Gotta work on the 22nd or else I would.  

Since I am brand spanking new on this forum, I'd love to get out and fish with you all that weekend and put some faces to names. However, I work night shift and work all three nights that weekend... If you all are going to fish in the morning or evening I can at least catch a couple hours before or after work. What time would you all be fishing?

Travis

Also, got a new boat last fall... I live in Stafford, but fish all over northern VA. It is nothing fancy, just a Tracker v-14 Guide Series with a 25 Merc, not too big for the small lakes but big enough to not sink on the big ones. Always looking for someone to fish with anytime...

Heya cjbs, welcome aboard.  These get togethers we have normally start in the AM...7am-ish and last to atleast mid day (that's usually when I have to head out) hope you can make it out!

Welcome cjbs,

Are you the guy that put in the craigslist ad?

Nope, not the guy who put in the craigslist ad. If the outting starts at around 7 am, then I could definitely join in on the fun at least for a couple hours before I had to get some sleep. Keep it posted as to when the final time date and place will be. With all this rain though, Lake Royal may not be the best bet... It tends to be one of the first to turn into mud soup with all the rain.  

So far still looks like Royal guys.  Thread will remain open until next saturday (as far as the poll goes).  If anyone has any reconsiderations as far as location let us know so we can get the final tally.

But plan for Royal, plan on 7am.  Two weeks from today.  Coming up quick.  Can't wait to hang out with you guys and meet up with people I haven't fished with.  Should be good times.

If it is indeed royal any ideas on where to meet up?  The d**n seems like it could hold a good many anglers.  Not sure on other parts of the lake as I've only fished it once and much of it seems shallow.  Though with all this rain...

         Jay, bad news for me. One of the guys at work quit and that changes the rotation.........................so now I get to work that Saturday!

Rob, what time do you get off.  If the other guys can work around it maybe we can push it back.  If not there will be another I'm sure now that all these guys are meeting up.

Sucks dude...

Thanks for the pm.

Are people bringing boats.  i think i am going to bring my kayak, if i can make the trip.  

       armesjr -  Bring the kayak, it will really open up your options.  

   

           Jay- I'll be working a full day with a full load.

Hello all,

 I was wondering if you are allowed to park in the lot off of Hooes Rd at Lake Mercer... and if so what kind of a walk is it from there to the water. Also, are there generally a lot of people fishing from the shore at Mercer?

Thanks

Welcome to the site Tuco!

I've never fished Mercer but rondef had some real good luck from the shore there late last year.  I think you can park off Hooes road... those were the directions given to me anyway.

Tuco,

To The Forum

Yes you can park at Hooes Road, I park there all the time. I can get to the d**n in about five minutes. I have had some real good luck there, I have caught two lmbs over 5lbs (5.25lbs & 5.5lbs) and many lmbs over 3lbs. I fish from various locations on this lake and have walked the entire lake at least a few times. I think that is why I have such good luck there. I would be more then glad to meet you there and show you some spots to fish and I can show you what to throw.

Ron

Let me know when you guys organize that one.

Anyway, less than two weeks fellas. Get pumped. So now that we are getting closer let's have a role call. Who will definately be there (unless something comes up last minute). Count it down.

Jason - in, that's 1.

Tuco, not a lot of people from shore at the same time.  It recieves its pressure but not nearly as bad as some of the other lakes around here like the Reservoir and Burke Lake.  Great place to fish.

Worms, traps, spinners, and shallow running cranks have worked well for me here.  Water is typically slightly stained to very stained.  Wanna use darker colors and so forth.  When this place turns on, it turns on.  

I'll be there if it starts around 7 am, but will have to bail early so I can get some sleep before work... Also, you can park on Hooes Rd and walk up to the lake. There is also a second place you can park but the walk is a little longer but it gives you quicker access to the opposite side of the lake. It is off the Fairfax Co Pkwy. If you are going northbound from Hooes Rd, make a left onto Huntsman Blvd, then your first left. Follow that road to the end and park at the dead end but not in front of the gate. Walk the dirt road four about 300 yards to the lake on your right...

