info, shad run is pretty much the same fishing report for a month or so and then I got lost in the siren’s song that is Florida saltwater fly fishing for two weeks…but we’re back!) – we’ve fished Shenandoah National Park, Rock Creek Park, Dyke Marsh, Gravelly Point, C&O Canal, Four Mile Run, and Little Hunting Creek.

Dry fly action for native brook trout is on fire right now In Shenandoah National Park and really, all throughout the valley, as fish are gorging on drakes (think sizes 12-10 to ward off smaller fish). In particular, the Dry River outside of Harrisonburg has been producing some really nice specimens but most of the blue line streams are giving it up to those willing to hike in a little bit. Study a map, pick a line, bring out your Tenkara stick or 2-4wt fly rod, and your favorite dries/terrestrials and have a blast.

Rock Creek Park is starting to come back to life after a slow start to the season. Morning sessions last week produced the standard mixed-bag that one would come to expect from this dynamic little urban fishery. Although we’ve yet to pull out our first bronzeback of the season, it is only a matter of time until these fishy footballs move into the creek for the summer with some fish being true trophies pushing 20+”. Right now the creek is mostly largemouth bass, panfish, catfish, and the odd snakehead/carp here and there. 4-6wt fly rods with 7.5ft 3x leaders for streamers and 9-11ft 4x leaders for poppers/terrestrials have been working well. I’ll typically sight fish particular holes when the water clarity is good enough from high up on the trail. Look for dark objects contrasting against the sandy bottom. More often than not, these are big catfish but you’ll find nice bass and carp mixed with them. Some flies that are getting it done right now are clawdads (size #2 or #6) in tan, olive or black bounced on the bottom close to structure. Size #6 clousers in black and olive/white, starfoxxes, and size #4-6 kreelex for stained/murky water swung through the deeper pools and channel ledges also produced well. If you’re dying for some topwater, a well-placed popper or froggy Dahlberg diver on the bank is hard to beat.

Dyke Marsh/Belle Haven Marina/Mt. Vernon, albeit only accessible by boat, yak, or paddleboard, was OK on Connor and I’s snakehead scouting trip over Memorial Day weekend. Although we didn’t see any snakeheads, the gar spawn is ON, SON! So many gar…..everwhere…..but that didn’t stop us from hooking into a few nefarious characters in the form of a couple chunky dock bass and panfish.  Flipping docks on incoming tides with Hawkins hat tricks and clawdads will produce this time of year but a specific fly isn’t really getting it done in particular. When flipping docks or heavy structure with the ole fly rod, it’s all about presentation. Be sure to use flies that maintain a big profile and solid drop/sink rate. Think spin-fishing with plastic Kreature baits but with feathers and fur. More often than not, you’ll get bit on the initial drop so make sure to watch your line as the fly sinks. Topwater early in the day and at low tides has been producing well as the less water between your fly and the fish, the more likely they are to whack it.

Four Mile Run is doing what it normally does – offering up perfect spawning habitat for panfish and bass. This past weekend while fishing the Snakehead Tournament, I was able to stick a few chunky bass and slab panfish on Dahlberg Divers and starfoxxes upstream of the Mt. Vernon Ave bridge on high tide. The water up this way is generally too skinny on low tides but when the tide comes up there’s a substantial drop off and cover on the far bank that will hold fish. Also saw a monster snakehead in the 30-36” range….One day…..If possible, try not to walk in the stream in this section – you’ll miss/spook more fish than you’ll catch. On low tides, fish downstream. Throw poppers to the bank and underneath the trees for feisty panfish, bass, and if you’re lucky, a northern snakehead taco night might be in your future. Don’t be afraid to use a damselfly nymph as a dropper either – truly one of the more versatile flies on this entire river system. Outside of those techniques, you’re liable to do pretty well on any given day fishing standard clouser minnows in baitfish patterns (olive/white, black, brown/red, etc) on moving tides. There are a ton of white perch in the creeks right now…ringing the dinner bell for pig largemouth bass (5lbs+). Don’t be afraid to throw big flies.

The C&O Canal is in its heyday right now. Although the C&O plays home to everything in the river, with several nice largemouth, smallmouth, and a handful of snakeheads landed each year – I will always think of this failed engineering endeavor as a carp fishery (a "Wild Carp Conservation Area" if you will). Depending on where you’re fishing on the canal, the game can be radically different. Down in Georgetown (locks 1-4), you can fish where the canal dumps into Rock Creek and find the same mixed bag variety we spoke of earlier or you can target the Mulberry Trees. When you find a tree, scope it out for a minute or two—more than likely there are a few carp mulling around underneath it crushing berries. Flies for these fish are relatively simple. Personally, I use a size 10 egg hook with purple grande estaz and chartreuse thread. Think of it as a glorified egg pattern. But anything resembling a berry in either purple, green, or greenish-white will get the job done. If worse comes to worse, bring a small circle hook and pick up a berry. I won't tell. As you move on up the trail through Georgetown away from the Mulberries, keep an eye out for actively feeding fish along the banks…and tourists in your back cast….

