Does anyone know why it is only catch and release bass in this part of the river?  Should I not waste my time fishing it?

are you hungry? grab a fillet-o-fish at mcdougals.

theres a good smallmouth population there and at riverbend. check it out.

are you hungry? grab a fillet-o-fish at mcdougals.

And if you sing the song, you get it for ONE DOLLAR!

Does anyone know why it is only catch and release bass in this part of the river? Should I not waste my time fishing it?

Is it really?  I've been wanting to check that location of the river out in my kayak.  Is the catch and release only during the spring spawn months?  How fast is the current in the Algonkian park area? 

That part of the river is catch and release only all year long. Its part of a trophy bass area of the potomac.

That part of the river is catch and release only all year long. Its part of a trophy bass area of the potomac.

Thanks for the info, Brian.  Now the dilemma...is the fishing so good that it's worth the effort even though you can't take a bag of fish home for your efforts??    :-/

That part of the river is catch and release only all year long. Its part of a trophy bass area of the potomac.

Thanks for the info, Brian. Now the dilemma...is the fishing so good that it's worth the effort even though you can't take a bag of fish home for your efforts?? :-/

What about just fishing for the sport of it?

And no, it's not that good.

Besides, it would be much healthier if you just bought your fish at the store instead of catching it out of the Potomac.

That part of the river is catch and release only all year long. Its part of a trophy bass area of the potomac.

Thanks for the info, Brian. Now the dilemma...is the fishing so good that it's worth the effort even though you can't take a bag of fish home for your efforts?? :-/

What about just fishing for the sport of it?

And no, it's not that good.

Besides, it would be much healthier if you just bought your fish at the store instead of catching it out of the Potomac.

I had the same conversation with my buddy who I kayak fish with.  He said fishing should be done purely for the sportsman aspects of it.  I told him he's full of crap as he still hasn't gotten the skunk off his yak, yet.  I said fishing is what takes us back to our primal beginnings...we slay our catch and gain sustenance from it. 

I know about the PCB pollutants in the Potomac...I was hoping that the cleaner waters farther upstream would have healthier fish in it.

That part of the river is catch and release only all year long. Its part of a trophy bass area of the potomac.

Thanks for the info, Brian. Now the dilemma...is the fishing so good that it's worth the effort even though you can't take a bag of fish home for your efforts?? :-/

What about just fishing for the sport of it?

And no, it's not that good.

Besides, it would be much healthier if you just bought your fish at the store instead of catching it out of the Potomac.

I had the same conversation with my buddy who I kayak fish with. He said fishing should be done purely for the sportsman aspects of it. I told him he's full of crap as he still hasn't gotten the skunk off his yak, yet. I said fishing is what takes us back to our primal beginnings...we slay our catch and gain sustenance from it.

I know about the PCB pollutants in the Potomac...I was hoping that the cleaner waters farther upstream would have healthier fish in it.

It's certainly your right but the vast majority of the members of this site would be considered "full of crap"

The Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers both have consumption advisories. Unfortunately, a very large portion of the rivers in the state have advisories, it doesn't have much to do with being upstream from DC. If you feel compelled to keep fish, only keep the small ones.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/where-fish-bass/2010/04/study-says-80-percent-male-potomac-smallmouth-are-basically-hermaphrod

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/where-fish-bass/2010/04/study-says-80-percent-male-potomac-smallmouth-are-basically-hermaphrod

DELICIOUS!!!  :

There are also better fish to catch for food than smallmouths. I've never liked the taste of bass so I've never had the urge to keep one, but to each his own.

One day nothing will be safe to eat,

We need about 75 percent of humans to just fall over and die one day.  *** getting out of hand. 

Imagine what the Algonquins would think! lol

Caught this today at the P'mac.

I've never caught a big smallie out of this area, I think the biggest maybe...14 inches?

It'd probably not be worth your effort ....

now the bluegill here are massive....target those and you'll get some good eating fish.

I've never caught a big smallie out of this area, I think the biggest maybe...14 inches?

It'd probably not be worth your effort ....

now the bluegill here are massive....target those and you'll get some good eating fish.

