Potomac River/ Chain Bridge Shad

[mike o]

Don't know about the Potomac but the Susky can't be good.

[mi327]

Don't know about the Potomac but the Susky can't be good.

Susky is in spill conditions right now, as of this posting no spill gates open but running 7 small and 4 large units. Lots of water moving probably going to turn the whole area muddy. Its a shame the bite was just starting up, hoping it will clear up soon.

[Rhino]

That area of the Potomac is about 1 inch visibility right now and moving swiftly.

[DanMarino]

This afternoon I went to the tidal Potomac in DC at Chain Bridge. It was windy so I brought the spinning rod. I used the bottom jig in that top photo.
I ended up catching 2 of these stupid shad. I hate them. They are dumb and don’t really fight much and they have a stupid little mouth.
Schools of that type of stupid shad are in the big eddies there. You can see them moving around and breaking the surface every once in a while.
The 2 that I caught both ate my jig with their stupid mouth. Just me and spanish speaking guys or asian speaking guys. Didn’t see anyone catching anything much.
Water was brown and moving pretty good after yesterday’s storm.

[CaptCHawk]

Great catfish bait

[whenican]

That looks like a mud shad.

[DanMarino]

Looked like some of the guys were going after a different species using big weighted trebles. Not sure if they were trying to snag fish with them or trying to get catfish with bait?

[yakscientist]

This afternoon I went to the tidal Potomac in DC at Chain Bridge. It was windy so I brought the spinning rod. I used the bottom jig in that top photo.
I ended up catching 2 of these stupid shad. I hate them. They are dumb and don’t really fight much and they have a stupid little mouth.
Schools of that type of stupid shad are in the big eddies there. You can see them moving around and breaking the surface every once in a while.
The 2 that I caught both ate my jig with their stupid mouth. Just me and spanish speaking guys or asian speaking guys. Didn’t see anyone catching anything much.
Water was brown and moving pretty good after yesterday’s storm.

The ol' gizzard shad. Those things are trash fish. We have encountered them on many fish sampling projects for work, they'll keel over if you look at them wrong.

[ronaultmtd]

Great Striper bait, too...

[whenican]

Indeed, mud shad/gizzard shad. The hickories & American shad are slimmer, more silvery,& w/ more pronounced forked tail. About the dudes you saw trying to snag fish....that is illegal. Snagging fish is not allowed. I have seen people ticketed for doing that.

[summersoff]

Normally don't like spot burning, but Potomac shad are common knowledge.
They're thick and flows are good for yak or bank. Caught a bunch of bigger Americans. Plus I don't think I have ever seen so many herring.
Also, while I'm at it, this week I caught over a two dozen stripers on the sod banks in mid Joisey. Some nicer ones. Between all the herring and the Joisey bite, I think,,,,,,,not gonna jinx it.

[jsnyd86]

A buddy and I went to Chain Bridge yesterday. The fishing was pretty good. We both caught PB American Shad. (21" and 20"). Also pulled in a small striper, catfish and gizzard shad. Tried jigging the deeper pockets for big striper, but didn't have much luck with that. We saw a bunch of snakehead coming to the surface to nip at air bubbles? Seems like they were spawning, but Im pretty unfamiliar with their spawning habits. Anyway, just wanted to share without starting a new thread. Now is a great time if you haven't been this year.

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We also saw a bus load of people standing at the water with very large, weighted trebles. IDK what they were waiting for (only saw one actually try to snag something), but I felt like calling DNR. I try not to stick my nose in people's business, but 8-12 people lining the shorelines waiting to illegally snag fish is a little excessive. They also dont care if they're standing right next to you as you fish, with pole in one hand, treble in the other. They dont seem to mind much about hiding what they're doing. There were also a few big piles of dead fish (perch and shad) where people were simply tossing them to the ground and letting them go to waste. I didn't call, but still feel like I should report it. It's pretty surprising since I assumed that entire area would be routinely patrolled to protect the shad and striper.
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[pungomd]

A buddy and I went to Chain Bridge yesterday. The fishing was pretty good. We both caught PB American Shad. (21" and 20"). Also pulled in a small striper, catfish and gizzard shad. Tried jigging the deeper pockets for big striper, but didn't have much luck with that. We saw a bunch of snakehead coming to the surface to nip at air bubbles? Seems like they were spawning, but Im pretty unfamiliar with their spawning habits. Anyway, just wanted to share without starting a new thread. Now is a great time if you haven't been this year.

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We also saw a bus load of people standing at the water with very large, weighted trebles. IDK what they were waiting for (only saw one actually try to snag something), but I felt like calling DNR. I try not to stick my nose in people's business, but 8-12 people lining the shorelines waiting to illegally snag fish is a little excessive. They also dont care if they're standing right next to you as you fish, with pole in one hand, treble in the other. They dont seem to mind much about hiding what they're doing. There were also a few big piles of dead fish (perch and shad) where people were simply tossing them to the ground and letting them go to waste. I didn't call, but still feel like I should report it. It's pretty surprising since I assumed that entire area would be routinely patrolled to protect the shad and striper.
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So you cannot call the DNR , as it is DC and the DC police and the one ranger could really care. I would say, most of the people snagging down there are snagging snakeheads which is sort of legal. I am glad you had a blast, Chain Bridge remains among the most interesting places to fish I have ever been.

[DanMarino]

Nice shad in that first photo!
I was there on Saturday morning. Caught some herring for the first time ever. Herring and gizzard shad were all over the place where I was. Only caught 2 hickories. Water was clearer than the week before. I'm going to bring my fly rod this Saturday morning to give that a try. I'm also going to try and hike to a different location.
I agree with pungomd, "Chain Bridge remains among the most interesting places to fish I have ever been."

[jsnyd86]

So you cannot call the DNR , as it is DC and the DC police and the one ranger could really care. I would say, most of the people snagging down there are snagging snakeheads which is sort of legal. I am glad you had a blast, Chain Bridge remains among the most interesting places to fish I have ever been.

Ah, interesting. I thought the area above Chain Bridge was MD water, but below it was DC.

It is a really cool place to fish. Only wish the traffic getting to and from was a little more cooperating.

Nice shad in that first photo!
I was there on Saturday morning. Caught some herring for the first time ever. Herring and gizzard shad were all over the place where I was. Only caught 2 hickories. Water was clearer than the week before. I'm going to bring my fly rod this Saturday morning to give that a try. "

Thanks! I thought I had a catfish since it wasn't swimming and jumping as hard as the smaller ones do, but it was a great fight especially with light tackle. Fly gear would be perfect now. Water was nice and clear, most shad were hitting a foot or two under the surface on a pretty aggressive retrieve.