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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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1/29/2014

Bundle up

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nation's river

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Four Mile Run is about the only bet left in town. 

Fish the discharge pool with a sinking or intermediate line with a #2 clouser or crayfish pattern or work the power poles and rip-rap with small clousers and streamers on an intermediate or floating line. 

If nothing big offers, tie on a pheasant tail or small crazy charlie and clean up on the robust blue gill and sunfish population. Don't be afraid to scale down your leader/tippet combo as these fish have been pressured all winter and are starting to get weary....

 If you're up for the challenge of sight fishing carp, this is a good time of year to do it but be prepared to fish through some crowds.

Stay fly.

trout water

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While fishing in the District and our Nation’s River has taken a backseat to our region’s trout water in the past month or so (since our river has been mostly frozen over during that span) – action has been solid nonetheless. Bundle up!

This time of year I really tend to focus on the trout game, particularly the spring creeks and tailwaters (Mossy, both Beaver-VA and Beaver-MD, Gunpowder, and Lower Savage) as these fisheries tend to be the most consistent temperature and production wise in our area.

 That said, free stones and delayed harvest streams can also be very productive this time of year as well since these fisheries are typically stocked throughout the winter (Passage, Stony Mill, and Hogue Creek are a few within an hour or so drive) and FISH GOTTA EAT.

 As long as they aren’t completely frozen over, you can catch fish.

Recent trips to Beaver Creek VA, Mossy Creek, and Passage Creek have all produced quality hookups–even with highs comfortably sitting in the low to upper30s for most of the past month. When the temps drop (aka WINTER trout fishing) you can go two routes to stick a few fish – chuck meaty streamers on sink tip or full sinking lines or nymph deep and thoroughly.

 While nymphing definitely will produce this time of year and is for the most part the “comfort method” by most –streamers ultimately find your actively feeding fish….and on average, your bigger ones.

As you probably know, it’s a pain in the ass switching out your sinking line and steamer get up for a floating line and double nymph rig… and vice-versa…so while it can be a burden, I will often start out the day carrying two rods with me in the winter.

 If one technique clearly trumps the other, the less productive set up goes back in the car around lunch time or whenever I can ditch it safely.

Employing the two rod technique will allow you to effectively cover every water type without FOMOP (fear of missing out on pheesh). That said, you’ll still have to re-rig your nymph set up when it inevitably snags a rock or gets hung up in a spiteful branch…..

Every fish caught gives clues as to what they are reacting to on a given day. Sometimes it’s a certain color that sets them off. Other times, it’s all about the swing or the speed of your retrieve. In my experience, trout (and most fish this time of year) really aren’t into expending a ton of calories when the water is chilly…unless the meal they’re pursuing is worth it. And to my knowledge –it’s pretty hard to resist taking a bite out of a steak dangling in front of your face…..

Enter the protein-packed streamer.

But when the streamer bite isn’t working, whether it due to lock jaw or evil fish, get your nymphs out and try to get down as deep and as drag free as possible. Try a combination of an attractor nymph (San Juan, Y2k, flash back hare’s ear or pheasant tail) with something tiny and natural (#18-22 zebra midge, cressbug, small pheasant tail, or hares ear—no flash). The key is getting your flies down where they need to be.  if you’re not getting bit with the indicator, remove it and fish naked. You won’t feel the takes per say (at least on the better fish as they simply suck in nymphs and chill), but by anticipating where and when you’ll get bit you can set appropriately. It may feel like you’re randomly setting without rhyme or reason, but I promise this technique produces…especially on more pressured waters.

A few staples in my fly box this time of year are my golden retriever variation (#StarFox), black or olive wooly buggers, and a larger sculpin or fingerling trout imitation. Ranging from size #2-6, these patterns are effectively fished in a variety of ways. Swing em, strip em back slowly, or dead drift em through your favorite runs and deep pools near the bottom to find actively feeding fish.

 On top of those morsels, I keep a number of small, home-brewed midge and stonefly patterns in the #18-22 range in case I’ve got to get my hands dirty and chuck small stuff.