The canal up in Glen Echo around Locks 7&8 is a much different fishery- albeit your swapping out shoppers and yogies for swarms of cyclists. On this water the carp fishing remains a sight fishing game but one in which you’re throwing more standard carp flies in slightly larger water. For me, I’ve done very well with damselfly nymphs in size 14-16 when it’s presented stealthily on a mudding fish. More often than not these casts are no longer than 10-15 feet. When I spot a mudding fish on the far bank, I’ll often switch over a something a little more bulky. Size 6 woollybuggers or small crayfish patterns do the trick nicely. Black, brown, or olive are all good colors. Slowly strip the fly through the mud cloud with short, two-inch strips every 4-5 seconds until your fly is clear of the danger zone or you’ve hooked up with king goldfish.  Don’t be disheartened if they won’t cooperate at first, this is not an easy game but one of the more rewarding and challenging fisheries in the District due to the extremely limited casting room, pedestrian foot traffic, and the fickle nature of carp. Be sure to bring a big enough net.

Both the outflows of Little Hunting Creek and Gravelly Point are playing home to schoolie stripers and gar right now. The gar are spawning, blowing up mud and grassflats on the regular in an epic display of sexual frustration. Once they’re done spawning you can catch these strong fighters on rope flies (no hooks, their teeth get tangled in the rope=”hookset”) in Roaches Run and the mud/grassflats on the main river. Right now though, they are a snagging hazard – especially when drifting big baitfish patterns on sinking or intermediate lines for stripers. Schoolies (12-20”) should be around for the summer. Low light hours and darkness will bring them shallow to crush the ever so abundant forage fishes that pour out of the Duck Pond during the summer months. Be sure to not play these fish too hard or keep them out of the water longer than you need to as the warm water temps of the Potomac put a fair amount of stress on these fish before they’ve even reached the net.

As the season progresses we’ll start branching out to the spring creeks and smallmouth water for our typical brand of summer fun. Harper’s Ferry, the North Fork of the Shenandoah, the James, the Confluence, and the Upper Potomac all will produce quality bronzebacks as the days get longer. Poppers (blue, black/red, yellow), clawdads, hellgrammites (see: Chuck Kraft's crittermite fly), and baitfish patterns like clousers, kreelexs, starfoxxes, and large woollybuggers are all good bets as well if you’re looking to swing streamers. 

For spring creek trout, terrestrials will soon be the name of the game. My personal favorites for summer are large stimulators in orange or olive and anything with foam whether it be a Chernobyl ant, tarantula, hopper, or fat albert – there is nothing better than seeing a big trout destroy a terrestrial drifting along the bank. That said, bring some smaller stuff as well. There are days when they’ll smash a size 8 beetle and others where they won’t look at anything but a size 24 BWO. Hopper dropper set ups will do work.

Stay fly.

If you’ve got a fly story to tell, technical tip, or fishing report you’d like to share on the site – reach out to Remick at flytimesdc@gmail.com. We’re looking for more content contributors.


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4/7/2014

Here we go again.

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Well….they are here…….lots of fish caught up at Fletcher’s this past weekend.

QUEUE SHADNESS MADNESS!!!!

With water temps now in the low-mid 50s, expect action on our Nation’s River to really pick up in a big way….and fast. After one of the worst winters I’ve ever experienced up this way, life is returning to the water in the form of the season’s first big push of shad and striped bass from the Chesapeake.

Along with the anadromous fishes (those who make the great journey from the sea to the river to spawn), largemouth and smallmouth bass are starting to perk up after a winter of lethargy and sketchiness. Creeks should start holding some impressive specimens here once the water calms down after Monday’s rain.

Snakeheads and gar won’t be too far behind the bass as water temps keep climbing north of 55 degrees.

Carp are a year-round option, albeit the canal is no place for the weary kind (tight casting space, pedestrian traffic, and sight fishing carp in general being a war of attrition), but even these finicky bulldogs make horrible life choices once the mulberries start popping off the bank in the next few weeks.

 In other words, there is a lot to look forward to as the early spring weather continues to make us forget winter….and we haven’t even started talking trout water…..

