Fletcher's 4-419 Sort of

[bignose]

I took the first early season Shad scouting trip to Fletcher's Boathouse this morning. My notes indicate that with one exception, the fishing starts to pick up around April 5th.
I braved the vagaries of terrible 495 traffic to get there (1/1/2 hours to go 35 miles!).

The Potomac River water looked great, a bit high (astronomical high tide), but 2+ feet of visibility, no floating pollen (give it two weeks) and I figured very fishy.
The shore areas showed the effects of last year's flooding, lots of downed trees, and a lot of the underbrush washed away, but it was not as muddy as I expected that it would be. I didn't need hip waders, knee high boots would have been fine. Hiking boots in a week or two unless we get another deluge.

There were a lot of people fishing, hiking, biking..........something about Cherry Blossom's going on brings out the hordes.

Oh yeah, the fishing.....

Did you ever see a grown man cry?

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As you can see, I managed to turn my 2 piece G. Loomis rod into an accidental 3 piece rod. I think I must have done this when I fell last year, but didn't discover it until I tried to crank out my 10th cast.
I heard something pop, and was glad that it wasn't my shoulder.........it sucks when you break your favorite (and expensive) rod. G. Loomis may have a lifetime guarantee, but this was an eBay purchase.

I had a couple of spare rods in my car, but after hiking back to the lot, my heart just wasn't in it.

BTW, they are doing a lot of heavy clearing around the parking lot. Be careful!

[J. Rentch]

Sorry about the rod Stu, great day to be on the water.

[Big Mike]

A little Elmer’s and you’ll be good as new.

[J.A. Veil]

Tough deal on the rod. Did you catch any shad before the rod broke?

[bignose]

No fish today.
I literally only got in 10 casts, then "crack....."
The rocks I prefer to fish from were occupied ( it was crowded today), so I didn't have the "sweet" spot.

Discussions with other fishermen indicated that the fishing was a bit slow. Rumor has it that a rather large rockfish was caught there earlier in the week.
Not surprising, the season is just getting cranked up. But the water was clearer than at any time all of last year.
The Dogwoods will begin blooming in two weeks, and things should be in full swing by then, both on the Potomac and up on the Susky.
It's encouraging.

[mjkeith13]

No fish today.
I literally only got in 10 casts, then "crack....."
The rocks I prefer to fish from were occupied ( it was crowded today), so I didn't have the "sweet" spot.

Discussions with other fishermen indicated that the fishing was a bit slow. Rumor has it that a rather large rockfish was caught there earlier in the week.
Not surprising, the season is just getting cranked up. But the water was clearer than at any time all of last year.
The Dogwoods will begin blooming in two weeks, and things should be in full swing by then, both on the Potomac and up on the Susky.
It's encouraging.

I saw this the other day in the Washington Post: "Man catches a 30-pound striped bass in the Potomac River in Washington" https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md...=.f90f38ea5878

Note: This is NOT me. Sounds like he caught and released this right near Fletcher's Boathouse.
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[belairfishing]

Interesting...I read the article from the post. The tweet from DC DOEE is agenda driven:

UPDATE: This beauty was released (as required by DC law)! This is one of the many indicators that our #DCValues of reducing #stormwater runoff, skipping single-use plastic and District-wide #SustainableDC actions are paying off. Do you #FishDC? Show us what you got!

To be clear, I am NOT saying that reducing stormwater runnoff, limiting single use plastic, and sustainable actions in general are not good. But to say that catching a large striper on the Potomac during the shad run is a result of those things seems like a stretch to me.

[Mark]

Stu,

Give Loomis a call. They may take pity on you and offer you a rebate.

[bignose]

I am planning to drop G.Loomis a line.
The GLX series is supposed to have a lifetime guarantee, but only for the original owner ( I may plead ignorance).
The worst they can do is to either: declare me dead and not honor the warranty, or offer me a $100.00 dollar discount on a new rod.

I'm not inclined to spend that much money on a new rod. For what I just replaced this rod with, a BPS 7' Microlite rod, I could buy 4 or more of them for the price of a new Loomis.
I've got to cut back on my rock scrambling, realizing that I am not longer a mountain goat, just an old goat.

[rob-kayak]

Sorry about your rod brother...

I am down along the GW Parkway a number of times a week on my job...

The Potomac is the most beautiful color of greenish blue that I have seen in the last three years working down there weekly... it was so horribly brown last year with all the rain.

Maybe all the scum was washed out...
The water looks so beautiful I want to go take a swim :-)....

Water level is real low right now... I haven't fished down that way yet.. stopping by Roaches Run and see kayakers and fishermen I briefly chat it up.

If you are one of the regular posters here PM me and I'll let you know of my observations.
Don't want to give away any freebee's to the lurkers...

I've been on the water every other week... nothing exciting.. just getting on the water...
Maybe go down to the the Potomac this next week.. it sure does look pretty...

P.S. Cherry Blossom stuff is all crazy traffic.. so go early etc etc...

[mike o]

I had an old gloomis ebay purchase break on me. They gave me a pretty good deal on a new one.

[mchottie]

Never hurts to ask... I'd imagine G.Loomis stands behind their product, and could get some PR buzz even...