August 6th, 2024
Welcome back to the District Fishing Report! It is hard to believe that we have already reached August this year, which means that school starting is right around the corner. If you are beginning to put together a back-to-school list, make sure to add some new fishing gear to it as fall will offer some great fishing throughout DC. The weather has finally started to cool off a bit after record heat plagued us for most of June and July. The milder start to the month has made fishing more comfortable for anglers hitting the rivers to cast a line. Fishing has been finicky at times with mixed results being reported from around the city in the past weeks. Let's discuss where the best bites are happening and what you can do to have more productive fishing trips during the second half of summer.
Striped bass, also known as rockfish, are being caught in the Tidal Basin, Washington Channel, and in both the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. Both rivers are full of baitfish right now, including young of the year shad and menhaden, which are one of their preferred food sources. Striped bass are ambush predators and will look to feed on baitfish near pinch points or funnels of moving water. Lures that mimic these baitfish, such as soft plastic swimbaits and three-to-five-inch topwater lures are great for targeting stripers. Tidal creeks are a great example of this, especially during outgoing tides where the current will be bringing bait out of the mouth to where striped bass will be waiting to feed. The tidal fluctuations play a major role in when and where fish will feed, so it is important to check before fishing. The NOAA Tides and Currents website is an excellent resource for anglers to utilize for tide predictions in the DC area. Angler Devon Addison found the best striped bass bite at night while fishing near docks and marinas. Areas with lights illuminating the water attract baitfish at night, which also brings stripers and other gamefish looking to feed on them. The current regulations allow anglers to keep one striped bass per person per day between 19 and 24 inches. The striped bass season is open until December 31st and will be closed starting January 1st, 2025.
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Picture Caption: A youth angler shows off a white perch he caught while fishing at Kingman Island.
Small white perch are being caught throughout DC waters, from Fletchers Cove to Hains Point and all the way to Kingman Island. Most of these fish are between three and six inches, which won't make much of a meal but are fun to catch and are great bait for larger fish such as catfish or striped bass. One of the most effective ways to fish for white perch is to use a bottom rig baited with pieces of nightcrawler worms. A one- or two-ounce weight should be heavy enough to keep your rig the bottom where the fish will be hanging out. In shallower areas such as along the seawall at Hains Point, the Tidal Basin, or Kingman Island, you can use a bobber and hook to catch perch, along with other sunfish species. Fishing during a moving tide is best, as most fish don’t feed during a slack tide. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are scattered throughout our waters and can be found near structures seeking relief from the heat and waiting to ambush smaller fish. A few good-size smallmouth bass have been caught by anglers around the Tidal Basin recently and big largemouth have been caught along the docks inside the Washington Channel. The best time to target these fish is during low light hours or at night when temperatures are cooler. Overcast or rainy days can also be good as these fish are more willing to bite throughout the day during those conditions.
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Picture Caption: Angler Christopher Zhen holds up a nice smallmouth bass he caught while fishing at the Tidal Basin.
Anglers fishing at Hains Point and Anacostia Park have reported an overall slow bite for the past month with many reporting skunk trips or only a few bites to show for their efforts. Those who have access to a kayak or boat to get out along the main channel of the river are finding better results than shore anglers. The biggest blue catfish are being caught along the main river channel at depths of 20 to 40 feet. That is a general rule and there are exceptions where big fish are caught shallower or deeper than that range. An angler fishing just north of the Maryland and DC line had an excellent trip catching two blue catfish in the 40-pound range along with another in the mid 20s. All the fish were caught using gizzard shad and the bigger fish seemed to prefer the heads as bait. Further upriver, a kayak angler reported a slower bite near Fletchers Cove with only a couple blue catfish caught over a six-hour trip. Fresh baitfish will be the best bait to use when targeting catfish right now. White perch, gizzard shad, and eel make up a good portion of their forage. If you don't have access to those baits, others such as chicken, hot dogs, shrimp and any other meaty substance will also work for catfishing. Rain is in the forecast for the latter half of the week, so keep an eye on the radar and check the river flows before heading out. The Potomac is still running very low right now due to the drought. It will take a significant amount of rain to raise the flows, but a few inches could have it running high and muddy by the weekend.
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! 🎣
Upcoming Events
Saturday, August 17, 2024, from 11 am to 3 pm. The Mayor's Office on Returning Citizen's Affairs (MORCA) is hosting an event for returning citizens, their families, and friends for a day of fishing and skating at Anacostia Park Skating Pavillion. This event aims to celebrate the journey of returning citizens and provide a space for them to unwind, connect with their loved ones, and forge new friendships within the community. DOEE staff will be conducting a lure crafting activity from 12-2 pm at the Aquatic Resources Education Center.
Volunteer Angler Creel Survey
The Department of Energy and Environment’s Fisheries Research Branch is conducting it’s 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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