I would love to be able to catch a mess of bluegill or crappie for a fish fry.  I haven't targeted panfish since I was a kid, though.  I figured now that I'm an "adult" with a decked out kayak and medium-heavy action rods that I'll dedicate myself to hunt the best gamefish in freshwater, the LMB.  :

Maybe I'll bring along a lightweight outfit the next time I go out to see if I can't find a submerged brush pile somewhere with a big school of crappie swimming around it.  That would be fun.

Oh my! If you know how to fly fish, algonkian has some monster blue gill!

I catch them on my ML rod with 1000 size spinning reel on small top water lures and love it!!!

Andrew, remember those giant pumpkinseeds I caught on a Mann's -1 last Independence Day? Monsters!

I've never caught a big smallie out of this area, I think the biggest maybe...14 inches?

It'd probably not be worth your effort ....

now the bluegill here are massive....target those and you'll get some good eating fish.

I would love to be able to catch a mess of bluegill or crappie for a fish fry. I haven't targeted panfish since I was a kid, though. I figured now that I'm an "adult" with a decked out kayak and medium-heavy action rods that I'll dedicate myself to hunt the best gamefish in freshwater, the LMB. :

Maybe I'll bring along a lightweight outfit the next time I go out to see if I can't find a submerged brush pile somewhere with a big school of crappie swimming around it. That would be fun.

Why not catch and release bass and take an UL for panfish since they taste better?

Oh my! If you know how to fly fish, algonkian has some monster blue gill!

I catch them on my ML rod with 1000 size spinning reel on small top water lures and love it!!!

you mean stuff like rebel crickhoppers?

i havent fished at algonkian since i was a kid and our family had reunions there, im going to get out there this summer and try it out.

not to thread hijack, but has anyone ever fished out of Bles Park?

Why not catch and release bass and take an UL for panfish since they taste better?

I'm all for conservation and the environment. I pick up trash where ever I find it and have a "live and let live" attitude. I'm at peace with Mother Nature and all her glory.

It's just that I consider LMB a very fine delicacy. Kind of like truffles. People would scour under every log in the forest to find truffles. It is then carefully harvested and prized for its flavor. That's how I consider LMB. It kind of brings me back to my childhood...when i used to catch a couple of bass to take home for my mom to cook up in a kick-*** recipe. But, I digress...

I consider poaching one of the greatest evils. I'm licensed up and strictly follow creel limits. If I can get out to fish more often, I would much rather catch white perch for a meal. But, with time constraints, I fish only when free time presents itself. So, I like to take a few home to put a nice meal on the table. Also, I've landed only 1 bass in an embarrassing number of attempts :'( So I'm far from being a true "Bass Slayer". I just liken myself to one for my bravado. 8-)

That's fine. You are well within your rights to keep fish but I have to warn you that you might not get many tips from other members who value the quality of their fisheries.

As for the white perch, there are plenty being caught in the Potomac between Chain Bridge and Key Bridge right now. Me and a few buddies caught a couple hundred the other day. Trouble with that area is you either need to do some hiking or rent a boat from Fletcher's boat house to get to them.

Oh my! If you know how to fly fish, algonkian has some monster blue gill!

I catch them on my ML rod with 1000 size spinning reel on small top water lures and love it!!!

you mean stuff like rebel crickhoppers?

i havent fished at algonkian since i was a kid and our family had reunions there, im going to get out there this summer and try it out.

not to thread hijack, but has anyone ever fished out of Bles Park?

I've got cicada look a like lures that do very well! white/clear curly tail grubs on small jig heads too!

let em live and get big

As for the white perch, there are plenty being caught in the Potomac between Chain Bridge and Key Bridge right now. Me and a few buddies caught a couple hundred the other day. Trouble with that area is you either need to do some hiking or rent a boat from Fletcher's boat house to get to them.

I saw a lot of boats being rented and launched out at Fletcher's a week ago, presumably for the white perch fishing, when I took my daughter there for the AFFTA youth fishing day event that they were hosting out at the C & O canal.  What a great event; the excitement on all the kids faces to catch a little sunfish was priceless.  Fletchers was a zoo to get in and out of, though.  Only a one lane driveway for 2 ways of traffic 

A lot of the people who rent boats there are actually fishing for shad and striper at this time of year. The problem with those boats is that you either have to bring your own trolling motor or row. That can be difficult depending on the tide and flow of the river if you want to fish up or down river. Most of the fillet sized perch were being caught a little ways down river.