NHBA Charlie

New Horizon Bass Anglers, a FUN & EDUCATION oriented fishing club, based in Northern Virginia is always looking for new members. We accept men, women and youth over age 16. With 50+ members and having been around 25 years, some of our members are getting long in the tooth. Young blood is needed in order for them to have someone to pass on their vast knowledge. No boat ownership required, no participation requirements, low fees (and even lower paybacks), lots of tournaments (24) and social outings all over the state. Meetings are held at Logan's Roadhouse on Fair Lakes Circle in Fairfax on the second Thursday of each month. Check us out at: nhbayouthfoundation.org Club is big into youth fishing, hosting two Kid's Fishing Derbies each year at Lake Fairfax in Reston, Va. Derbies draw over 300 kids and an equal number of adults. Good Fishin'...... Charlie...... www.charlietaylorfishing.com

Although all of the above are good options, I love Lake Gaston. Gaston has big fish and just about any type of structure and/or cover you would possible want. Just about any technique or lure you could think of will catch fish on this lake. It is loaded with largemouth bass, stripers, warmouth, crappie, bowfin and catfish. Any of them could hit your lure on the next cast. It is not as crowded as Anna, Smith Mtn. Lake, Buggs Island or Briery Creek. It is a large lake with lots of creeks, coves, bridges, boat docks, bluffs and stump fields. It lacks good facilities such as motels and restaurants, except on the upper end, at Bracey. Otherwise, it is always my choice for a weekend or a few days of relaxing fishing. I would say the Potomac River, but I live close to the river and fish it all the time. I really think that it is currently the best fishery in the state, Lake Gaston is a great change of pace. Good Fishin'....... Charlie....... www.charlietaylorfishing.com

Hannock: The first of the shad were caught the end of last week. The run should be in full swing this week. Good Fishin'...... Charlie....... www.charlietaylorfishing.com

Tuna: When you get to the landing, walk to the right toward the Potomac River. As you get to the river, turn right again and follow the shoreline downriver about 100 yards. There, you will find a ledge that goes all the way across the river. You can access one of the better pools from the Virginia shore. As you look across the river, you will see rocks sticking out of the water on a diagonal line, heading upriver. Each of these rocks is part of the ledge and has a school of minnows at the upper end of the rock. Smallmouth cruise up and down the Maryland shore until they come to the ledge. They then follow the ledge over to the Virginia shore, stopping at each rock to gorge on the minnows. In 17 years of guiding on the Potomac River, my clients had 10+ citation smallmouth from this ledge, particularly the pool just below the rock closest to the Virginia shore. The water at that point swirls away from shore and down a chute beside the first rock it comes to. This has created a pool below the rock where large smallmouth go to feed.. If you can get across Goose Creek, you can walk upriver along the Virginia shore until you come to the power lines (about 150 yards). At this point, a gas line that is shored up with riprap, runs across the river. Fishing Tiny Torpedos, Pop-R or Rapala floating minnow above the gas line and allowing it to float down to the riprap will get your arm jerked real good. I have had many 50 fish days on topwater on that gas line. Below the gas line, smallmouth feed on crayfish and hellgrammites on the bottom. I have found that the best lures below the gas line are small tubes or grubs in dark colors. At one point, approximately 20 yards off the Virginia shore, the gas line riprap is very sparse, creating lots more current than along the rest of the gas line. Here, I like to fish small spinnerbaits and Zoom Super Flukes. And lastly, get yourself some Bill Norman Deep Tiny N crank baits in white and crayfish colors or Bagley Killer B1 baits in crayfish and chartreuse colors and just fan cast the entire river at the mouth of Goose Creek. You will catch a bunch of smallmouth bass. They may not be the largest fish in the river but you will definitely enjoy yourself. Good fishing'........ Charlie...... www.charlietaylorfishing.com

Check out New Horizon Bass Anglers. www.nhbayouthfoundation.org Always looking for avid anglers. Experience, boat, etc. not necessary. Fun and Education oriented club.