Of course our ill-timed rains have synced up with the weekends to keep water relatively high and unfishable to start the season but if you’re down to explore – options abound.

Sinking lines in the 250-300gr variety are a must on the main river up at Fletcher’s with an intermediate being my preferred weapon of choice when fishing the slower water and tidal tributaries downstream from the cove in Alexandria.

Having not yet made the trek to Fletcher’s to swing for shad; I’ve made stops at Gravelly Point and the C&O Canal in recent days. I’ll be making my shad debut sometime next week.

Gravelly is still slow, a few resident stripers here and there but nothing too crazy to report just yet. Saw my first surface activity this weekend so that’s a good sign that bait is starting to be flushed out of the Duck Pond. Expect action to really heat up in a week or so once the river comes back down.

Even though the rest of it hasn’t been filled yet (to the chagrin of my buddy Connor), the C&O around Lock 7 is loaded with carp right now. On a recent trip with a buddy we had legit shots at half a dozen fish, saw close to 20-25 over the course of a few hours, and even managed to move a few. A #8 black bead head bugger got the most love out of any our offerings. It’s always nice seeing these fickle beats react to the fly, but we ultimately couldn’t come tight and bring a fish to the net. Oh well – like I said earlier, it’s a war of attrition. Sometimes you make a perfect presentation and it’s ignored and at other times you make a loud, reckless presentation that for sure should spook the fish and it gets clobbered…go figure. You’ve just to keep your head in the game and try to make EVERY cast count for something. Expect the game to become less difficult once the mulberries become ripe.

After today’s half inch of rain the river is supposed to crest on Thursday at 6.1 feet, essentially right back to where we were mid-week last week with angry, high water and no boating opportunities. If you’re itching to get out, Monday afternoon (today) and Tuesday morning should provide decent shots at fish before the water gauges shoot above 5ft for the rest of the week. Fishing from shore at Fletcher’s should be solid despite the increased flows. If you venture down that way, please BE AWARE OF THE DANGER. Unless you’re Michael Phelps, you’re most likely done if you fall in that current.

And with each passing second, the river is rising……

Stay fly. 


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11/18/2013

we're not done yet!

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Nation's River

PictureSwing your favorite streamer and hold on!
After a mild weekend, the Nation’s River is back around the 50 degree mark (after spending most of last week in the mid-40s). Despite the colder water temps last week, feeding fish could still be found in areas with depth variation, current, and bait. With temps on the rise this week, look for the bite to pick up a bit.

Albeit sluggish, the resident striped bass bite remained a strong option for those willing to brave the wintry weather at places like Gravelly Point and the outflows of Little Hunting Creek and Pentagon Marina. Swinging streamers and clouser minnows to these fish on sinking lines and a few feet of 0-3x tippet remains the go-to technique for this time of year. But if stripers aren’t your thing you have a couple other options!

Look for largemouth bass to move shallow on sunny days and to hold in areas with dark bottom or hard cover (both will warm faster than surrounding areas and thus, hold more bass in winter). Think areas near deep water close to shallow water. Tidal creeks can also be a great place to find bass this time of year with Four Mile Run, its warm water discharge, and an outgoing tide the prime place to be. For flies, think like a spin-fisherman (who are almost exclusively using soft plastics, slow-rolling spinnerbaits, or jerkbaits this time of year) and bring out your deadliest baitfish imitations or clawdads. FISH SLOW…..or throw small woolybuggers, crazy charlies,  and big nymphs to panfish/carp/whatever you find in there…..There are few places with a more eccentric fishery than 4MR….especially in the winter.....

Carp on the C&O remains a strong option as well…..

Hotspotting

With ideal tides last week, I ended up getting to fish Gravelly Point a few times before and after work. Fish were hanging slightly deeper than normal but that’s to be expected when the river dips into the mid-40s and it's dark out. Despite these less-than-ideal conditions, I was able to land a dozen or so stripers up to 18” over the course of a couple trips.  Swing streamers on sinking lines…nothing really too new to report here!

Stay fly.


Trout water

PictureThis 18" WV bow munched a sz20 zebra midge
With most of the leaves gone, now is the time to start thinking micro-midges and dries or swing for the fences with streamers and CHUCK THE MEAT for that fish of your life. 

BWOs, zebra midges, and sculpin patterns are all solid bets as far as flies go this time of year on the wild trout streams in our region. 

Flashier attractor nymphs and woolybuggers remain the go-to on local DH streams. Just remember to taper your expectations. While fantastic fishing days certainly still exist, it’s still the early stages of winter. Things are starting to slow down and food is generally smaller in size……

After travelling for most of October, I finally had time to fish one of my favorite trout waters in the region this past weekend—West Virginia’s Smoke Hole canyon. 

