| March 8th, 2024
Welcome back to the District Fishing Report! March has arrived and that means Spring is right around the corner. We are already enjoying some milder weather and the fishing activity seems to be picking up. Reports of shad showing up in Virginia tidal rivers means that they will soon be in our waters. It is time to gear up and get ready for an action-packed Spring.
Angler Eric Packard had a successful day on the Potomac catching striped bass and black crappie.
The Blue Plains Advanced Water Treatment Plant is still a winter fishing hotspot while water temperatures are cold. We received a report from an angler who fished the warm water discharge at the plant last week and found a few striped bass biting. The fish were all around 20 inches and hard baits fished slowly around the concrete docks worked well for getting bites. They also mentioned snagging a few gizzard shad while fishing. Striped bass cannot be kept until May 16, when anglers will be allowed one fish per day between 19 and 24 inches. Catch and release fishing is allowed until the season opens. The big migratory striped bass will be moving into our waters soon and will offer a fun catch and release opportunity for anglers. If you plan to target these fish, or catch one by accident while fishing for catfish, please make sure to use proper catch and release techniques when handling them. Minimize the time fish are out of the water, and if you plan to take one out of the water for a picture, support the fish with one hand gripping the lips and the other holding the belly. When putting them back in the water, place them in horizontally and hold them by the tail until they are ready to swim away. Taking the time to revive fish after the catch is very important. The future of the striped bass fishery relies on these big breeders to have a successful spawn.
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Captain Chad Koenig shows off a flathead catfish he caught on the upper Potomac in D.C.
Big blue catfish are still very active and now that water temperatures have begun to warm, flathead catfish are becoming more active. Chad Koenig of Dog Days Fishing Charters was out last week targeting flatheads on the upper Potomac in D.C. waters and found some nice sized fish biting. Captain Koenig reported that they had a steady bite on fish between 7 and 12 pounds with a few close to 20 in the mix. The fish were caught on large soft plastic BKD’s while vertical jigging in the deep channels. The flathead catfish bite should continue to improve as we move into Spring. Blue catfish can be caught just about anywhere in the District on the Potomac or Anacostia. Fresh cut bait in the form of bunker, gizzard shad, eel, or chicken works best. Recently it seems that many of the big fish are being caught on chunks of eel. An angler fishing at Hains Point early this week reeled in a true river monster with a blue catfish weighing 45 pounds. Water temperatures in the District are in the mid to upper 40’s, which means that many of our anadromous species like shad and striped bass will be migrating to our waters soon to spawn. Once water temperatures get into the 50’s many of these fish will arrive and offer more fishing opportunities for D.C. anglers. Some of the best action of the year is right around the corner, so gear up and get ready!
You can view the full set of Regulated Fishing Activities for The District on our Regulated Fishing Activities webpage. If you would like to buy a fishing license, please visit the Get a Fishing License webpage. Fishing licenses are sold on a calendar year basis. Anglers under the age of 16, or over the age of 65 are not required to buy a fishing license to fish in The District.
If you would like to submit information for the report, please email dillon.waters@dc.gov. If you would like to submit a photo to be included in the report, please send an email with photo attachments to fishandwildlife.photos@dc.gov. Tight lines everyone! 🎣
Upcoming Events!
DOEE is sponsoring a Fish Art Contest. DOEE and Wildlife Forever invite District students to enter their art and write a short essay online for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards! The contest uses art, science, and creative writing to foster connections to the outdoors and inspire the next generation of stewards! Enter by March 31st, 2024. For additional information, visit the Fish Art Contest webpage.
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