Lake Manassas

[Camronz]

I didn't know this until last night but Lake Manassas has some huge cats. A buddy of a buddy of a buddy pulled in a 56 and 40 last night by the damn. They shut off the access to the public boat landing so only land owners have access. We are heading out today to talk to some landowners to find access for our boat. The DGIF site says there are channels in there but it says nothing about Blues. Hopefully we find somewhere to get in...it'll save me a 3hour drive to the James.

[Bluez1]

Lake Manassas has Big Fish of all species. Caught my biggest Crappie was caught there and 3 monster Walleyes!!!! I miss fishing there-I live only 10 minutes away.

I've heard that even residents CAN NOt lauch boats into the lake or even fish from shore. Are you sure it is legal? I know there are very large catfish down by the dam because a friend of mine whose father scuba dive to inspect the dam for cracks/leaks reported seeing a catfish so large he got afraid!! He said the catfish was about as big as he was!!! I do hope they open Lake Manassas for fishing again! Make's me mad everytime I drive pass the lake. What a waste of a Super Lake.

Sam[sad]

[boss hawg]

Diver size catfish? I have heard that before some where....not about lake Manassas but some other lake with a dam. State record channel is 31# 8oz. A channel that size around these parts is very un-likely. There are some very large flatheads in Occoquan Reservoir, fish over 60#s have been caught. They could have been a flatheads that your friend caught.

[Hawkeye]

There are blue cats in lake Jackson to 47 lb that I know of personaly. Lake Jackson is the next dam below Lake Manassas. You never know but I bet those were big flat heads. Those divers mask always make things look much bigger then they are.

[Camronz]

These were definately Blue Cats. I was there to see them caught. The land is owned by a 77 year old man and he owns the land right next to the damn. On the east side. If you stop on the road by the damn you can see the bank where we fish from is right there.
As far as channels not getting that big....They had at one time a report of an electroshock survery they did on Lake Anna and they said that they brought up a channel that was bigger than the world record. I am sure I brought this up before but I can't find the link.
They are supposedly still looking for a place to put a new ramp in after the old one was shut down.
Public access to Lake Manassas has not been available for several years. The old concession and access area operated by the Ryan family under contract with the City of Manassas has been closed. The City attempted to establish alternative access across from its water treatment plant near the dam, but Prince William County denied a special use permit for that facility. The City investigated additional access points up lake but apparently has been unable to locate a feasible site. The City cites additional concerns to establishing public access - terrorist threats and potential introduction of zebra mussels


Where at on the Occoquan Res can you catch 60+ lb Flats? We spent 16 hours out there last Saturday and managed to catch 2 bass over 7 lbs and a bunch of small channels. We tried live gills every where except by either damn.... Anyone know?

[Camronz]

Hawkeye...Do you know if there is a boat launch down there below the damn? If so I'm there.

[Hawkeye]

There are a couple but they are closer to lake jackson then lake manassas. One is at the issack walton leauge in brentsville the others are on lake jackson propper, all are privete. There is too much money up on lake manassas now to have it open to public. Those rich folks around those golf course dont want to look at a bunch of fishermen on there lake. I doupt you will ever see it open to public again. I was lucky as a kid knowing a fellow that owned 200 acers on the lake down near the dam on the nockville side. We duck hunted and fished quit often back in the 70's. There were 6 lb bass and 18" crappie back then, cats were mostly small but would get a couple 15 lbers every now and then .

[Capt.Nick]

I fished there once many years ago for pike.All I caught was bass.I read the lake was good for pike & Walleye.

[Gottheblues]

I have also heard reports of big blues in Lake Manassas. They seem to be thriving in that lake.

[Camronz]

We hit the lake again Yesterday and only managed a 12 lb blue. The sweaty, balmy, sunny, uncomfortable 100 degree weather could have been something to do with it. We caught a few crappie that all went close to 2 lbs. The bottom on Lake Manassas must just be covered in trees. We were fishing 100 yards up from the damn and had our lines snagged almost every cast no matter which direction or how far we went. The water that you could wade in was pretty hot....until you took 4 or 5 steps off the bank and the bottom just seemed to disappear out from under us. Pictures to come by next week