Fishing the C&R section on Saturday with my buddy Andrew, we managed to get on the water at 10am and fished all day until a 4:30 sunset pushed us off the water and back onto the road.

Having last fished Smoke Hole in the midst of September, I was accustomed to hungry, aggressive trout that were looking up for food and asking few questions about what drifted in front of their fezzes… What I found on Saturday was the exact opposite of those trout.

Arriving around 10am, the sun was just starting to peak over the canyon walls and shine on the cold, crystal clear water. From the get go, I could tell this was going to be a game of light line and small nymphs.

After cleaning up on egg patterns, stimulators, and terrestrials earlier in the fall, I did not find a single taker on any of those patterns Saturday. Instead, most of the action came on the zebra midge trailing said egg….which despite the refusals  still worked well in tandem as an attractor fly.

 On top of the midge takes, there were a few monster blow ups and a snapped line on both a dead drifted and swung #Runwayspecial. Always cool to see a new pattern get some love and that fish were still aggressive enough to commit – but by far, the fly of choice on Saturday was a size 20-22 zebra midge.  

Expect the pattern of smaller nymphs, midges, and dries to continue as water temps keep dropping….and remember—streamers will find your active fish.


Stay fly.


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11/12/2013

Stay back jack.

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Nation's river

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Our Nation’s River is now hovering around the 50 degree mark….which unfortunately means that after weeks of Game of Thrones references …Winter might actually be here…or for those of us in denial...it’s “late, late fall”.

Right now our beloved main vein to the Chesapeake is starting to fish a little slower.  Don’t run to the tying table just yet though! Action still exists for those looking to get slimed.

The migratory striped bass we saw all spring and summer are gone. Get over it. However, hope is not lost for those wishing to pursue the man in the striped pajamas— resident fish (14-20”) can be found all winter long for those looking in the right areas. Creek mouths, marina outflows, tidal inlets, etc will hold these fish throughout the winter as they look to take advantage of the baitfish being flushed out of these areas on tidal changes. Use sinking lines and baitfish patterns (size 2 clousers are a pretty good bet anywhere on the Potomac) and look for fish to be holding in deeper water. Slower retrieves will serve you well.

Now on to some Hot Spotting.

This past week, I fished Gravelly Point and Rock Creek Park.

Gravelly has started to become hit, miss, and just tantalizing enough to keep you coming back (no fish in the first hour, two fish on back to back casts, one fish a half hour later…no fish the rest of the day—you know the deal). Temper your expectations and come out swinging with the sinking lines on the outgoing tides. Dress for the season. Goretex gloves, thermal long johns, winter hat, etc......

While Gravelly is slowing down, Rock Creek Park seems to be shutting down completely.

Working my way from the Connecticut Avenue Bridge downstream to the footbridge at the graveyard, there was a noticeable lack of life in the stream. Perhaps this is due to the valley’s geography (the valley “peaks” do a great job at keeping the creek shaded which limits how much the water can warm up on a sunny day…good in summer, bad for late fall/winter), but I only found one stretch of creek that held fish.

Gin clear water made for some good sight fishing opportunities to the couple stray late-season bronzebacks and shivering catfish I could find, but with that clear water comes the need for lighter tippet (4-5x) and soft presentations…which is hard to do with a weighted clawdad or hellgrammite.

When these situations arise, I like to use a rubber-legged wooly bugger (size 6-8) with some split shot and dead drift it through the main channel. Unfortunately, in three or so hours on the water, I only managed to pull out one large creek chub (14”) from the stream. I also received ZERO love from any other resident fish, which was surprising considering the robust panfish population in the creek.

 My suggestion is to fish elsewhere until spring rears her beautiful, warm face and the largemouth/shad move into the creek to spawn….OR bundle up and sight fish for anything you can find, dead drifting small streamers or large nymphs (think stonefly) on 5x through the sunny, deep sections of the creek.

Recommendations:

We’re definitely starting to get into Four Mile Run on an outgoing tide/warm water discharge territory as water temps dip south of the 50 degree mark. But all is not lost yet for those wishing to not stink up their waders!  Throughout the colder months, the C&O (although drained of most of its water) will continue to produce opportunities for those wanting to sight fish carp. Walk the canal and look for tailing/mudding fish or mud slides that would indicate a feeding fish. A well-presented large nymph or small woolybugger on 3x will produce.

 










Stay fly.


trout water

PictureTrent holds the fish of a lifetime at Beaver Creek
Similar to last week, I haven’t managed to get out to the wild trout streams…but if you’ve been checking out the Facebook Page – Trent and Kenny did this past weekend.

