Occoquan or Fletcher's 4/6/13

[Moschedmi]

I am debating hitting the Occoquan or the Potomac at Fletcher's this Saturday. Is anyone in a position to report the condition of the Occoquan? It has been very stained all winter and I wanted to know if it improved any.

[Capt C-Hawk]

Reliable source on a boater board caught several Hickories on the Big O this morning.

[M_Duong60]

went last saturday & water was still stained with the rain last night it won be any better IMO

[LoudounFisher]

I could do either, but I'm going to Fletcher's.

[Moschedmi]

I am leaning towards Fletcher's as well the water should be clearer than the occoquan. I have never fished that area of the Potomac and have wanted to explore it and strippers should be moving in. What time are you heading their.

[LoudounFisher]

I'm going to be there before the sun is up. Probably be there almost all day.

[Moschedmi]

I will probably head out mid to late morning. Have some things to do around the house. Do you know how crowded it gets mid day

[LoudounFisher]

With the weather this weekend I would expect most if not all of Fletcher's boats to be in the water.

[Moschedmi]

Roger that.i may alter my plans to avoid the crowds. What species do you fish for when you go to Fletcher's? I was planing rigging for stripers and sm bass.

[LoudounFisher]

I fish for everything. With just a silver buddy I can catch at least five species.

[Moschedmi]

image.jpgI decided to hit Fletcher's Cove this morning hoping that striped bass had there way up river. I arrived at 6:10 am was paddling by 6:45 am and I was swimming by 7:15 am. The morning obviously did not start the way I wanted but it ended ok. No striped bass but I did hook up with a nice LM bass (2.11 lbs) and hooked a large SM bass. I got the smallie next to me, went to lip it and the Line snapped at the knot. The water was cold but the day turned out to be nice.

[LoudounFisher]

I snagged one hickory early on while trolling two crankbaits. That was the only fish I put my hands on. They just weren't biting for me the way the were last year. I tried all the spots I had success last year and more. The fly fishers seemed to be having an easy time catching themy.

I lost a handful of lures and my anchor. I even had the anchor rigged with some zip ties to break away so I could pull it from the other end. Apparently I wasn't able to break the zip ties while seated in my kayak. I was damn near flipping it trying to do so.

[Moschedmi]

I tried anchoring. The current was so strong that the nylon cord on my kayak broke and I ended up in the water. The only thing I lost were a circular package of weights. I was lucky could have been a lot worse.

[LoudounFisher]

Yeah, the current was ripping. It wasn't like that last year. It's not like the river level is higher either. I couldn't even go up the river past one point where I had no problem last year. Last year I got up past Chain Bridge.