Don’t be afraid to try out multiple patterns in the same hole.

Now on to some HotSpotting:

Beaver Creek VA fished well at the end of December as we timed up our trip right as an oncoming front was approaching the Valley. Pre-front and frontal conditions are incredibly hard to beat on the Shenandoah Valley spring creeks. As a rule of thumb, the better the weather – the worse the fishing.  Fishing through the mild weather and rain, new FlyTimesDC sniper Connor Donnovan and I managed to stick 10 big rainbows up to 21” with the big fish of the day coming unbuttoned on a size #18 purple and black #Remidge in the first hole of the day.  As the weather system moved through and we shifted to more of a post-front pattern, the bite died off almost entirely. Swinging #Starfoxes got the majority of the bites, but Connor’s homebrewed articulated leach in olive and black scored him a solid 19” bow when swung underneath a footbridge. An olive and chartreuse #Runwayspecial dead drifted in the riffles also produced a few takes.

Passage Creek VA known as a quick fix with fairly thrashed stockers (no color or tails), Passage has actually gone up in my book this year as it has produced a few fish pushing 20” in the past couple weeks. Fishing the C&R section on a Sunday with a few members of the FlyTimesDC crew (Kevin and Connor)- Kevin stuck a few very nice fish dead drifting his homebrewed golden retriever in the deeper pools. While the water remains tantalizingly sexy and deceptive in that it looks easy to read, the key has and always will be getting your flies down DEEP AND ON THE BOTTOM. The gradient and fast flows can make that somewhat simple sounding task difficult. For streamers, a sinking or intermediate line is a must for getting your flies down in the deeper pools where the big, holdover fish live. For flies, the #starfox has been on fire this winter but any gold retriever or black or olive woolybugger can get the job done. It’s all about getting that fly down. If you lose confidence with the streamer game of openly see fish giving you the fin, switch up to a double nymph rig and throw the tiny stuff (#18-22 midge, pheasant tail, hare’s ear, etc).

Whatever you do, dress appropriately and above all else,

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

Picture
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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9/3/2013

cool down to heat up

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Picture
 After the coolest August the District hath ever seen, this past week reminded us why Labor Day isn’t the end of summer. Air temps returned to the low-mid 90s and that ugly humidity thing reared its head again sending water temps into the low-mid 80s and fish scampering to find cooler water. Despite the warm water (it peaked at 86 degrees on the Tidal Potomac last week!), fishing remained strong with solid all day opportunities for smallmouth and largemouth bass, carp, catfish, snakeheads, and panfish on the Nation’s River and its tributaries. For those seeking trout, dry fly action for brookies is on fire in the mountains and the spring creeks are producing some slabs and Hawg Johnson encounters as summer creeps to an end. Last week I fished Hagerstown’s Beaver Creek with Orvis’ Trent Jones and Rock Creek Park a handful of times before and after work, neglecting my usual weekend trip up to Harper’s Ferry in lieu of a free boat ride to Annapolis for some crabs, brews, and celebration of non-laborious activities. 

Beaver Creek fished okay last Thursday as Trent and I set out before sunrise in an attempt to find Hawg Johnson and bring him to instagrammed justice. Although we were ultimately unsuccessful in taming this leviathan, Trent did well fishing a small stimulator in skinny water and some of the narrower pools, sticking several average sized Beaver browns that were looking up due to a ton of field hoppers and other terrestrials coming off the bank. In addition to terrestrials, fish were rising on something incredibly small that neither of us could make out on the surface. Oh well. Some parts of the trout equation will always remain a variable. That’s what makes it fun. While Trent fished dries, I spent most of the day fishing a variety of streamers (size 2-6 sex panther and size 6 Moss Boss in fall fish patterns) looking for an encounter with Hawg.  