When Trent gchatted me early last week asking about the differences between the Gunpowder and Beaver Creek, I spoke to Beaver’s big fish potential, closer proximity to the district, and lack of pressure as the main factors between the two trout waters….Little did I know that Trent and Kenny would redefine my and many others' perception of “The Beave” forever.

 Fishing all day Saturday, the duo managed one bite between them.  But my god— what a bite it was.  

Measuring 29” long with a 17” girth, the duo from LethalFly stuck the rainbow/steelhead/HAWG JOHNSON of their dreams on "The Beave"....a small ass spring creek known for its wild browns!

 Trent managed to stick this legendary pig on a small scud fished without an indicator on his 4wt. Despite hooking into such a large fish on a light set up, Trent kept his cool and Kenny manned the camera/net to make sure this memory wouldn’t get away from them (no small feat when dealing with a real life river monster). 

After a few minutes of heart stopping, knee-shaking adrenaline—the boys had the fish in the net  and a night destined the sweetest tasting beers of all times.

In other news……

Delayed Harvest trout streams have received their first stockings of the season. Time to bring out your attractor nymphs (flashback pheasant tails, hare’s ear, etc), Y2Ks, and olive or black woolybuggers. Accotink, Holmes Run, Passage Creek, and Stony Mill should all be fishing well right now. 

Get out there before the fish are poached out. 

Making a return trip to the Smoke Hole this weekend. Stay tuned. 





Stay fly.

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11/4/2013

Harvest time

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Nation's River

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We are in the midst of an awesome schoolie striper bite right now, people!

 Fish are definitely around and feeding when the opportunities present themselves (low light, moving water, and bait in the water). That said— get out while you can. All good things eventually come to an end.  

With water temps in the low-mid 50s and nighttime lows bound to push temps lower later on in the week, now is the time to swing often and furiously.  Just because it’s 45 degrees out today doesn’t mean we’re done just yet. Got the tide? Let it ride...at least for the next few weeks….

With ideal, low light conditions on the outgoing tides last week, I was lucky enough to get on the water a couple times to take advantage of my favorite fall pastime on the Nation’s River—swinging streamers for stripers.

 Hitting Gravelly Point for a morning session last Tuesday with Orvis Bethesda Fishing Manager, Trent Jones, we proceeded to hook into a few decent schoolies in the 14-16” range before work beckoned us back to the real world. While the fishing certainly wasn’t dynamite (fish were holding deep and acting sluggishly), we managed to stick a few in the deeper water and garnered a few empty handed-whacks by getting our flies down in the water column with intermediate and full grain sink lines. Even though the action wasn’t fast and furious, the presence of chunky schoolies more than inspired a return trip….

So naturally, after helping my saintly mother hand candy out to the myriad of monsters, ghouls, and miniature pop culture icons that visited our home Thursday night – I hopped in Buffy and made the short jaunt over to Gravelly for a little trick or treating.

With the vast majority of New Columbians exercising their right to dress in silly garb, get weird, and instagram the shit out of themselves, I knew the outgoing tide at GP would be all mine.  Donning the waders and making my way to the inlet that quiet night, conditions…well…they couldn’t have been better.

A new moon kept the sky dark. The air temp was in the upper 60s. The tide was flowing out of Duck Pond at a solid pace. From the moment I got there at 8pm until I left the park around 10, fish were popping off in a big way. By working my way down the inlet, casting to the bank, and letting the fly swing through the main current – I managed to pick off a dozen or so stripers up to 20” with the majority of schoolies playing a size or two up from their usual variety (14-18”).



Fish were caught on a few different streamers I’ve been tying up recently, but for the most part any baitfish pattern or clouser minnow in sizes 2-6 will get the job done. It’s more a matter of getting the fly down at this point.


trout Water

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Haven’t gotten a chance to play in the wild trout streams recently, but Delayed Harvest trout streams have received their first stockings of the season. Time to bring out your attractor nymphs (flashback pheasant tails, hare’s ear, etc), Y2Ks, and olive or black woolybuggers. Accotink, Holmes Run, Passage Creek, and Stony Mill should all be fishing well right now. 

Get out there before the fish are poached out. 


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10/28/2013

time to ball...in the fall

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nation's river

PictureSwing for stripers in areas with moving water
With water temps now in the low 50s and reaching the mid-upper 50s on warmer days, we still have a river full of life –albeit one that is playing a tad differently these days.

