Upper Potomac River - 8/13/11

[DanMarino]

I hit the Potomac Saturday morning above Great Falls. I got to the river at 8AM and left at 11AM. Overcast skies and a couple of light rain showers. Water clarity was green/brown and really less than a foot. Nothing like the crystal clear mid-August water the past 4 years. Air temperatures were in the 70's and water temperatures felt refreshing. Some star grass growing in the shallower spots.

No smallies on the buzzbait I was throwing, so I switched over to a tube. I decided to rig the tube on the bottom and also put a circle hook about 18 inches up the line and put on a Gulp Minnow. Caught two smallies pretty quickly on the minnow. Began fishing the minnow alone, with no takers. Switched to a tube again and eventually got one more. Largest smallie was 14 inches. The other two were around 11 or 12.

I saw 2 bald eagles, a muskrat/beaver type thing, Canadian geese, and a bunch of herons. I wish I could have fished longer, but had to get back to the family. I'm looking forward to the river clearing up.

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[chirotrout]

I LOVE fishing that section of river up a little higher around ashburn! There really is nothing like the early fall fishing there for beauty and pullage.

Thanks for the report. I am local to reston and would love to tag along some time. I know a section of the river that is mostly gravel bottom that you can wade and fly cast if you are into that.

Jason

[HokieDJ]

Have you tried Goose Creek? There's a park in the neighborhood you can launch a kayak from and drift down to the mouth of the potomac. Its not an easy launch but doable. You can also walk up the creek to try for smallies.

[DanMarino]

UP Fishing

When I fish from my jet boat, I normally launch from the MD side across from Goose Creek.

Would love some company sometime or fly fishing. I'm terrible at fly fishing. I've caught a few tiny smallies on surface poppers, but that's about it.

I'm up for kayak fishing, fly fishing, or company in my small jet boat.

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