warmwater spots, DC area

[sarce]

Hi everyone,

I will be moving to northern VA just west of DC in September and staying at least thru December. I don't want to miss out on the prime fall smallmouth bass fishing so I was wondering if anyone knows any good rivers or creeks in that general area where I could find decent bass fishing? I will be limited to places I can wade.

I've heard good things about the Potomac but have also read that it is dangerous to wade.

There are lots of small lakes in the area too and I have caught bass in the one closest to where I will be staying before. I just don't really enjoy fishing lakes that much but I will do it if I can't find better fishing in moving water nearby.

Thank you,
Andrew

 

[Brownie101]

Don't know really anything about that area and WW fishing, but I think Shenandoah NP isn't far from there which has a bunch of brookie streams. Good luck with the move.

 

[J55tyger88]

Also i think the Potomac river is nearby.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

PM Sent.

 

[geebee]

Sarce - try the White Fly store near Harpers Ferry, he should be able to clue you in on the lower Shenandoah & potomac.

Antietam creek has some good fishing i hear.

 

[Fishidiot]

Andrew,
Good luck with your move.

There is a large waterfall near Great Falls, this is upriver from DC. Below that, the river is tidal and has largemouth bass, snakeheads, and stripers. This area has fewer wading opportunities and is deeper. Above the falls, the main game fish is smallmouths and the river gets easier to wade. I prefer points further upstream from Harper's Ferry and upriver. Not too hard to wade in summer and fly fishing for SMBs is excellent. I do recommend cleats as much of the river is ledge rock and this can be slippery (felts are banned in MD). If you head out to western MD you can target trout as well.

It's a great river with something for everyone. Not a match for the Delaware, to be sure, but probably the next best river in the Mid-Atlantic with respect to versatility and different species to chase.

 

[mario66pens]

+1 on the shendanoah, I always have a ball with the kayak down there.

 

[sarce]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'll have to look at drive times and see what I want to do. I will at least spend one weekend in Shenandoah, water levels will determine if i focus on trout or bass. Hopefully I can do both. I have always wanted to go there.

 

[charliepff]

I don't live far from there in Harpers Ferry. I fish the Shenandoah a lot. You have a lot of choices around you. I tend to stay out of Maryland. just personal preference. You have the choice of the Potomac, above and below the falls, the Shenandoah, the Rappahannock, the Rapidan, and some of the smaller tribs. Your best bet for trout, is the national park.

The white river fly shop does kayak rental with shuttles. There are a few down near Fredericksburg that do the same. If you have your own kayak, a good float is Goose Creek in Loudoun County, VA. You float it all the way to the ramp on the Potomac. If you need any advice let me know.

 

[sarce]

All of that sounds great to me. I will have to do the kayak rental/shuttle thing a few times, I love kayaking.

 

[DGC]

The nice thing about the Potomac is the ease of access via the C & O Canal NHP (MD side). The closest to DC I ever fished is Seneca, though there may well be good spots closer. Check online for more details. Don't forget carp, btw. Same tackle as for smallmouth and sight fishing to bigger fish.

the NHP has primitive hike in camping sites every 4 to 15 miles with 6 miles perhaps being the average. There are a few drive in sites as well. At least that is how it used to be--it's been 25 years or so since I fished those beats and in fact the camping in those days was free. Rangers didn't check on us much it was first come first serve.

There are a number of dams that back up the river making it very slow and deep, but there is also plenty of moving water. Again a look at the maps.

I once quit a job and spent almost a year living in Harper's Ferry just to be near the Potomac.

Edit. I never did this but I suppose if you were really clever, you could ride the Metro and MARC train in and out. Station at Point of Rocks being an obvious choice for the MARC.

 

[sarce]

Thanks DGC, good info.

I never did this but I suppose if you were really clever, you could ride the Metro and MARC train in and out. Station at Point of Rocks being an obvious choice for the MARC.

I think in the full version of this video, one guy does exactly that (not sure on exact location but same idea). Urban Lines trailer

BTW, does anyone know how I might be able to get in touch with these guys? Looks like they work at Orvis

 

[barbless]

The Potomac is tidal below Little Falls, which is just inside the western end of the city limits. That's habitar for largemouth bass, snakeheads, and shad runs in the spring.

Great Falls is several miles above Little Falls. The river in between there is freshwater, with lots of rock gardens. It has smallmouths, sunfish, carp, and catfish. I saw a tiger muskie in that stretch last year. There's some bank access, but within the Beltway wading is technically prohibited along much of it (the parks). Parts of it are too deep to wade. The shallow stretches of the river there are easily wadeable when low, treacherous when not low. Use your good judgement. Upstream rains can raise the water level considerably in a short time. If it starts rising, get out.

Above Great Falls there are some nice stretches of water on both the MD and VA sides (One state license works for both sides on the border part of the Potomac.) Some parts are easily wadeable, some are much too deep to fish without a boat. The Harper's Ferry-Brunswick-Point of Rocks area has the best reputation. But the river below the dam at Seneca is not bad, really. The summer water levels typically make for easy wading. I just got back into the area and don't know if the white fly hatch has come and gone yet. But if it's still on and you get out there right at the peak hour of the hatch around sunset, you'll see just how many bass and sunfish the river holds there. Most of the bass run 8"-12", but some of them are much, much bigger.(Wear bug repellent.)

There's a real good fishing map of the Potomac sold in various places, including a lot of sporting goods stores and bookstores. It shows the areas with the best wading access.

I've even read reports of people fly fishing Rock Creek for bass and sunfish. But the water isn't all that clean, especially after a rain. DC has a big problem with most of the storm drain system being the same as the sewer system, with predictably poor impacts on water quality.