I sent an e-mail to all our club members and guests on Friday morning, about a special work session of the Manassas City Council on Monday, December 7th at 5:30 p.m.

The purpose of the meeting is to consider reopening 810 acre Lake Manassas for public fishing.

The meeting place has been moved from City Hall to a conference room in the Public Works Building, 8500 Public Works Drive, Manassas, Va. 20110. I am planning to attend this meeting and would like to see as many anglers there as possible. A number of people have been working long and hard to get to this point and it is up to us who will ultimately benefit, to show up and present our case. If not by actual speaking, then by showing interest by being there. Anyone wishing to accompany me may secure a seat by contacting me by 2 p.m. on Monday.

Some of us have sent e-mails to the City Council announcing our support for the reopening of this dynamic fishing lake. If you have not done so, please do so before Monday afternoon. The address for your e-mail is: cityclerk@ci.manassas.va.us An e-mail to this address will be given to the Mayor, City Council Chairman and all Councilmen/Councilwomen. If you value good fishing waters as much as I do, please make this effort as soon as possible.

According to the posted documents, the City of Manassas is considering reopening the lake in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The city will provide the land which has been donated. VDGIF will build a ramp on the property and will stock and maintain adequate fish biomass, as well as enforce fishing and boating regulations on the lake. The lake will be limited, as before, to electric motors only. The city may or may not, decide to have a concessionaire set up on site and charge a fee for launching. These items are the reason for the work session.

Keep in mind that this is not the final meeting, but a first step in a long, drawn out process. We, as anglers, must keep this decision in front of the Council as much as possible during the next few months.

NHBA Charliie......

I posted a lengthly reply but it seems as though the people that run this site only let you read what they want you to read. Sorry fellas but I guess we can not talk on this site. What a shame. Shoot me a private message if you would like to talk fishing.

Hey Charlie, if you are permitted to, please keep us up to date on the lake. Thanks

XLFish: If you mean we won't let you talk about illegal fishing, then you're absolutely right. We don't allow that here. 

Ah, the golden rule. He who has the gold makes the rules. I will not argue but rather move on and stick to PM's Thanks Glen

when i saw glenn's name i thought he had moved to NoVA!!!

Why get bitter, Xtra Large?

You wouldn't walk into a police station saying you've got an ounce of dope in your pocket, would you? Why do you expect it here?

As far as Lake Manassas goes- I would think the snobs living on the lake would put it to cease rather quickly. As you stated, he who holds the gold makes the rule. Unless they're all avid fisherpeople, I doubt it will get anything more than a "private access" stamp.

Its a shame you've made you a judgment on such a great site in under 5 posts.

Thanks, Glenn.

The bottom line is that fishermen shouldn't have to risk being arrested to fish a lake that was built with taxpayer money. (As far as I know, Lake Manassas was a public lake built by public funds.) If it increases pressure, who cares. It's still better for the fisherman to have an open lake than no lake at all. If you want it kept private so you can have a trespassing honey hole, than you are no less selfish than the golf course.

I wasn't able to go to the meeting. Did anyone go?

thanks big man.

To be honest I wanted to go just to give an update here if nothing else. A meeting had me tied up and wasn't able to make it.

and XL, those "people" (derogatory name) that you stated in your PM are the very reason why companies like mine can thrive. As long as they posses a legal fishing license and its within the size limit of the lake, have every right to keep the fish they catch. Correct? Legal, but frowned upon.

Any word/update on the reopening of Lake Manassas?  I think it would be fantastic and didn't know about the meeting.  If there is another one in the future, I will try to go. 

The powers that be in the Manassas City Government and the Virginia Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries are doing their thing. This is not an instant thing, but should be possible within two years, according to John Odenkirk, VDGIF Biologist.

Charlie........