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Any suggestions/fishing tips for the stretch of water at Dutch Gap landing?

7K views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  Gottheblues 
#1 ·
We are headed out tomorrow for a weekend fishing trip. I wish we would have had more time but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Anyway, we are 4 1/2 - 5 hours out and bringing my 7 year old nephew for his first trip unless he changes his mind. We have a pontoon but the sucker is slooooooow, and since I am in a wheelchair, the family doesn't like to stray too far from the landing [sad] We were caught in a pretty wicked storm last year so now they are terrified to go beyond the 295 bridge and we have never really fished toward Osborne. I wish I was the captain of the ship! Dayton you may remember us from a couple of years back. We had a jon boat at the time and spoke for a few minutes outside the Quality Inn.

To keep from dragging this out more than I already have, we tried this spring but the biguns were still on beds and I think the family kind of lost heart after a week of watching our poles just sit there. I would also like for my nephew to get into a decent fish because he has never caught anything above a couple of pounds. So, if anyone has any tips, it would be greatly appreciated.

Much thanks in advance!

PS - We are strictly catch, measure, weigh, photo and release as quickly as possible fisherman.
 
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#2 ·
Hey man! Long time. Good to see ya in here. I remember ya. I had a good time talking with you. Pontoon, that is cool. My brother-in-law just got one. It really works out great for my niece. She is a wheelchair too.

Are you staying in Chester again? Where? I am not planning on being out there this weekend, but you never know.

Hey everybody, who is going out there this weekend? Can someone maybe help out with some fresh bait and maybe a good hole to setup on?

Call me when you get to town. I don't know if I can help but I will try.

Dayton
 
#7 ·
Hey thanks for the replies! We are planning to put in at Dutch Gap around 9 pm and usually fish until 8 or 9 next morning. We are in fisher 20 ft. pontoon green & white. Any help would really be appreciated. We usually fish from the power plant up to interstate bridge.

We may give u a call Dayton. Not sure where we are staying yet. I think we are headed straight for the landing when we get to Chester. Just going to try and cram as much fishing in as possible within the next two days. The best news is that my nephew is coming and he is so excited that he can't sit still.

I will have a laptop pc with me and will be able to check in on the board when we have a room.

Thanks again everyone!
 
#9 ·
Getting them out on the bigger water at dark where they are unfamiliar with the water will be a real challenge. They are SLIGHTLY over protective. Being safe is always a good thing but sometimes depressing. I have been wanting to fish Jordan Point for some time now. I will see what I can do, but if I were betting, it will probably be the gap. We are headed out shortly but I will keep checking in and will work on the location and try to give you a call.
 
#12 ·
Dayton, I got a new 94 dodge truck, and a new trailer. IT allcost me about 3500 out of my pocket. Tell that guy thats coming down to fish I couldn't fish tonight. I took the boat to work and everything. The guy that was going with me couldn't go at the last min. So I just come home. I don't like fishing by myself in the dark I can't swim. I think I am going to try it sunday evening.
 
#14 ·
Well, the trip was pretty much a disaster. It dumped rain on us all the way there and really slowed us down. The weather started clearing just as we were getting there. Grabbed some food the grabbed the cell to call Dayton. Ring... phone dies.. DOH! Ok, just grab the cable and hook it up. Forgot cable! So, we headed to Dutch Gap landing and put in. We hit our first hole and nada. Next hole... nothing! Next hole and finally some short strikes and then a pole goes down with a good hookset. The wind had picked up and moved us around and the darn thing finds the anchor rope. It was a blue that looked to be around 20# but he broke off. The air temperature drops, the rain sets in and the fish shutoff completely.

The next night was all about pride, so we headed out again and the rain picked up where it left off. We battled until 2am but no fish. I knew where some small flatheads usually hold and I wanted the nephew to get a cat so we headed there. He had a good strike but missed the fish. A few minutes later, I got a good hookset and gave him the pole. It was a small flathead but he had a blast bringing it in. The bite started picking up but we had to come off of the water to get some sleep for the trip home.

It was really frustrating but that's just the way it goes sometimes. I will definitely be asking for tips the next time! Thanks to everyone that offered to help.

I will get in touch with you sometime Dayton. I am at a rehab in Fishersville right now getting a van equipped to drive. I had to head to Chesterfield today to look at the van, and it was killing me knowing that I was so close!
 
#15 ·
Jonezy. better luck to you next time. For what it's worth the bite over the last couple of weeks has been hit or miss. Some good days but plenty of sub par days. I've been mostly smallmouth fishing this past week and haven't been fishing for blues but I heard it was pretty slow.
 
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