# Fletcher's Cove fishing



## chesapeakecarper (Aug 22, 2003)

http://www.fletcherscove.com/index.htm


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## JapaneseZero (Jul 27, 2009)

i will be headding there tomorrow. still debating bringing the yak or just casting from shore. got to spool up the new line for the year and im set. Anyone have any reports? im sure there are a few early shad there if not a decent number. ill report when i finish up. PM me if you are going...


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## foodfan (Jun 4, 2001)

*No boat rentals tomorrow*

Just spoke to Ray at Fletchers. Water levels are still too high to rent boats tomorrow. Fishing from shore is possible, and Ray suggested bringing our boots as shoreline is very muddy from all the high water. Fletchers is selling DC licenses (which are required to fish there) if you don't already have one.

Myself, am thinking of heading down to Haines Point area, or to another site on VA side that will not be crawling with tourists taking in the cherry blossoms. Don't ask where, I'm not telling!! At least, not until I try it out. Would be great to find a new spot with decent early spring rockfish and white perch.

Stay tuned. Will start a new post if I get out this weekend. And, I know Husky will be watching!


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## Bassomatic76 (Feb 26, 2004)

*Hickory Shad are in at Fletchers*

I was there yesterday and the Hickory Shad are in. There were a few of us fishing off the bank, and we were all catching at a decent pace. I caught about 10 fish in a few hours. Another guy there brought in more, maybe 20. There was also something big that chased one of my shad in. Rockfish maybe? After that I tried casting a 7" sassy shad hoping the hit the home run but didn't get anything.


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## Bassomatic76 (Feb 26, 2004)

*DC Fishing License now available online*

I'm not sure if this is new, but it is new to me. You get you DC fishing license online.

I think this is the URL:
https://enode.dc.gov/epermit/Page/Entry/Login.aspx


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## foodfan (Jun 4, 2001)

*Yes this is new*

This year is first time for on-line license in DC . Beware that old Dept. of Health site is still up (or was a few weeks ago) where all you can do is fill in a form and then print it for snail mail.


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## foodfan (Jun 4, 2001)

*Which Bank?*

Bassomatic -- appreciate the promising report! Were you fishing on the bank upstream from the tackle shack or the one by the parking lot? Might try tomorrow or Sunday. Thanks!


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## chesapeakecarper (Aug 22, 2003)

foodfan said:


> This year is first time for on-line license in DC .


Proof that prayers are answered...what a pain running around for this and wondering when they would be available...


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## Bassomatic76 (Feb 26, 2004)

I was on the bank upstream from the tackle shop.


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## JapaneseZero (Jul 27, 2009)

ill be in a big green kayak... yell if you see me, and save me if i go in!


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## Grady-Black (Mar 25, 2007)

JapaneseZero Sometimes that current REALLY rushes through that area of the Potomac, especially after lots of rain! If you go out there in your kayak, Watch yourself..

GB


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## JapaneseZero (Jul 27, 2009)

Grady-Black said:


> JapaneseZero Sometimes that current REALLY rushes through that area of the Potomac, especially after lots of rain! If you go out there in your kayak, Watch yourself..
> 
> GB


Yeah i know. thanks for the heads up. gonna try to swish around in that big eddy just below the boat docks.


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## kanvery (Sep 3, 2008)

Me and a buddy fished upstream from fletchers at chain bridge and did really well. We caught a few hickorys saw some giant smallmouth get caught and caught my first walleye. All on shad darts or curly tails both in chartreuse. The water is high and dangerous there but the fishing is good as long as you can fight through the gizzard shad. Tight lines!


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

Are the white perch now running in fletcher's? What about the herring?


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## JapaneseZero (Jul 27, 2009)

1 hickory shad. i was either going down river or up river depending on the wind. good to get out though


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## SlimeYak (Mar 28, 2010)

*Directions/Advice*

JapeneseZero,

Planning a trip Friday in the yak. Do you have any life saving advice? We are planning to depart Fletchers early. Can you anchor in the current? I need some serious help this will be my first trip. 

Any advice on fishing techniques or tackle?



Thanks so much.


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## release (Apr 11, 2005)

you do not need to anchor in the current to fish for shad at fletchers. you can anchor in the big pool just downstream from their launch. anchor a cast length from the current edge and let your shad dart or spoon sink a few counts and then retrieve slow. I usually add a large split shot above the dart to get both casting distance and depth. Try different size darts and different colors. On different days for some reason, known only to fish, it makes a difference. they come in schools so you will go with a hit for a while and then get hit every cast for a while. Since its early you might have to wait for the every cast hit longer. if they are not on the current edge, try casting toward shore or downstream. Remember, if you see others getting fish and you are not, the biggest reason is probably you are not deep enough.