After getting some much needed rain a few weeks ago, the Nation’s River is now back to normal with clear, safe flows at a tad over 3000CC.  However, gone are the days of smallmouth madness, breaching snakeheads, and wailing the grass with topwaters for pig largemouth. The smallies are moving to their winter holes, the snakeheads have their heads in the mud (literally, they bury themselves for winter), and largemouth have been pushed from their summer hydrilla haunts to areas with hard cover and depth change. But as the saying goes, when a door closes a window opens. We’re not done yet.

Swinging bait fish patterns (size 2-6) on 3x leaders with an intermediate or sinking line in areas with current (think Tidal Basin, Gravelly Point, and mouths of tidal creeks on tide changes…..Rock Creek Park, Little Hunting Creek, Four Mile Run, etc….) have been producing consistent schoolie striper action for the past month or so.

 With the hydrilla dying off, baitfish are now essentially homeless…which is a terrible thing to be when you’re a baitfish. Fishing areas with significant tidal changes in low light hours (early/late in the day) will produce good shots at stripers and the typical mixed bag action that our unique river tends to offer up. Look for the crappie bite to really heat up as it starts getting colder out…..

If stripers aren’t your thing, the carp game is still going strong on the C&O Canal and with clear water, now is also the time to take your shots at Four Mile Run. Blind casting for carp without seeing any probably cause (mud trails, tailing fish, etc), while not entirely impossible to be successful, is a tall order. Be patient and wait to find some fish before casting. Small soft hackles, nymphs, or a well-placed woolybugger will get the job done. Remember, it’s all about presentation. Loud casts or lining the fish (casting over its back) won’t get you in the game…

Happy hunting....

Above All Else,
Stay fly.

Streamer lunchbox

trout water

PictureChelsea isn't the only one showing off fall colors













If the Potomac doesn’t strike your fancy, you can always head to the mountains where the leaves aren’t the only colors that are changing.

Brookies and browns are starting to get aggressive in preparation for the spawn and are showing off some AWESOME fall colors while most of your favorite DH streams have probably received their first stockings of the season…It’s a good time to be a trout bum.

 Think BIG or SMALL this time of year….meaning, meaty streamers or the tiniest nymph or dry in your box (“small for fall”). In addition to small dries and nymphs –long leaders (10-12ft of 6x-7x) are essential this time of year in order to get bit as fish are spooky. Be stealthy when entering the water and as a rule of thumb—if it's brook trout water— stay out.

Simply put, if you’re attempting to get your last few brookies of season before the SPAWN IS ON, please don’t wade in the stream. You’ll squash native brookie redds and ultimately be a hindrance to the survival plight of a unique, national treasure-ish strain of brook trout who have been swimming in these streams since the dinosaurs last walked the earth. Don’t be a hindrance, bro.

Now on to some hot spotting…….

I’ve mostly been fishing Beaver Creek in Maryland and the South Fork of the North Branch of the Potomac in Petersburg, WV recently and often. One is a technical wild trout stream, the other a mecca for jumbo stockers with a healthy population of holdovers and wild trout also mixed in. Yet, both waters (and most waters within the region) are fishing in similar ways.

 Small stimulators and dries in the riffles and quiet presentations to the head of pools has been producing well at Beaver. Last week I took a dozen or so wild browns (up to 11”) imploring this strategy. But the flies and casts –although an integral part of your fishing success—are not the only pieces of advice to take away from this report. It’s important to be stealthy on Beaver. Dark clothes, limited body movement when wading, and reading the water/choosing your spots versus “beating up the water” and trying to force feed these wild fish will markedly improve your experience. If dries or small, NATURAL nymphs aren’t your jam, chuck the biggest, ugliest fly in the deep pools and undercuts in the bank and hold on.

The Smoke Hole/Eagle Rock section of the South Fork continues to fish well as the bigger browns get aggressive in their pursuit to spawn. Big browns and jumbo rainbows should be the name of the game from here on out. Any of the above listed techniques will help put you on fish but I’ve found drifting egg patterns under a Chernobyl ant or indicator beetle to be absolutely deadly on the South Fork. As the season progresses or if nothing strikes the beetle, switch over to a small white indicator and an egg-natural nymph double rig….or dead drift a golden retriever/dark woolybugger (size 6 in black, olive, etc) and wait for the fireworks.

Happy hunting....

Above All Else,
Stay fly.


