Fletchers 4-22-07

[HJS]

Fished Fletchers 4-22-07, 7:30am-10:30am. Extremely slow fishing both upstream & downstream of Fletchers. Only caught 1 hickory and 2 small Americans. Flow and temperature were great (5.14' & 55F), but clarity was a disappointing 10"-12". Low tide @ 7:30am. Talked to at least a dozen shad fishermen and all reported slow to very slow fishing. Those of you that bailed on this weekend made a wise choice, the murky water was a killer today. Maybe action improved for the afternoon/evening guys but I had had enough.

On the way home, I stopped in to see if anything was going on at the platform above Chain Bridge, 11:30am-12:30pm. Was met by a gazillion gizzards. Every couple of casts I'd have to either removed a snagged gizzard or remove a string of scales impaled on the hook. That grows old very fast so I packed up and went home.

For those of you that like to fish the rocky point below Fletchers, the log jam you must pick your way through has gotten a lot worse thanks to this last piece of high water!!! Its never been this bad. I almost gave up.

[Tissy Furnes]

Bummer, HJS. Was going to try to go today for a short spell but other stuff caught up to me first.

I can see that by the time it clears, water temps will have jumped so much they will get lockjaw. At least for awhile. Can't win for losing.

Actually, I'm gonna keep a more optimistic outlook and see I can bend a rod menyana.

[The Old Man]

I figured...but I'm gonna give it a shot tomorrow morning anyway, as I have the time....

Wednesday too...

[HJS]

I'd imagine that water clarity should improved by a couple inches with each passing day. One guy I talked to said he caught many Americans last Saturday, 4-14. He seemed to know his shad but you never know.

[billx8]

Thank you for the post HJS. I'm headed out this morning to give it a try but without expecting much. Reports from Occoquan this weekend were not good either. What a strange year. Plenty of fish unlike last year and spotty excellent days but too many weather close outs. Now rain is predicted for Wednesday through Friday. It could end it all for shad this year.

[The Old Man]

I was out this morning for 90 minutes and had four strikes and landed just two fish. But they were good fish: both Americans, big fish at 22" and lost another right at my feet that was also an American (I believe, tho I didn't get a great look at her)

Fletcher's is renting boats again, there were 4-5 out there, but I'm the only one I saw catching, and I was on shore.

Bill I don't think the forecast rain is going to amount to much, by the end of this week the fishing will be smoking, I'm willing to bet that it ain't even near over, not by a long shot.

If you go under the stained water conditions, use a small black fly...all three fish that I saw today were on a black over chartreuse clouser, size 6. Go dark in the dark water, they always say, and I believe it today...

[HJS]

WTG... strange the hickories were a no-show... wonder what got into them??? Maybe we're between hickory runs. In the mean time, Americans will do just fine, way fine thank you.

Had the water clarity improved over the 10"-12" I encountered on Sunday?

[The Old Man]

Yeah, I think visibility was on the order of 12-18" when I fished there today.

[billx8]

I got one herring today fishing from Va a little closer to CB than Fletchers. I'd go with the 18 inch water clarity. It seemed like it wasn't really too muddy for some action but no go. Ditched it and went to Occoquan. Water clarity was significantly worse and no fish. Thanks for the tip on the dark fly. Better luck to all.

[Tissy Furnes]

Squeezed in a half hour at lunch. Had low expectations and durn near killed myself getting myself out to a very preacarious perch. But worth it, just one fish but a very nice American. The boats were not doing much, but a fellow in a canoe below me hooked up with several.

Later in the week, provided it doesn't rain should fish real well.