Oh, i use utralight spinning rod with 6 lb test for shad and herring. 

Tight lines. 

Release.


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

SlimeYak said:


> JapeneseZero,
> 
> Planning a trip Friday in the yak. Do you have any life saving advice? We are planning to depart Fletchers early. Can you anchor in the current? I need some serious help this will be my first trip.
> 
> ...


If you're planning on yakking this time of year, you really need to be in full dry gear, either a dry suit (like a Kokatat Supernova) or dry top and dry pants. The water temps are still in the high 40's/low 50's and hypothermia will set in in under 60 minutes. Dress for water temps, not air temps. 

I also wouldn't anchor in the current unless you can release your anchor quickly, especially in the area near Fletchers. The water moves really fast through there and I've seen some huge logs float through. If one of those hits your anchor line, it'll drag your yak under unless you can pop the anchor line in a heartbeat.

Let me know when you want to take your yak out and need a buddy. It's much safer with a fellow yakker out there.


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## Andre (Mar 15, 2003)

Good heads up AK...I can't imagine yaking fbh this time of yr.....That water is cold, deep, and fast..on the flip side there a sweet crappie hole on the other side of the island....the big eddy should be holding some nice "bass and eyes" this time of yr

Good luck and be safe !!!!!!!!!


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## JapaneseZero (Jul 27, 2009)

I didnt anchor but rather just floated around. I caught the one fish ont he current line in the big eddy. it was tough fishing without anchoring but better to go home than catch a bunch of fish. this weekend should be perfect timing. wish my sister wasnt coming into town for the blossoms. i dont care about trees... want to catch fish! good luck and give us a report.


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## peterkin (Sep 16, 2002)

Someone please, please, please tell me how to get down to the water at Chain Bridge. I drove down there one day and couldn't quite figure it out. I know it may sound retarded, but I didn't. There's nowhere to park that I saw. Any information, step-by-step directions, smoke signals, etc...would be greatly appreciated. It looks like a great place to fish down there, but can't seem to figure out how to get to it.


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## Bassomatic76 (Feb 26, 2004)

peterkin said:


> Someone please, please, please tell me how to get down to the water at Chain Bridge. I drove down there one day and couldn't quite figure it out. I know it may sound retarded, but I didn't. There's nowhere to park that I saw. Any information, step-by-step directions, smoke signals, etc...would be greatly appreciated. It looks like a great place to fish down there, but can't seem to figure out how to get to it.


On the DC side of the river there is a parking area on the Clara Barton parkway just north of the bridge. It's been a few years since I have parked up there. It might be hard to get there during rush hour. You cross over the C&O canal at the chain bridge; then walk down to the river from there. 
You can also park at Fletchers and walk up river on the towpath.


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## peterkin (Sep 16, 2002)

That's what I missed. I went right (South) on the parkway once I crossed from the VA side, instead of North. I got it. Thank you so much.


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## thr3e (Jul 15, 2008)

*here*

hmmm i haven't been down that way for awhile, from latest google map, it seems there some kind of construction going on at where you used can park.

over view of the area:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.9295,-77.116701&spn=0.001068,0.002071&t=h&z=19

where you could park:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.929452,-77.116917&spn=0,359.998965&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=38.929445,-77.116905&panoid=w_z6cq_ehH8N7gCGHb2rvQ&cbp=12,39.98,,0,8.61

the path that will take you down by the river: (across from the parking, careful - u have to cross chainbridge)
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.929452,-77.116917&spn=0,359.998965&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=38.929445,-77.116905&panoid=w_z6cq_ehH8N7gCGHb2rvQ&cbp=12,199.23,,0,2.78

if ya go, please report back (the fishing... the parking... etc) thanks
might head down there or fletchers one of these days


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## cutbait34 (Jun 13, 2003)

*Walleye fishing*

Hello and thanks everyone who is a regular posters to the site. I'm new to fishing in the DC area but i have been a pierandsurf member for a while. Unfortunately i haven't been able to do much fishing over the past few years but was wondering if anyone could give me some insight on Walleye fishing in the potomac river around fletchers and chain bridge area? Can you give me information on tackle, bait and presentation? I've never fished for them but would love to try this weekend.

cutbait


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## FrankBay (Nov 27, 2007)

Herring, hickory shad and gizzard shad are in Potomac River near chain bridge in force. I caught more than 20 hickory shad and 6 herring in about one hour in yesterday’s evening. Shad dart, small marabou jigs, and small jig with grub or tube were all the lures to catch them. Fly-fishing did even better. Big rockfishes were in the river too. It was hard to catch them on the shore since the current was rapid, and the water was a little high. One person working at Fletcher’s cove tackle shop said that one angler on a rowboat caught a 30 lb rock in the morning.


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