Fishing in the couple honey holes behind the shop, I managed to get a couple solid browns (16-18”) to flash on a Moss Boss but ultimately they weren’t into getting stuck in the face and to my chagrin, aborted their missions to feast at point blank range. What a tease. After thoroughly harassing every fish in the stretch behind the shop, Trent and I meandered over to the special regs section by the church. As we came to the second footbridge pool (aka Land of Giants), I managed to crawl myself into position so that I could make a cast without being detected by the 30 or so browns in the pool. On the first cast my hopper landed right on the bubble line and a large brown (20” or so) rose up to investigate…and promptly put the fly on his nose before submerging to the depths…. like a coward.

I’ve had some spooky encounters with large fish on Beaver, but at this point, the bigger fish were toying with my emotions.  After a few more presentations and refusals, Trent and I decided to see if things were better downstream. Although conditions were right, fish continued to be fussy, as they neither wanted any part of streamers and hopper dropper set up nor the slightest interest in any of Trent’s smaller surface offerings. After fishing our way back up to the second foot bridge to fish for the last hour of the day, Trent and I decided to split up. He’d go investigate some of the pools we neglected up stream and I’d keep swinging for Hawg at the footbridge….

 Three monster flashes, one brief take (I pulled the hook out of his mouth), and one snapped line were all I had to show for an hour of pool gazing.  As usual, Beaver provided a nice challenge, beautiful wild fish, an escape from the doldrums of the city, and a brief encounter with Hawg Johnson. We left around 1 for a burger and beers at Whitlow’s, a meal so satisfying that I almost forgot about that monster brown…almost.  I’ll be back for him this week. You can bet on that.

Rock Creek Park continued to fish well this weekend despite reports of a body being found near Beach and Joyce Road on Labor Day around 6pm. Although the body (an apparent homicide victim) was found several miles upstream from legal fishing waters, it’s a powerful reminder for would be anglers to bring some sort of protection with them in the park, especially if fishing near dusk. That said – dry fly action (small terrestrials or poppers) for panfish has been insane in the last hour or so of the day (almost non-stop) while the bass bite has slowed down a little bit due to warming water temps.  Despite the climbing temps last weekend, bronzebacks are still being caught (albeit less frequently) on dead drifted streamers and clawdad patterns fished along channel ledges or dragged on the bottom near structure. Surprisingly, I’ve been finding more fish downstream around the Graveyard.  These skinnier channels that feature deeper water around the banks have been harboring small gangs of smallmouth bass (up to about 16”) that you can actually sight cast to or blind cast to and see erupt from the rip rap along the bank. Very cool. Other than that, Rock Creek Park was its familiar self with a few stray channel cats mixed in on the smallmouth bite. I expect action to pick up this week with our nighttime lows in the 60s and 50s dropping water temps back into the fish friendly 70s. Expect fish to be in their familiar haunts, albeit much more active.

With the NFL starting on Thursday (HTTR), pumpkin beers on the shelves, and cooler weather on the way I can’t be happier. Actually, scratch that. I want another piece of Hawg.


Stay fly. 


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4/1/2013

They're Here.

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Picture
Finally, something new to report. Four Mile Run is no longer the only place to catch fish! Spring is here! Well... not entirely just yet, but the water temps are pushing 50 and will definitely get into the low to mid 50s by the end of the week. This means a bunch of things for our area's fly fishing community:

A) SHAD RUN
B) STRIPER RUN
C) SNAKEHEAD RUN
D) PRE-SPAWN LARGEMOUTH
E) BEST TROUT FISHING OF THE YEAR

So what's a fly fisherman to-do? There are just too many options. 

Well, here is where I come in with some advice. Especially with shad catch reports starting to become more consistent on theTPFR forum and Fletcher's Boathouse website - try to do a little bit of everything. Don't limit yourself. Spring is only sprung for a small portion of our angling calendar. Go nuts.

Options A-C all take place on the same stretch of river near Fletcher's Cove and Chain Bridge. Bringing two rods, while often times a complete burden, will actually serve you well here because you can easily switch from a shad set up to your striper/snakehead rig depending on the respective fishery's temperament that day. Additionally, snakeheads seem to pop out of nowhere, so it'll be good to keep that extra rod close by. FYI - Pink seems to be the color for shad thus far and stripers are not stacked up at Gravelly Point just yet.

