Fletcher's Launching Logistics?

[UnkleRob2020]

Good afternoon everyone,

I am planning to drop in my kayak at Fletcher's on Saturday. In years past, I would rent a rowboat so I do not recall the logistics for bringing my kayak and launching on the beach below Fletcher's Cove from the main parking lot.

Couple of questions:

1) Is Fletcher's the best place to launch a kayak in order to fish the area between Fletcher's and Chain Bridge?

2) Is it possible to drive with a kayak on your roof into the main parking lot at Fletcher's? I do not recall at what point you are forced to drive through that small bridge/tunnel.

3) Is there anything else that I am missing?

Thank you everyone. I appreciate all of your help.

UnkleRob

[jbrown]

I fish down there all the time on kayak. There is a new traffic light at the top which may or may not be helpful. Time it right so there are no cars behind you so you can take a wide turn into Fletcher is boathouse going forward instead of backing down the treacherous little road. Regardless, if you are driving a car you will have no problem going through the tunnel. If you had a very tall SUV and the kayak was upright you might have a bit of an issue. Pass the boat dock on your right and head all the way down the gravel/grass parking lot. You can slide your kayak across the grass down through the muddy area and rocks into very nice calm area with tons of shad right there. I like to bring a set of wheels under my kayak for this operation. No need to go up into the dangerous current by Chainbridge. You can catch hundreds of shared literally 50 yards from shore.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nhunter344]

My first stop for Fletchers is always here: National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service If the water levels get near 5, the currents above Fletchers can get a little squirrely. Water temps are still too chilly to take an extended swim in unruly currents. If you still want to get up there, hug the shorelines.

I cartop my kayak on a Honda Pilot and I have to take it off and shove it in the back in order to make it through the tunnel. In the past I remember reading that you werent allowed to trailer your kayak in, but I havent been able to find anyplace that still says that. I reserve the right to be wrong! If you are driving from the direction of 495, Ive always found it easier to turn left onto Reservoir Rd at the light by Fletchers and then make a quick u-turn on V St. That way I dont have to worry about making the u-turn into Fletchers or trying to back down the drive way. The only caveat to that is that I think there are restrictions as to what times you are allowed to turn onto Reservoir Rd.

Without fail, if there has been any kind of significant rain, the usual launch site can be an obstacle course of tree trunks that have drifted downriver. Its usually a PITA, but Ive never found it to be impassable. Unless you have a really light kayak or are exceptionally strong, I would recommend a kayak cart to get down to the water.

[HJS]

- Yes, to get to the kayak launch spot at the far end of the lower parking lot you must drive through what I call the “Troll Tunnel” (pictured below). The tunnel has a clearance of 84” exactly. Give yourself at least 4“s of leeway because some bricks/rocks that make up the roof of the tunnel hang down slightly farther than at other spots going through the tunnel.
Troll Tunnel.jpg

- Yes, trailers are prohibited at Fletchers. There was a sign there for years that said “No Trailers”. It wasn’t much of a sign and may have been destroyed. But take it from me, a car with trailer anywhere in the Fletchers area would be as welcome as a bull in a china shop… only bad things will happen.

During weekdays all lanes of Canal Road go in towards DC for the morning rush… And during the evening rush all lanes go out from DC. During weekends Canal Road has two way traffic all day long. Also attached is a picture of the driving restriction for both Reservoir Road and the extremely small access road to Canal Street that goes off of Q Street.
001.jpg

What I have described here is only part of what you need to know to negotiate the highly unusual traffic patterns found along Canal Road and the death defying turn into Fletchers. The traffic light at the entrance to Fletchers has helped a lot, especially when trying to leave Fletchers. Good luck, for a new-comer to Fletchers there’s lots to learn about getting there safely.

That's my car on the right. Between my car and the car on the left is the direction you need to transport your kayak to the water's edge. Some sort of kayak cart would come in VERY handy.
Kayak launch.jpg

[summersoff]

Been to fletchers a couple more times since last posting, plenty of shad now,,,and even more people.

For the Canal Road to the Fletchers turn/light, I always found it easiest to pull along side the bollards and drive the hill in reverse - seen plenty do it that way.