Actually, he doesn't have a lot of time. He experiments with all kinds of materials, colors, additions, etc. and the two of us use them in club tournaments to see how they catch fish. We have been very successful with them, particularly with big blue catfish. We catch a ton of these. Bass are taking them in the Potomac River grass beds and lily pad fields. They come through vegetation very well and the fish just slam them. I watched what I thought to be a 7-8# bass hit one of his B I G ones at Lake Anna, but didn't hook up. I suspect that the hook was too small and got buried in the plastic. The fish don't have any problem hitting them. We are using the Owner Flashy Swimmer swimbait hooks in them.

Yes. That would be me. Hopefully, it has been of assistance to you.

My partner has been making his own soft plastic swimbaits for the past two years and we have been having a ball with them. We started out using four inch baits, then moved up to six inch baits and he has been making and using some outlandishly large 7-9 inch baits. Although we have not caught any bass over the six pound mark on them, we are crushing 20-40 pound blue catfish on the larger ones. He has had many hits on the huge baits, but thus far, has not been able to hook one. Lots of fish in the 3-5 pound range are taking the four inchers in clear/blue back in the Potomac River Grass Beds.

New Horizon Bass Anglers is a non-profit, Fun and Education oriented bass club located in Northern Virginia. Our home water is the Potomac River, although our tournament schedule has us fishing most major public waters in Virginia and occasionally NC and MD. We place lots of emphasis on having FUN and assisting each other in learning to catch fish. Tournament fees are low (and so are payouts). Bragging rights are uppermost. Our 2014 tournament schedule shows 21 tournaments, but only the best nine count for end of year honors. Tournaments are frequently followed by cookouts and away tournaments are highlighted by staying together in rented facilities and socializing after the tournament. The club is 23 years old and consistently has 60+ members. We accept men, women and youth (16+). Our members consistenly bring their kids along. We sponsor two Kid's Fishing Derbies each year, free to all kids, age 15 and under. We also serve as advisors to a high school fishing club and are frequently asked to provide fishing education for local Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups. If you are tired of intense competition and long for days of relaxed fishing with a group of fun loving individuals, give us a try. You do not have to own a boat to join. Check us out at www.NHBAYouthFoundation.org

It is kind of difficult for a Snakehead to dive down when he hits in 6" of water. I see that you are from Florida. Perhaps the snakeheads that you fish for in Florida live in deeper water than those on the Potomac River. Here, we find these fish in less than two feet of water as they have no gills and must come to the surface to breathe every 3-4 minutes. We are fishing THICK grassbeds in very shallow water. As a matter of fact, if you stay too long on the outgoing tide, you may be there for another 3-4 hours waiting for the incoming tide to refloat the boat. NHBA Charlie.......

Over the past two weeks, I have been fishing club tournaments out of Leesylvania State Park. Each day, we ran to Chickamuxen Creek and fished topwater and Senkos for bass. Each day, we caught at least two Snakeheads in the 6-8 pound class on topwater frogs. On sunny days, we fished frogs with white bellies and on overcast days we used black frogs. In all cases, after we set the hook, the fish launched themselves out of the water at least one foot and in one cast over two feet, STRAIGHT UP. Heavy braided line and long casts are a must, but the fish are there. You can generally tell a snakehead from a bass, as a snakehead will come up and "nose" the bait where a bass will annihilate it. In addition to catching the fish daily, we also had many snakehead come up and nudge the baits without taking them. We could see these fish on the surface as they came up behind the baits.

"One Fish Anna". LOL Our club fished a social event on March 16th and 14 members had limits of keeper bass. Three more had 4 keeper fish. Most of the top 14 had well over 20 bass each. Anna is no longer a lake that does not give up fish. NHBA Charlie......

Last chance for tables at the Flea Market. Looks like either a wintry mix or rain. Should put a damper on fishing. Come on out, check out the bargains and talk fishing. John Odenkirk, DGIF Northern Virginia Fisheries Biologist on premises to answer your question. Charlie..........

