Pacemaker Fishing Forum

I was in DC today as well and also looked over to Fletcher's. The river looks decent as you said but still a bit fast at Fletcher's. It is almost there. Spawning stripers bee line it up river, they could be around soon.

Water temp broke the 50 degree barrier at Little Falls today.  Will probably be around 55+ by the weekend.  It's heating up fast!

They will be up here in DC Waters next week at this warming rate and long gone by the 2nd week of April.  It will be a mad dash to spawn and head back downriver in the next 2-4 weeks.  I predict rockfish caught at Fletchers on the 19th of March!

My records show that once LF reaches 50 degrees for 3 days in a row (after several days of mid-40s), rockfish will be in DC.............but I've never caught them in mid-March...........but have the 3rd week or March.

Stripers are already there.

"March 12………The White Perch bite remains slow. The Cormorants seemed to have disappeared from the cove area as well. The first Striper and Hickory Shad of the season were caught and released in the area this morning."


May have to go out there Sunday morning if the forecasted rain doesn't bring the water up too much.

Last edited by T. (Mar-13-12 2:23AM)

Ryan- lots of waders up that way but it is not easy, lots of rocks.

This group talks about it often- https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgr … ly-rodders

A kayak can be launched. The water runs fast but is not often visible to the human eye. You do not want to end up in the brink there.

Always check this: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrogra … ,1,1,1,1,0

We like to boat when it's < 4.5'. Anything above 5' is dangerous.

Renting a boat is a great option....just watch the others and follow along.

Thanks Ernie - if I were to launch the yak are there areas off the main current to find a holding position instead of jockying around or trying to anchor in current?  I've heard too many nightmare stories of kayaks anchored in current to attempt it at this point.

Yep, Tyler and I went last year with the Yaks.  First, there is a VERY low tunnel to get to the parking lot close to the shoreline.  You will have to take the kayak AND your rack off the roof and put it in the back/trunk of your truck/car.  Or, park in the outside parking lot and carry the yak a long ways.  You can launch from the shoreline downriver from the cove.  We had no problem maneuvering and finding eddies to keep the kayaks relatively in one place.  I anchored and ended up losing my anchor.  I strongly recommend an anchor trolly to get the anchor line off the bow or stern of the yak.  The current will definitely mess you up if you tie off in the middle.  As Ernie will always remind you, "Where a PFD!!"

Fishing...we bought herring (I think) from Fletchers and cut it up.  Also, got the small darts for Shad.  Last year was supposedly a strange year weather wise.  By the time we finally felt comfortable getting out on the water in the Yaks, it was pretty late in the season.  We caught a bunch of catfish in the 5-15 lb range and I got a schoolie Striper.  Probably about 17 inches.  I think Tyler caught a couple Smallies and I don't remember what else.

Great day on the water though.  We might be going this weekend if the weather and family cooperate.  Let us know what your plans are.

Ryan- the advice you got on TPFR is spot on.

I can answer the questions about weekends...they are a zoo. The boats get rented early and you have to stand in line to get one.

One bad thing is that there are some poachers on some of the shorelines since they are tough to get to by the water cops. However, the last few years has seen more enforcement.

There are lots of older threads on this Forum re: Fletchers.....

And here is more....

American shad were taken on hook and line at Fletcher’s Cove yesterday evening, the earliest this has ever happened on that stretch of the Potomac. In fact, it may well be the first time for a first catch in the month of March. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. The hickories were two weeks early by any standard of normalcy; now we have American shad showing up just four days later, before the first day of spring, and a full month ahead of the traditional Potomac schedule. What ever happened to arriving when the dogwoods bloom? Wait, I’ll check, maybe the buds just opened in Thursday’s record heat!

Alex Binsted still works for GSI at The Boathouse at Fletcher’s Cove. This may not be a job in his field, but it does have nice fringe benefits. Last year Alex recorded the first hickory and American shad catches, on March 20th and April 5th respectively. He was “bummed” to miss out on the first hickory this year, so much so that he was in a frame of mind to think the unthinkable: American shad in March. When he worked a typical seam in the current on Thursday, a couple of strong strikes initially seemed like big hickories, but the fish got off unseen. The action came to a stop, so Alex forgot about the calendar and moved over to a reliable chute where Americans like to hold–in the middle of April! Sure enough, there were more strong strikes and two out of four fish landed, all buck American shad.

I'm definitely going to be out there Sunday morning.

GregF wrote:

Looks like Tyler and I will be going Sunday morning as well.  The river gage is predicted to be below 4.0.  Looks like LOW tide at 12:30pm.  Will that matter?

The flow will be low and the water clear. That's OK...not optimal.

You will be fishing a falling tide...that's optimal.

But who cares? You are going!!!

GregF wrote:

You want to come with us?  We will help with the kayak if you aren't sure with the knee yet.

Can't go Sunday morning but thanks for asking......but my kayak is out getting the annoying leak fixed. Which BTW, I dragged the up the hill and carried it just fine. Happily, my knee is all good!!