June 4th, 2024
Welcome back to the District Fishing Report! Summer is knocking on our doorstep and after a long spring, many of us are happy to be enjoying longer days, warmer weather, and great fishing that comes with the seasons changing. Our migratory fish have come and gone, but we have plenty of resident fish species that offer exciting angling opportunities throughout the year. The first week of June is National Fishing and Boating Week which means that everyone is welcome to fish in DC for free from June 1st until June 9th. The week aims to bring together all fishing and boating enthusiasts to connect with their local waters through some of their favorite pastimes. Whether it is learning to fish, getting out on the river with your watercraft, or just spending time near the water with friends and family, there are plenty of ways to participate in recreational activities on the water in D.C.
The spring is all but over and with only a few weeks to go until the official start of summer, many fish are already in their summertime patterns. Catfish are still a popular target for anglers in DC with invasive blue catfish being the main attraction for those looking to catch a big fish. They can be found throughout our waters and often move from deeper water into the shallows to feed. Any section of shoreline along the Anacostia or Potomac River will put you in a good place to start catching them. The bigger fish are often found along the main stem of the Potomac River from Hains Point up to Chain Bridge where they can be targeted using a variety of cut bait. An angler fishing out of Fletchers Cove caught a true river monster last week when he landed his personal best blue catfish weighing an astonishing 69 pounds. Captain Chad Koenig from Dog Days Fishing Guide Service wrapped up his DC trips for the year at the end of May. Most of his trips were spent fishing from Three Sisters Island north to Chain Bridge. He left on a high note as he and his crew were able to jig up a dozen striped bass, two quillback carpsuckers, a few white perch, a dozen flatheads, and around 30 blue catfish. Their biggest flathead weighed 25 pounds while their biggest blue catfish was 42 pounds. Now those are big fish! Captain Koenig ran trips from February through May and managed to remove over 1000 blue catfish from the river during that stretch. Even with that many fish harvested, there is still no shortage of these fish which just goes to show how many we have swimming around our waters.
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“An angler fishing with Captain Chad Koenig of Dog Days Fishing holds up a huge blue catfish that was caught in the vicinity of Fletcher’s Cove.”
The Anacostia River is home to a variety of sunfish species that are fun to catch for anglers of all ages. These fish can be found hanging close to shaded shorelines with overhanging brush. The stretches of seawall and various bridge structures scattered throughout the river are other great places to locate them. A simple bobber and hook setup baited with small bits of nightcrawler is all you need to start catching fish. Size 10 or 12 hooks are perfect for all of our panfish and other small fish species. The Aquatic Resources Education Center staff hosted a free fishing event on June 1st at Kingman Island as part of DOEE’s resource fair. Attendees had lots of luck trying their hand at fishing from the bridge connecting Kingman and Heritage Islands. Bluegill, pumpkinseed, and white perch were the primary catches that put smiles on faces and created memories that will last a lifetime. We can sometimes feel out of touch with nature in the confines of a big city, but Kingman Island is a fantastic green space that can get us back in touch and leave us feeling a sense of serenity. Other great places to enjoy fishing on the Anacostia River include Diamond Teague Park, Anacostia Park, and the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail.
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“Angler Kasper Parfomak shows off a big northern snakehead he caught while fishing at the Tidal Basin.”
The Tidal Basin is a location that offers easy access to fishing right in the heart of DC. It arguably has the most diverse fishery and on any given day there are numerous species of fish that you may catch. Some of the more popular species found here include snakehead, largemouth bass, blue catfish, and common carp. A variety of shad and sunfish species are also commonly found hanging out along the sea wall lining the basin. Angler Paul Parfomak has had some great trips to the basin the past two weeks and over the course of a few visits has caught more than a dozen different species which have included largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, blue catfish, channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, yellow perch, white perch, bluegill, green sunfish, and gizzard shad. He caught most of his fish using a soft plastic twisty tail grub paired with a one-eighth-ounce jighead. His son Kasper has also been tagging along catching fish during trips to the basin and even scored a huge snakehead last week. Kasper's fish was caught using a crappie jig with an underspin. Many anglers have luck fishing for snakehead in the basin near the Ohio Drive Bridge and the Outlet Bridge. These two areas connect the Basin to the main stem of the Potomac and the Washington Channel. These funnels are natural areas where predatory fish will hang out waiting to ambush smaller fish that swim by. Swimbait lures are great options to throw at these spots as they can catch a variety of species. Fish will often feed on a moving tide, so make sure to check a local tide chart when planning your next fishing trip to give yourself a better chance at a successful outing.
The full set of regulated fishing activities for The District can be found on the 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 age 65 and older are not required to buy a fishing license to fish in The District. Washington D.C. has a Recreational Angling Records Program that allows anglers to check in eligible fish caught in D.C. waters for record fish awards and trophy fish awards. There are 29 different eligible species, and many categories currently have vacancies, so we encourage D.C. anglers to check in their fish. The full set of rules for the records program can be found on the Recreational Angling Records Program webpage. 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! 🎣
Volunteer Angler Creel Survey
The Department of Energy and Environment’s Fisheries Research Branch is conducting their annual creel survey and encourages local anglers to participate. The goal of the survey is to better understand recreational angling efforts, perceptions, and harvests within Washington D.C. The information obtained from the survey will be used to inform fisheries management decisions and regulations. To make it easier for anglers to participate, a QR code has been developed. To access the survey, just scan the QR code using the built-in camera on your mobile device and tap the banner that appears. Already reading this on your phone? Click here. The survey is voluntary, but we encourage anglers to fill out the form after every fishing trip. Good luck fishing and let us know how you do! |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Fly Fishing In The District
Join District biologists, the National Capital Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and Chesapeake Women Anglers to learn how to fly fish! The workshop will include learning about the origins of the sport of fly fishing, casting demonstrations and practice, fly fishing knot tying, and resources for planning your first fly fishing trip in the DMV area. The event will be held on June 15th from 9 am to 12 pm at the Aquatic Resources Education Center located in Anacostia Park. For more information and to register visit: Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) | doee (dc.gov)
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