Pacemaker Fishing Forum

The last know striper was found belly up a few years ago. There is a picture of it somewhere in the Forum.

Kicknstang wrote:

The striper picture in question is in one of those picture links posted on page 3 if I remember correctly. Some brush piles would be a nice addition to all the rock piles under the surface there. I would volunteer time and my truck to make it happen!

I have emailed the LoWA folks....not sure what they will think or do. The Stakeholders meetings have not yet started. I also contacted VGDIF to see if they can do something. It would be a great opportunity but it needs work and coordination.

All good ideas but LoWA owns the property and has to approve. Not an easy task......

Maybe all of you could write to them???

https://www.loudounwater.org/contact-us/

What an exciting prospect!

Ernie wrote:

John Odenkirk (VGDIF) has already contacted LoWA about adding structure to the reservoir and is already thinking as to what to stock. That will all depend on the kind of forage that is introduced. He is thinking hybrid stripers but it is still too soon to tell. He will keep me updated in the progress and I will post it here.

One of the samplings I read way back when from around 2000 said there were still tiger muskie. I can't find the link but I did find this.

www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/reports/2003 Beaverdam Creek Reservoir.pdf

"Historical stockings included tiger musky, hybrid striped bass, striped bass, and blue catfish all of which were discontinued as a result of poor survival, low catch
rates, or a change in management philosophies. "

Now that loudoun water owns it, the big question for survivability is, will the reservoir still be subjected to huge summer time fluctuations in the water level? I guess that will be the biggest driver. Didn't VGIF start stocking the occ with pike a few years ago?

I guess it would be a little premature to starting thinking about collecting christmas trees to place for cover..

So does this mean the state is going to stock it? If I remember right, if the state stocks a body of water it has to be open to the public for fishing.

Last edited by NOVAhunter (Dec-02-14 2:57PM)

Ernie wrote:

We are a ways off to seeing a usable reservoir but many people are committed to having a superb water facility down the road.

good to hear that last part. I cant wait to get back out there.

The reservoir has virtually no effect on Goose Creek except when there is enough of a drought that Goose Creek is barely topping the Goose Creek reservoir dam.  A valve in Beaverdam will be opened in order to draw water.  They were drawing water when I fished the creek in 2013 but it really had no effect on the creek level.  It just helped keep the Goose Creek reservoir filled.

Beaverdam Creek reservoir is not part of Goose Creek.  It exists where the old Beaverdam Creek was, well the creek does kind of exist now though.  Water only enters the creek via overflow or when the valves are opened.

Interesting story....as I understand it, York is not running for reelection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXCLUSIVE: Political contributions tie supervisors and Loudoun Water board members

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015 by Trevor Baratko

Several members of the Loudoun Water Board of Directors, who last month had their salaries doubled by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors, have donated thousands of dollars to the political campaigns of supervisors in recent years.

The water provider board is composed of appointees by the Board of Supervisors.

Especially benefiting from the political contributions is Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (R-At Large), who has received $4,800 from Loudoun Water's board chairman, Johnny Rocca, and $3,300 from Loudoun Water board member Mark Koblos, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Additionally, York has accepted $250 in campaign funds from water board member Shaun Kelley and $100 from Loudoun Water General Manager Fred Jennings.

York was one of four votes who approved increasing the salaries of Loudoun Water board members during a Dec. 2 business meeting. Because three of the Board of Supervisors' nine members were absent for the vote, the salary action passed with just four supervisors in support. Joining the chairman to approve the pay bump were Vice Chairman Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run) and Supervisors Ralph Buona (R-Ashburn) and Matt Letourneau (R-Dulles). Those absent were Supervisors Geary Higgins (R-Catoctin), Ken Reid (R-Leesburg) and Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian).

Janet Clarke (R-Blue Ridge) and Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) opposed the pay hike.

All Loudoun Water board positions are part-time. The Dec. 2 action increased the Loudoun Water chairman's salary from $6,600 to $12,000 annually and compensation for board members from $4,800 to $9,600.

York, who did not respond to numerous requests to comment for this story, is not the only sitting supervisor to benefit from political contributions from Loudoun Water board members.

Volpe, who exited the Dec. 2 meeting shortly before the Loudoun Water salary vote, has received a combined $1,450 from two Loudoun Water board members – Koblos and developer Leonard “Hobie” Mitchel.

Mitchel, the CEO and managing partner of Lansdowne Development Group, has given nearly $11,000 to Republican candidates for public office since 1996, according to VPAP.

Rocca, who gave $4,600 to York when the chairman was seeking office as an independent, has also given $200 a piece to the campaigns for supervisors Reid, Higgins and Clarke. Rocca donated $200 to former supervisor and current Leesburg Town Council member Kelly Burk, a Democrat, in 2011.

In addition to the $3,300 to York, Koblos has shelled out $500 to Williams, $350 to Volpe and $150 to Reid.

Two supervisors who voted in favor of the pay hikes, Williams and Letourneau, told the Times-Mirror in December they were not aware of the amount to which members of the water board had given to some of the supervisors.

Both Williams and Letourneau said they continue to support the pay raises for Loudoun Water appointees in order to have well-qualified citizens with experience, specifically in the financial and business management sectors.

Funds for Loudoun Water salaries come from within the organization's budge, not directly from Loudoun County tax dollars.

"All [Loudoun Water] income is received either as user fees from customers or as availability fees from developers. User fees pay for operating expenses.

Availability fees pay for capital improvements. Loudoun Water receives no tax money," the organization's website states.

A political subdivision of the state, Loudoun Water as an organization has faced sharp criticism in recent months, including from members of the Board of Supervisors, for what some customers have described as inept community outreach and involvement on key decisions, including the closure of the Beaverdam Reservoir and the location of new water towers.

A now former member of the Loudoun Water board who donated exclusively to Democrats, Pravin Ganhdi, was recently not reappointed to the board.


All campaign contributions in this story are according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Bruce wrote:

Bruce wrote:

Sure sounds/smells fishy....

It would really stink if there was contributions by Toll or KHov.

NOVAhunter wrote:

Didn't VGIF start stocking the occ with pike a few years ago?

VDGIF put Northern Pike in Occoquan Reservoir in the 1980s.  I don't know when they stopped, but when I was fishing there back then I never saw any pictures of pike on the board nor did I catch any.  According to the previous versions of VDGIF's page on the reservoir, they started again in the early 2000's.  I fish out of Fountainhead a few times a year and again, never see pike on the board, nor see people with them or hear stories. Pike can live around here, get reasonably big, but they I think it's too warm for them to really thrive.

A refilled version of Beaverdam seems like it would be a decent place for at least hybrid stripers or white bass.  The white perch did well enough there and they seem to like the same environments.

Looks like the water level is going up a bit.