Travis

Andrew- in, thats 2!

I am in, that makes 3.

I'm in if there's a pre-pre spawn get together this weekend!

Yo Simon, might take the boat out on the Occoquan on Sunday morning weather permitting.  If you wanna tag along as of now there is an empty seat.  The wife isn't going because it's still too cold for her.  Pm sent.

Hey, I am from the Springfield area and was wondering where exactly Lake Mercer was at?  Also where would be the most productive place to catch some bass in the next week or two?

Thanks!!

What's up Leegan? Welcome to the forum man, guys here in NOVA are very helpful so ask away bud.

Lake Mercer is off of Hooes Rd in Fairfax, Va, you should be able to mapquest it. It comes up as a recreational lake (can't remember whether the name is on it or not). But you will know which one it is. You can park in a few residential areas but I'm not sure of the names, some of the guys here will probably list them.

Dam access is off of Hooes Rd if you park in the dirt lot after the guard rail on your left (coming from 123).

Huntsman is right down the road as well off of Huntsman Blvd, there are also other access points to this lake as well.  One of which is Golden Ball Tavern Ct.  You can park along this road (but not in the apartment complex areas) and have access to the whole shoreline on the side of the lake right of the dam.  You can also get quick access to the d**n and park right by the gate.  Dorothy Lane will put you on the other side of the lake but the walk is a lot further.  If you fish from the woods there and don't mind gettin' dirty then you can find some areas to cast along that lake side.  I caught a few this way last year.  Check your pms as I've put you on some spots.

In the next week or two weather permitting Huntsman has been pretty hot, some guys are catching em' at Royal too. That's off Guinea Rd in Springfield/Annandale.  

Other than that I'd say the rivers (Occoquan and Potomac) aren't quite warm enough to tear it up from shore yet, but if you want to try you may want to hit the floating dock at Occoquan Regional Park on a high tide, plenty of deep water structure as far as timber and rocks are concerned there.  For the Potomac almost anywhere you are gonna need a boat.  But you may wanna give Mason Neck (on the Potomac) a try come the end of the month or early april, if you want info on where to go in this park pm me.  Not many fish here and the good spots are well secluded.  You just need to walk a bit.

Any other info you need just pm me.

Lot's of talk about Mercer lately... the get together is still scheduled for Royal though right?

we can always lake hop since they're so close to each other.

Hey all,

 Thank you very much for your informative replies to my inquiry. Rondef, I appreciate your fishing skills and would like to meet you for some pointers, but my job does not really allow for accurate scheduling. Perhaps I will see you there, but I am hoping to get there on an early day during the week when I will not be elbow to elbow with fellow anglers. On the weekends I like to try to fish with friends who own boats.

 Btw my personal best largemouth is 5 lbs 9 ounces caught at my buddies lake, lake of the woods. I know it kills him because it is his lake and he has not yet broken the 4 lb barrier and he is 3 or 4 times the bass fisherman  I am. I will try to set up me and my beautiful catch as my avatar in the near future. In the meantime I am glad to have found such a close skilled family of bass fishermen here on the interwebs.

Tuco, No prob boss.  

Paul, yea refer to page 7 of the thread.  Still at Royal, scheduled for 7am.  

I do plan on lake hopping after a couple hours or so if the bite isn't great at Royal.  But I will give the lake a chance since I've heard so many good things.  If I do leave, it will be more than likely over to Mercer, if not... depending on tides I may hit up a hole on the Potomac.  Probably over at the Pohick Bay shoreline there.  If the grass is starting to grow back and the temps are on the way up like they are at the ponds and lakes there could be a few in the spot I normally fish.  I'll check tides a few days before and make a decision if I end up moving to a different spot.