Fish porn

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6/10/2013

To heaven and back

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After spending the past weekend chasing redfish, tarpon, and snook in Siesta Key’s Garden of Eden – the Heron Lagoon – I returned to the realities of our Nation’s River. Since this is an urban fishing blog and supposed to be a Potomac River fishing report – I’ll give a brief recap of my adventures on the Treasure Coast. In four days I managed to jump 4 juvenile tarpon (8-15lbs), boat 12 or so snook up to 22”, and fooled 3 carefully sight casted reds (all over 26”) while spooking countless more. I’ll admit, there’s an obvious drop off between jumping tarpon in a mangrove wonderland and bopping snakeheads on the nose with big and ugly streamers in the Tidal Basin, but the tug is the drug and you've got to fish where you are (thanks to Matt Miles and the Urban Lines crew for that one). With Gravelly closed to wading anglers – I’ve had to change up my game to pursue our local striper population. But fear not, all is not lost.

Let’s make this clear - Gravelly Point is not the only place that consistently produces schoolie striper action in our district waters. The river is flush with these feisty game fish right now and will be for the next few weeks until water temps get too high and they retreat to deeper, cooler water. The challenge is finding areas that concentrate these aggressive game fish. In my experience, one can consistently find stripers in areas with current, depth change (think shallow water close to deep water), and lots of bait. Areas such as Chain Bridge, Little Hunting Creek, the Tidal Basin, Four Mile Run, and the mouth of Rock Creek Park on moving tides are all places to target schoolie action in the summer.

  This past week, I managed to get a few days on the water chasing stripers at Chain Bridge and Little Hunting Creek. Throwing a small striped bass imitation on full grain sinking line during the last few hours of the falling tide into the main current and stripping it through the eddy seam produced a few fish at Chain Bridge with the largest being a chunky 17”. Bites were not hot and heavy, but each fish was healthy. I’d love to see a moratorium put on the striper fishery so that these stocks could recover and the giant fish (50+lbs) we saw in the late 90s, early 2000s would come back. Outside of stripers - there was a lot of surface activity from spawning gar and a few rises that looked suspiciously like snakeheads. I didn’t see many hookups from the spin or bait fishermen, but the river is still full of fish. Working the outgoing tide at Little Hunting Creek produced a more consistent bite than the big, deep water at Chain Bridge. Swinging some smaller deceiver (size 6) patterns on a RIo intermediate streamer line produced well in the shadow lines, most fish were cookie cutter 10-13” but there were definitely some bigger fish mixed in as they were quite loud in their pursuits of fleeing baitfish.

With Andrea done tormenting our area, expect the river to be off color for a few days and water a tad higher than usual but nothing flood like as the river should be done cresting on Thursday (if more rain doesn’t ruin things). The rain dropped water temps into the low 70s so expect action to be solid this week for our river’s game fish population. In off color water, try fishing darker patterns (black & purple) near structure for largemouth, smallmouth, snakeheads, and catfish.  Tight lines.

Stay fly.

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5/28/2013

Memorial Day monster mash

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Last week I fished Gravelly Point, the Tidal Basin, and Chain Bridge. The Potomac River continues to provide action to those seeking it. Snakehead, Gar, Carp, Striped Bass, Largemouth, Smallmouth, and pan fish action are all heating up as the Shadams family starts wrapping it up before their migration back towards the Ocean.  Look for LMB and panfish on shallow spawning beds (hard bottom, shallow water) until the end of the June. Also – CICADA action. Tie em up and get em wet.

 Recently, I’ve been night fishing the outgoing tides in areas where bait is concentrated. In these areas, striped bass, walleye, LMB , smallmouth, and crappie have all been the usual suspects with a few random catfish mixed in. Until this weekend, a 6-7 wt rod has been the perfect amount of backbone for most of these fish.

On Sunday night, albeit a full moon and slightly off color water, the conditions were right to find some stripers around Reagan Airport. There were some fish around ( a few pops on top but not a ton), but none fell for the size 6 baitfish imitation I was throwing. However, where the stripers failed me – big gar and catfish did not. Attempting to find some deeper water in the current, I ended up getting dragged into my backing 4 times in one night and crossing two species off my list. Considering this a hiccup – the Potomac’s version of a practical joke – I left the 8wt in the car and ventured out into the darkness the next night with my 7wt again. Big mistake.

 Immediately I was into something big that took me into the backing (5 fish, 5 backing runs). After a ten minute struggle, I brought my first golden of the night to the net. After snapping a few pics, I went back to my spot and gave it a few more casts by the outflow before venturing off to fish the deeper bowls.  It was a good call. Although bites were spread out over 15-20 minute periods, I managed to hook into another large blue cat (27”, 8lbs), my second big ghost of the night (33”, 15lbs), and a mystery fish (which took me 15 yards into my backing). After the second ghost of the night and the clock approaching 3:30am I decided to call it quits. In two nights of hunting for stripers there were a total of 7 bites, 7 runs into the backing, and 0 striped bass caught.  Talk about getting weird.


