August 30th, 2024
Announcement: The Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) just got a Facebook page! The AREC is a multi-use environmental education center located in Anacostia Park, SE run by the Department of Energy and Environment. The center exhibits a variety of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates found in Washington, D.C. and the Chesapeake Bay. Our facility offers a variety of programs which include student field trip tours and aquatic-based environmental education lessons. Programs are designed to service Pre-K through 12th grade students. Please email doee.arec@dc.gov with any questions. The facility also offers teacher training workshops for formal and informal educators. AREC biologists train educators using Project WILD, Aquatic WILD and Growing Up WILD curricula. AREC staff members also provide angling instructor workshops and free fishing clinics throughout the spring, summer, and fall at various locations within DC. The AREC is open to walk-in visitors Tuesday through Friday from 1pm to 3pm. Please follow the AREC on Facebook and stop by to see all the amazing exhibits.
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Welcome back to the District Fishing Report! Summer is drawing to an end as early hints of fall have visited our region. The past few weeks have blessed us with cooler temperatures, which has made getting out on the water much more enjoyable. A brief heatwave this week reminded us that summer isn’t over yet, but temperatures are forecast to cool down again next week. Now that kids are back in school, they may be looking for some after-school activities, and what better way to apply what they learn in science class than to get out and go fishing! DC’s rivers are home to a variety of fish and aquatic species with plenty of public fishing locations to enjoy the outdoors. The bite has been picking up as we approach fall, so let's get into the details to help you find success on your next trip.
This flathead catfish was caught during an electrofishing survey near the 395 Bridge on the Potomac. Biologists collected biometric data, tagged the fish, and released it into the river.
Water temperatures are still in the 80s across the district which has fish seeking out higher flows and areas with moving water. These conditions generally produce elevated oxygen levels, making water more habitable for fish, especially during the summer months. The discharge at the Blue Plains Advanced Water Treatment Plant continuously pumps water into the Potomac and is a main attraction for fish this time of year. Anglers can find largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, catfish, and many other species in the vicinity of the concrete dock just north of Oxon Cove. This site is only accessible by boat, which means anglers will need to launch at either Gravely Point, Anacostia Park, or Fort Washington Marina to access the water discharge. The rivers are teeming with young fish species such as hickory shad, American shad, menhaden, Atlantic silversides, and bay anchovies, meaning there is an abundance of food for predatory fish. When fishing with artificial lures, you will want to mimic these baitfish with your lure presentations. Small two-to-five-inch soft plastic paddletails are the perfect imitation of these fish and can catch just about every gamefish in our waters. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits also work well to imitate baitfish and are good options to use when fishing sections of river with rocky bottom or rip-rap shorelines. The mouth of Rock Creek is another location where fish will stage during the warmer months as there is always current running in and out. Anglers have been known to catch largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, walleye, sunfish, catfish, and many other species. Anglers may fish in Rock Creek from the mouth up to Porter Street Northwest. The shallower sections of the creek are excellent places to catch unique sunfish species such as the longear or redbreast sunfish. Nightcrawlers and other small insects are great bait and a natural forage for these species. They may not be the biggest fish in our waters, but they are some of the most beautiful.
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Angler Dwight Palmer caught this impressive mirror carp while fishing at Hains Point. The fish weighed 17.15 pounds and measured over 32 inches.
Blue catfish are still providing steady action throughout the district for both shoreline and boat anglers. As the weather has cooled off, the bite has picked up. Anglers fishing at Hains Point, Anacostia Park, and along the Georgetown waterfront report that the evening bite has been more productive than morning or midday fishing. There is also an abundance of catfish schooled around the various bridges in our waters. Anglers can find high concentrations of fish at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, George Mason Memorial Bridge, Key Bridge, and many others. The sections of pilings in deeper water or along the channel edge are where the schools of fish will likely be found. If you can get out on the river in a boat, now is a great time to soak some baits for catfish. Flathead catfish have also moved down river from the Fletchers area and can be found in these same locations, though they are much less numerous than blue catfish. The biggest fish are still being caught along the main river channel from Hains Point down to Oxon Cove. Anglers fishing on the river at night have had the best action and the waters around the Blue Plains Advanced Water Treatment Plant seem to be holding some very large fish. Both blues and flatheads are invasive, and we encourage anglers to remove them from our waterways if caught. The current fish consumption advisory for blue catfish recommends a limit of three eight-ounce servings of blue catfish per month from fish caught in DC waters. A shoreline angler fishing at Hains Point this week reported a steady bite on two-to-four-pound blue catfish. Another angler fishing during the evening hours caught two striped bass that were just below the 19-to-24-inch slot limit. Striped bass and largemouth bass continue to be most active at night and there is a concentration of fish in the Washington Channel near the various docks and marinas. Fishing near docks with illuminated water from nearby building lights has led to some very nice fish being caught, including a handful of three-to-five-pound bass that one angler caught while fishing near Washington Marina. The dock lights attract various baitfish swimming around our waters and predatory fish will be waiting close by to feed. While the summer heat tries its best to hold on, night fishing is a great way to beat the heat and catch fish. As fall is knocking on our door, fishing should continue to improve as we head into September.
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This northern snakehead was caught during an electrofishing survey on the Anacostia River. Biologists collected biometric data, tagged the fish, and released it back into the river.
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
Sunday September 9, 2024, from 9 am to 12 pm.DOEE biologists will be hosting a Community Fishing Event at Diamond Teague Park on the Anacostia River. Anglers will be able to fish for catfish, sunfish, and any other species that are willing to bite. DOEE staff will provide all gear and equipment required to have a successful day of fishing on the river. Please sign up for this event on Eventbrite as space is limited.
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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