Those anglers looking for Rockfish (Striped Bass) would do well to bring a supply of 3/4 oz. Rat-L-Traps in White/Red Head or Chrome/Black Back. And make sure you are using 20+# mono or braid. These fish are big and powerful. There are a number of Rockfish running around the Potomac River trailing 100+ yards of my line after spooling me. None recently, but when I was a young pup, I loved to fight 14-20# Baltimore Bluefish on 4-12# mono. Figured that if I could hook and land a 19-8# bluefish on 4# line and ultra-light, I could do the same with Rockfish. Found out quite quickly that that is not exactly true. Eventually got it through my thick head that you have to have 20+# line to tangle with these fish. NBHA Charlie

I have worked midnight shift for over 40 years. I just can't go to bed before 3:00 a.m. on a regular basis. As for a link, I don't think that John has posted any of his findings. He is a frequent speaker at our club meetings and attends all our club functions. He is free with his information, findings and beliefs. He will be appearing at the NHBA Fishing Flea Market on February 23rd at the Sterling Ruritan Club, 183 Ruritan Road, Sterling, Va. He has no problems answering any questions about any of the bodies of water he manages (All in Northern Virginia) or the species of fish therein. He headed the Regional team that studied the shortnosed sturgeon, was partially responsible for the return of the American and Hickory shad to the Potomac River and is the leader of the regional team on snakeheads. Has also appeared on TV, searching for the Nile Perch in Africa. A truly amazing guy. NHBA Charlie.........