Stay fly.

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5/6/2013

Swing for the fences

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Last week I fished Gravelly Point, the Duck Pond, Tidal Basin, Rock Creek Park, and Fletcher’s Cove via boat.

Action continues to be hot on the Tidal Potomac. Our run of larger striped bass (measured in lbs not inches) is underway at Fletcher’s Cove/Chain Bridge along with white perch, river herring, and the entire Shadams family (Gizzards, Hickories, and Americans). Fishing big clousers and streamers on full sink lines deep and jigging the fly back up through the water column has been an effective method for getting to these larger stripers.

To get as deep as possible, make your initial cast and mend/strip out line until you start seeing your backing. Once your line straightens out behind the boat, you’ve reached your max depth. If this still isn’t deep enough, try lifting the rod tip up and slapping the line down on the water to get the fly sinking again. The stripers won’t come on every cast, but for those willing to put in the time – the reward is certainly worth the effort.  If schoolies are more of your thing, check out Gravelly Point on an outgoing night or early morning tide.

It seems like everywhere I’ve checked out recently has some combination of herring, shad, or perch. Any place with a tide swing seems to be housing shad - the outflow at Gravelly Point/Duck Pond, Rock Creek Park, and Tidal Basin are a few of such places. Gar are also starting to become active again in the Duck Pond as they prepare to get their spawn on as well – start tying up rope flies.

Rain is in the forecast for Tuesday this week. Be sure to check the little falls gauge before heading out. I'll probably take a break from the Shadness Madness and pursue some trout this week.

The world is your oyster this time of year – shuck it.

Stay fly.

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4/16/2013

A river full of life: pick your poison

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The shad run is in full swing from Fletcher's Cove to Chain Bridge. Fishing the incoming tides with any sort of pink shad treat has been the ticket. Full grain sink tips and a foot or two of 0x-3x tippet tied directly to the leader loop is my preferred set up. It keeps the fly down in the water column and you don't burn through your good trout/bass leaders in the process.

 Fishing from shore has led to mixed results. Low tide offers ideal maneuvering room and current but also boasts the least productive fishing. Finding a rock near a good current seam is key at low tide. If you're fishing too shallow, you'll be losing a lot of flies. If you're fishing deep, stay in that spot. Don't jump the gun at the first rock you find, look for the perfect rock (my perfect rock is one near a point on the main current...so I can get my fly deep without having to make a long cast). It makes all the difference.

 If you're interested in fishing from a boat, be sure to get to the boathouse BEFORE 6am on the weekends - there is a shortage of boats and they tend to go quickly this time of year due to demand. As for fishing- reports of American Shad catches have become more frequent as the water warms up. Additionally snakeheads, smallmouth, and stripers are starting to become more frequent by-catches (bonuses) on that stretch of river. Expect action to stay hot for the next couple weeks and into mid/late-May if water temps don't rise too quickly.

Stay fly.

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Largemouth bass and crappie are going fat kid right now in preparation for their spawn. Look for fish staging near their eventual spawning homes (think hard bottom - i.e. gravel, rocks, etc). Areas like the slack water at Gravelly Point and Little Hunting Creek, rip rap at Four Mile Run and Rock Creek Park, and shoreline at Duck Pond are ideal spawning habitat and thus - should be avoided as far as wading goes for the next few weeks as to not disturb spawning beds. Pursuing these fish from shore or boat is the ethical way to fly fish for bass in these next few weeks. If you must wade, be careful to not walk through beds. This river's bass fishery is one of the best in country and as a local - something I take immense pride in as a DC native. Help keep it that way by being aware on the water and not wading in places like this.

Striped bass are starting to come back to Gravelly Point (if they ever left) and areas with good amounts of bait and current. Fishing the outgoing tides at night or in low-light hours has produced several good fish (14-17") this past week. Fly selection is fairly standard this time of year as the river is flush with Herring. Throwing clouser minnows or streamers that imitate this protein rich forage on intermediate streamer lines will do you right. Olive and white clouser minnows, puglisi streamers, and my new creation - The Sex Panther - are solid options. This time of year is simple - don't try to out think yourself. Just think: Bait fish, bait fish, bait fish......

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    Wordsmith

    Remick Smothers is a native son of the District of Columbia and the founder of FlyTimesDC. 

    A self taught fly fisherman and fly tier, Rem graduated from Rhodes College with a double major in fly fishing and English in 2012. He has been celebrating the fly life ever since. Just remember, if it's dark out, there's a shark out. Above all else, stay fly. #flytimesdc

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