4-23 Chain Bridge

[deriesten]

Hey guys,

This is my first time posting with the group. A buddy of mine and I went down to Chain Bridge around 5 pm yesterday after work and fished for shad with some size 8 orange and yellow Clousers on our 5 weights with sinking tips. There were folks of every nationality there using just about every technique known to man to catch fish (some most definitely illegal methods), well worth the trip for the people watching alone!

Anyway, we fished for about 3 hours and caught a bunch of fish, including many small perch, some big herrings (at least I think they were, but they were a good 14 inches and pretty fat), and three nice shad. My buddy caught one that was probably about 20 inches.

Anyway, we had a great time and I am hoping the weather cooperates so we can try again at the end of the week or this weekend.

Just a couple of questions and I'll stop rambling (and start working, I guess..) Do you guys see a big difference in the fishing quality at Fletcher's versus CB? What license do I need to fish on the Va side of CB (I have a Va license, do I need a DC?) and finally, we were just casting as far out as we cold, letting the sink tip pull the fly down for a few seconds, and then rapidly stripping the fly back in short pulses, is there a preferred shad technique?

Thanks guys, and I hope to meet some of you some time on the river, I'll be the guy fishing my fly out of the bushes.

[Salmo trutta]

That's impressive you were able to fish there with a 5wt. What size, weight and length was the sink tip? I've tried a few tips before on my 5 and it's just too light or the tips are too heavy for the rod to cast comfortably. I use a 7/8wt with Rio Deep 7 line that sinks like a rock and I strip it fast. It works very well but sometimes it's too much rod.

As for licenses, you must have a DC license to fish either Va or DC side of the river while in DC. Once you get into MD you can have either license and fish either side of the river but DC is it's own animal with it's own regulations.

Fletchers/CB comparison... well when there's current you can fish down below but if there is very little current, then the fishing is better up near CB. Later in the year like mid May I concentrate my efforts up river near CB and above from there.

[Tissy Furnes]

Good show, Dave. From shore, I think CB offers more options but overall for shad Fletchers has better fishing.

[deriesten]

Salmo,

thanks for the advice. I was using a 10 ft sink tip, not sure what the grain weight was on it, but I can tell you that you are right, it does not cast very comfortably with a 5-weight rod and my cast was more of a sling and only went about 25 ft at best. The only other rod I currently have is a 6 weight so I will probably try that later this week if I can make it. I must admit, I can see now how folks can get addicted to shad fishing, they really give a good pull on the rod!

[billx8]

Today (Tuesday) Fletchers was much better than CB. I fished both places. This fits well with previous comments about water levels and current which are rather high.

[Flying Fish]

You did OK at CB. "a good 14 inches and pretty fat," that sounds like hickories to me, I've caught plenty of hickories that weren't over 14 inches. But I'd say you were undergunned with your rod and line. I'm a fan of fairly fast full-sink lines for this fishing (Rio Deep 7 is very fast sinking); I've done OK sometimes to fine sometimes with sink-tips, but at least 24-foot sink tips, like 250 g SA Streamer Express or Teeny. I'd say a 7-weight is pretty much ideal (until your shad turns into a big striper, then you'll wish you had a 10-weight).

I've had red-hot fishing at CB, at Fletcher's, and below Fletcher's; I've also had much slower fishing at all 3 places. I do like going on the boats from Fletcher's, though.

Welcome to the group.

FF