Contrary to previously published messages, Northern Snakeheads do NOT have to be killed in Virginia waters. Since all of Pohick Bay is located in Virginia, you may keep, kill or release snakeheads caught there. However, anyone releasing them when they could be eating them is suspect. Our local VDGIF fisheries biologist is the regional coordinator of the snakehead team and offers the following information: 1. Northern Snakeheads live in very shallow water. 2. They live in shallow water as they are air breathers. They do not have gills and therefore, must come to the surface every 3-4 minutes to gulp air. 3. Their primary food source is the killifish, a very small minnow that lives in less than six inches of water. 4. Bass normally do not target killifish. Therefore, the two fish do not share the same water nor the same food source. 5. In all their studies, they have not found any bass in the stomachs of snakeheads. 6. However, the reverse is not true. Bass eat snakeheads. 7. VDGIF does not require the killing of snakeheads because there is no way to get them out of the resource. Since they do not compete with nor affect bass or the other gamefish in the Potomac River, they are just another gamefish to the Department. 8. Pohick Bay is a hot spot for snakeheads. White spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, chatterbaits and topwater frogs are all subject to being taken by snakeheads on any cast. As someone else mentioned, they hit like a ton of bricks and accelerate from there. Braided line in the 20-65# class is a necessity for the thick grass and lily pads that these fish love. 9. On two different occasions last year, I caught five or more snakeheads from the grass and lily pads on frogs and spinnerbaits. Personal best snakehead in Pohick Bay was 14.3 pounds. Unfortunately, the Tournament Director would not weigh them in for credit. As for the fishing: 1. As you leave the ramp, turning left will put you in the thick grass and lily pads in less than two feet of water. Turning right will put you in the middle of Pohick Bay with is about 4-5 feet deep throughout. 2. The right (South) bank has numerous downed trees and a couple of submerged barges, along with a couple of good points and some docks. The closer to the river you get, the more numerous the docks. The grass is normally thick the full length of this bank with the grassbed becoming much wider near the river. 3. Heading directly across the bay from the ramp, you will see two separate entrances to a small creek. Anyone wishing to fish that creek will need to go in on the trolling motor or with the O/B kicked all the way up. Once inside the creek, the channel drops to 3-4 feet and there is no problem with navigation. I like to go in on the incoming tide and fish until the tide turns, fishing back on the outgoing tide. 4. To the right of the creek mouths, the bank is part of Fort Belvoir and may be fished down to a large dock. This dock, known as the Coast Guard dock, is offlimits to anglers. All boats MUST stay outside the bollards on either side of the dock and outside those in front of the dock. They have plenty of Rent-A-Cops to harrass you and keep you away from the boats that are tied up there. 5. Beyond the dock, there is a nice shallow, rocky bank that normally has a narrow grassbed and then drops off into 10 feet, then 17 feet and then 20 feet plus. This is a good crankbait bank and lots of good fish are taken from the 17 foot dropoff on jigs and plastic grubs. The drop runs from the front dock pilings to a line intersecting a white house on the hill on the Maryland Shoreline. Always fish this drop parallel to the bank. 6. Last year, the mouth of Pohick Bay had a reef of eelgrass (Valisneria) about 30-40 feet wide running all the way across the bay. This grassbed should have lots of fish in it and since it is located on the dropoff into the river, the fish should be of good size. 7. Keep in mind that we are dealing with four prime predators in this area: Bass, Snakehead, Blue Catfish and striped bass. The blue catfish in the river just love spinnerbaits and firetiger crankbaits. On any cast, an angler may find himself hooked up with a 30-50# blue catfish or a 15# striper. 8. Your primary baits in Pohick Bay should be: Zoom Horny Toad, Manns Baby One Minus, White Buzzbait, 5" Green Pumpkin Senko, Small swimbait (Money Minnow, etc.), green pumpkin creature bait (Brush Hog, Etc.) and White Zoom Super Fluke. As for Boating: 1. Understand that the Potomac River is unforgiving. Generally the wind is calm in the morning and comes up during the late morning to it's maximum is mid-afternoon. Since the river is so open and the prevailing winds are either from the North or South, the wind has a long time to build up waves. Waves on the river generally whitecap at 11-12 mph and it is not at all unusual to have 15-25 mph winds. 2. Given that information, anyone with a boat smaller than 17 feet should plan on staying inside Pohick Bay. There is plenty of area, cover and fish to last a week or more without venturing into the river. 3. Those is 17'+ glass or aluminum boats might think about heading straight across from the mouth of Pohick Bay to the Maryland shoreline. This is known as Greenway Flat and is an expansive flat containing numerous different grasses out to the drop into the river channel. 4. This flat is home for many bass, yellow perch, snakehead, blue catfish, bluegill and striper. Although there is lots of grass here, it is generally more sparse and a Texas-rigged creature bait, Senko or Chatterbait is more successful. 5. Heading south around the next point, you will find the entrance to Pamunkey Creek. The entrance is a little hard to find, but it is located back in the corner after rounding the point. This creek is a typical tidal creek, choked with grass along both sides of the channel. I like Zoom Horny toads and weightless, Texas-rigged 5" Senkos here. 6. The entire Maryland shoreline south of the creek mouth has a good thick grassbed that consistently yields lots of good bass to those fishing topwater frogs, creature baits and Senkos. Another good spot that gets pounded is the Navy Dive Dock at the end of the shoreline where it comes back to the main river channel. Lots of very heavy pilings and timber dropping off into 25+ feet of water with good tidal movement. 7. Shifting back over to the Virginia shore, you will see a small bay just below the south point of Pohick Bay (Hallowing Point). This bay normally has a huge grassbed in 2-3 feet of water that holds lots of good bass. Once again, frogs, swimbaits, chatterbaits, creature baits and Senkos are the better choice of baits. 8. Heading south along the Virginia Shoreline, you need to stay a good 50 yards off the shore as the water is very shallow there. Swing wide around the next point and you will be heading into the Occoquan River. On the right as you enter the river, you will see a small island. Just beyond the island, look carefully and you will see poles delineating a channel heading up into a creek. Here, you have an option. Either follow the channel into the creek and fish the creek.....or turn right and find yourself in Belmont Bay. Belmont Bay is a large shallow grass choked flat that has thousands of cruising bass chasing the baitfish that are in there during this season of the year. Frogs, swimbaits, chatterbaits, creature baits and senkos all work well. 9. If you stay in the channel into the Occoquan River, you will see a grass bed on the right side. This bed has been a mainstay of tournament anglers for a good number of years. Best success is normally along the dropoff into the river channel just after you enter the no wake zone and up to the first covered marina on the right. 10. Beyond the first Marina, you will see the docks of two marinas on the right. They all hold fish on a moving tide. At all times, fish the downtide side of the pilings. Best fishing is generally on the last two hours of the outgoing tide and the first hour of the incoming tide. 11. Fishing is not that productive beyond the first bridge on the Occoquan during the summer. That is primarily a late fall and winter fishery. NHBA Charlie......

