Occuquan - Sat

[Meadeo]

Going to be headed down to Occuquan again this Sat with a few friends in search of crappie and yellow perch. If anyone would like to join us feel free.. Plan to be on the water around 9 am.

Meadeo

[ILV2F5H]

I am a maybe baby girl.

[Meadeo]

Jon is also a maybe... Joe myself are for sure and i think Steve is interested in going... Just got Jon to pickup some Smelly Jelly in Crawfish/Garlic at bass pro in Florida... He will be delivering it tomorrow. Saves me a trip to Arundel or Richmond..

Going to get a few more silver buddies to round out my arsenol and i think i am ready to assalt the crappie and yellow perch population.

Meadeo

[PotomacTide]

Where are you buying your silver buddies? I only have one in my tackle. I saw some boaters pulling bass in on every other cast under the 95 bridge on occoquan a couple of weeks ago. Funny thing is, I was trying the same spot with a silver buddy right after them with very little luck. The silver buddy is working magic out there this time of year, but I can't tell if its technique or subtle differences in my setup. Maybe its the smelly jelly. There is definately some subtleties that make all the difference between loading up the yak with fish or going home skunked this time of year out there.

[ComeOnFish]

PotomacTide,
I noticed one difference between me and the experienced Occoquan anglers. My rod top went up and down about 3-5 feet while their rod tops were moving up and down about a foot. And they did subtle twitching occasionally. The same technique, subtle, some pause, and the slower retrieve(than me) was used by anglers catching crappie on the bottom, bass and YP consistently. Last Wednesday I monitored the experienced anglers (four of them) carefully. When I did what they did, I caught two small YP.
I think Smelly Jelly also helped them in catching.
Blades (Silver Buddy) are sold at Dick’s.

Joe

[Shady]

The way I read the law, it sounds like license reciprocity applies to the Occoquan if you are fishing at or below the 95 bridge. In other words you can fish this area using a MD or VA fishing license. Does anyone know if this is right?

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing...eciprocity.asp

I think I might want to try fishing the area sometime soon.

[jffoley]

The way I read the law, it sounds like license reciprocity applies to the Occoquan if you are fishing at or below the 95 bridge. In other words you can fish this area using a MD or VA fishing license. Does anyone know if this is right?

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing...eciprocity.asp

I think I might want to try fishing the area sometime soon.

This is correct. Works on both sides up to wherever the tidal line cutoff is in whatever waterway you're in. For the Occoquan it would be to the dam above the launch.

[Shady]

I would think the dam would make the most sense as the tidal line, but in the link I posted it says the fall line is the 95 bridge?

[tufnik]

That's for a saltwater license, and for above the dam, it's freshwater, right?

[jffoley]

I'm pretty sure the fall Line is upstream from the town of Occoquan.

Tuf, Yes above the dam is the Occoquan Reservoir. Freshwater license would be needed and reciprocity licensing would not apply.

[tufnik]

Where exactly do you launch and fish? Near I-95? Ox Rd bridge?

Also, anyone fish further north at Fountainhead Regional Park? There's a tackle and rental shop there. It's located off Hampton Rd. The fishing area is Sandy Run. Looks like there's a pier there too.

[jffoley]

I would think the dam would make the most sense as the tidal line, but in the link I posted it says the fall line is the 95 bridge?

I stand corrected. I didn't go all the way to the bottom. I had found this:

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/regions/fallshape.html

[Meadeo]

Yeah..

When flow is heavy there is some class four rapids below the dam can make for some interesting kayaking.... I have been chased out by the park police on several occasions fishing above the fall line.. There are signs at the fall line and foot traffic is not permitted above it. When flow is deminished you can safely kayak to the first set of class four rapids.. There is some exceptional fishing spots right below the big rapid if your brave enough to get there.

MD freshwater from the dam to 95 bridge and then MD saltwater below 95 bridge. In draught years crabs make it all the way up to the park. I have caught spot and small croakers also in the occuquan when the salinities are up.

Meadeo

[ictalurus]

Also, anyone fish further north at Fountainhead Regional Park? There's a tackle and rental shop there. It's located off Hampton Rd. The fishing area is Sandy Run. Looks like there's a pier there too.

I've fished at Fountainhead. There is a small concession stand and boat/yak/canoe rental. I'm not sure about tackle rental, though. My father has a permit, so I haven't been up to the concession stand in a long time.

We launched there at the boat ramp last year, and the fishing was awful, which was a big change since I was a kind. We couldn't even catch sunfish. However, there were lots of suspended fish, which might've been stripers or cats (or gizzard shad, I guess). I jigged with a BKD and Stingsilver but had no takers. I didn't try for cats. I think there may be walleyes in there, too, at least there used to be when I was a kid.

[ComeOnFish]

Occoquan Fallline

Fall Line

The Fall Line is defined as the following landmarks:
•Rappahannock River: Rt. 1 Bridge;
•Mattaponi River: Rt. 360 Bridge;
•Pamunkey River: Rt. 360 Bridge;
•Chickahominy River: Walkers Dam;
•James River: 14th Street Bridge;
•Occoquan River: I-95 Bridge.

The above Info is on the following URL. With MD Tidalwater License, you can fish the south of the I 95 Bridge.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing...eciprocity.asp

BTW, I am trying to reschedule my work this weekend so I can fish tomorrow for 4-5 hours.

Joe