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Whether you’re just getting started or looking to fine-tune your skills, these tips will help you put more fish in the net across Northern Virginia’s waters. Northern Virginia waters tend to be pressured due to the high population in such dense areas, so these techniques and tips should help you catch fish in the most pressured spots. Although not every body of water is the same in Northern Virginia/DC/Maryland, there tend to be very prominent patterns, which myself along with thousands of other anglers strive to find out in order to put the most fish in the boat.
Bait & Lure Selection
Bait & Lure Selection
No matter what anyone says, there is not one size fits all when it comes to lures. However, a simple dive into lures that work best year round with specific time stamps of when to use them can narrow down what to look for when you hit the water. We'll take a look at 3 key categories: Predators (Largemouth, Smallmouth, Snakehead), Bottom Feeders (Catfish, Carp) and the seasonal targets (Shad and Striped Bass). This way, you're not scrambling when you hit the water wondering what the fish could possibly be biting.
Predators (Bass & Snakehead)
January-March: Focus on slower moving baits, downsizing presentation than what you'd use in the warmer months. This includes bladebaits, ned rigs, jigs, smaller baitfish presentations and other smaller bottom baits. This is generally a month where your chances of catching a big fish increase, so stay persistent.
March-May: As fish begin to move into spawn and the water gets warmer, they become more active and like to chase more, so change your baits to bigger moving baits. This includes crankbaits, chatterbaits and swimbaits, with glidebaits having higher odds of working as well. Snakeheads become more active, so make sure to look out for them.
May-August: With this being the hottest timeframe of the year, bass become more sluggish and wanting an easy meal. Focus on stick baits such as senkos, swim jigs and other hopping baits. Try throwing on a buzzbait and topwater for some action with Snakehead and Largemouth.
August-October: The fishing generally ramps up this time of year during their transition before winter, so chase big bass now. Glidebaits, bigger swimbaits, Red lipless crankbaits and swimjigs have their best bet at catching a monster.
October-December: Fish go back to being slow, sluggish and trying to conserve as much energy as possible, so slow, smaller baits such as jerkbaits, bladebaits and craws work best.
Bottom Feeders (Catfish & Carp)
Year Round Catfish: Using cut bait is what nearly all anglers immediately go to when trying to catch some big blue and channel cats such as cut shad, bluegill and eel. These baits secrete a lot of oil, which allows catfish to pick up the scent fast. If you're targeting flatheads, use a big, live bluegill.
Year Round Carp: Using corn, bread and some form of dough balls are everyones go to simply because they work. If its legal where you are, chum up an area with corn and cast a small hook right in the middle of the chum and get ready for a fight!
Seasonal (Striped Bass & Hickory Shad)
Striped Bass: Stripers can be caught year round in the Potomac towards the South, but up in the farther North stretches, they only swim up from around April to May. Using Shad representation baits such as 5 inch white swimbaits, live bait such as bluegill, plugs and jerkbaits will give you the best shot at hooking this elusive fish.
Hickory Shad: One of the most targeted fish in the Potomac when the time rolls around, these fish go crazy for small minnow representation, so using a small spoon, shad darts and flies will be the best way to approach catching one of these acrobatic jumpers!
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