As for my catching this past week/weekend, I decided to chase some trout. 

On Wednesday of last week, I fished the public section of Mossy Creek. Throwing some hand-tied patterns (meet Kermit), I had one rise from a big brown in the first bridge pool, before having to settle for a few fall fish and one more rise/rejection. A beautiful morning on a gorgeous stretch of water is hard to beat, but driving the 2.5 hrs for a skunking is tough to take. Luckily the next night was the Fly Fishing Film Tour, so I got my fill of fish porn regardless if I was the one doing the catching or not.

On Friday, I fished with Trent Jones of Orvis Bethesda. After telling him about the shit show in Virginia's stocked trout waters, he decided to introduce me to Maryland's Beaver Creek - a small limestone creek in Hagerstown, MD that boasts a healthy population of wild brown and rainbow trout. This creek is a gem. Having almost exclusively fished Virginia's trout waters, I was very impressed with both the number of fish per pool and the quality of them. In short - gorgeous, wild fish an hour from DC. That's hard to beat. 

We caught about a dozen or so browns with a pretty rainbow mixed-in in a few hours on the water, Trent slaying them with the smallest dry (size 24) I've ever seen and me, nymphing with size 22 zebra midges and scuds. The largest fish was around 12" but we broke off larger fish throughout the day (fml). The fish were particular about what they ate and are definitely spooky, so careful wading and general stealthiness are key (no need for SNP brook trout stealth tactics though). 

I'll be hitting the stretch from Fletcher's Cove to Chain Bridge this week before work in pursuit of shad, stripers, and snakeheads with a guest appearance on the private waters of Mossy Creek on Friday. Add in MLB Opening Day and I'm in heaven. 

Hope springs eternal.


Stay fly. 

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3/25/2013

The Groundhog Lied

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Picture

Last week's report talked of snow followed by warming trends which in turn were followed by yet again - more snow. Well, the weather continues to play games with our emotions as all the good accomplished by Friday and Saturday's warming trend was subsequently erased by Monday's most recent snow fall. The Groundhog's latest folly will drop water temperatures back into the low 40s and delay the shad run by another week or two. However, all is not lost.

While early spring patterns were starting to emerge (i.e. streamer and baitfish patterns), fish can still be caught in their normal winter stomping grounds. Four Mile Run, which has recently undergone some shoreline renovations is still your best bet at finding a bent rod this time of year. Clousers, small woolybuggers, and and small baitfish imitations produced the most action.

Last Saturday, fellow FlyTimer Kenny Hodge and I took advantage of the good weather (high of 54, sunny) and hysteria surrounding the shad run and hit the water early (low tide at 6AM, on water by 6:45) and found the water all to ourselves. 

We fished the early stages of the falling tide finding no takers at the discharge before pounding the rip-rap and banks downstream. As the tide dropped, warm water is forced down the channel, corralling most rational minded game fish into its warm flow. Thanks to the Arlington Parks Service, the overhanging trees on the bank have been trimmed, leaving some incredible cover. This combination of cover and warm water makes finding fish here somewhat easy. However, the difficult task is getting larger targets to bite. 

We found success on size 10 woollybuggers in white and tan, as Kenny proceeded to catch his first ever Panfish Slam (crappie, blue gill, red breasted sunfish, and pumpkin seed sunfish), a nice channel cat, and moved some truly impressive pre=spawn largemouth bass. They had zero interest in any fly we threw their way.

Since Four Mile Run is a heavily pressured fishery, these fish aren't very dumb. Long casts and unique looks with flies are a must for bigger fish. My tip would be to try and angle your casts parallel with the bank since the over hanging trees are now gone. If you need a stylistic reference - think jerk bait fishing for largemouth.  

Hope springs eternal.



Stay fly.

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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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