New Horizon Bass Anglers is a non-profit, Fun and Education oriented bass club located in Northern Virginia. Our home water is the Potomac River, although our tournament schedule has us fishing most major public waters in Virginia and occasionally NC and MD. We place lots of emphasis on having FUN and assisting each other in learning to catch fish. Tournament fees are low (and so are payouts). Bragging rights are uppermost. Our 2013 tournament schedule shows 24 tournaments, but only the best nine count for end of year honors. Tournaments are frequently followed by cookouts and away tournaments are highlighted by staying together in rented facilities and socializing after the tournament. The club is 21 years old and consistently has 60+ members. We accept men, women and youth (16+). Our members consistenly bring their kids along. We sponsor two Kid's Fishing Derbies each year, free to all kids, age 15 and under. We also serve as advisors to two high school fishing clubs and are frequently asked to provide fishing education for local Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups. If you are tired of intense competition and long for days of relaxed fishing with a group of fun loving individuals, give us a try. You do not have to own a boat to join. Check us out at www.NHBAYouthFoundation.org Good fishin'....... NHBA Charlie........

NHBA Youth Foundation will be holding a Flea Market on February 23rd at the Sterling Ruritan Club (About 3 miles from Dulles Airport), 183 Ruritan Road, Sterling, Va. from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Admission is $3.00 and kids under 10 are free. Lots of bargains available. All proceeds go to support the NHBA Free Kids Fishing Derbies, held in June and July of each year. A few tables are still available at $15.00. Food and Drink are available on premises. Loading/unloading assistance provided. Gather up all the fishing equipment you are not using and turn it into cash. For more information, contact Joe Donoghue at jumbomvfd501@verizon.net Posting of this notice by NHBA Youth Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization, approved by Glen. Good Fishin......... NHBA Charlie........

You might want to check out Anthony Vining in Mineral, Va. (Near Lake Anna). He specializes in older OMC, Mercury and Yamaha outboards. You may contact him at: 540-894-4898. He has been handling all my maintenance, both boat and motor for the past 15 years and I have nothing but high praise for his service.

Fishing Roanoke Rapids on Friday, May 27. Have open seat. If interested, please contact me at: charlie2185@myway.com Will be arriving in Roanoke Rapids about 9:00 a.m. Friday. Charlie.......

Looking for angler willing to assist with fishing reports for Occoquan Reservoir and Occoquan River on a weekly basis. Pay involved. Please reply via private message.....

There is no formal place for updates. I am on a list that comes from VDGIF. As I get updates, I will post them. NHBA Charlie......

VABASSER: You can still launch at the ramp in the creek, but you cannot turn right from the ramp. You are restricted to the creek, adjacent to the southern shoreline. NHBA Charlie.......

Try Downriver Canoe Co. in Bentonville, just south of Front Royal. They rent canoes, take you upriver, drop you and you float back to their place. About 8 miles on the Shenandoah. Fishing is great for smallmouth and occasional largemouth. 100 fish days are not unusual. Web Site shows lodging as well. http://www.downriver.com/ NHBA Charlie........

Here is the latest affront to recreational anglers........ The Army Corps of Engineers has put off limits all the area within 500 yards of Quantico MCB Airfield, to include Chopawamsic Bay and Creek. This was done without official notification of either the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries who control Chopawamsic Creek, or the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, who control the main stem of the Potomac River. Commercial fishermen will be allowed to fish the area after applying for permission from the base commander. After mentioning this closure to a biologist with VDGIF on Saturday, I found that they knew nothing about it, even though the bed of Chopawamsic Creek is state owned property. This whole closure is now being protested by both Maryland and Virginia officials. Meantime, the closure goes into effect on March 7, 2011 with 24/7 Marine Corp patrols throughout the affected area. http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/feb/06/corps-engineers-restrict-boating-near-quantico-ar-824685/ http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-02-04/html/2011-2478.htm NHBA Charlie........