Back from Huntsman. I decided to take my fourteen year-old, and I also got a little turned around with the parking (never been there before), so we got out on the water a little later than I intended -- maybe 6:15 or so -- and we ended up fishing the north side of the lake, on the other side of the cove from the dam. Worked our way back down to the cove near the other end, where the culvert is. I caught a very small (maybe 8") smallie with a Hula Popper. A while later, near the mouth of the little creek, I caught a small (maybe 10"?) LMB on a buzzbait. Then I caught a truly tiny LMB on a little bitty buzzbait on the ultralight rod my daughter was using. (I'd just tied on the lure and decided to give it a couple casts.) Number One Daughter had a couple bites, but missed 'em. That's OK, though; this was the first time she ever fished without live bait and a bobber, so she has slightly more to learn than even I do.

This was the first time I've ever used buzzbaits, and I really like 'em. I always saw them on the rack and passed because I figured they'd get snagged if you looked at 'em wrong, but that turned out not to be the case at all. (No surprise to you guys, I know.) And I liked being able to control the lure's running depth so easily. I didn't even lose any lures today! Not in the water, anyway; a couple somehow fell out of my tacklebox at some point, tho. >

I have pics of the two larger fish. I'll post them when I get them downloaded, not because they're impressive at all, but just to show y'all that I really did catch something. All-in-all, it was nothing to write home about -- but it was still a little confidence booster for me. Catching small fish beats the heck out of catching no fish. Thanks for the help, all!

Whoa! you caught a smallie in huntsman? I never knew they were in there..

:-/ :-X

I'm probably wrong about the species.  The only way I know to tell the difference is to look at how far back the upper lip extends -- well behind the eye for a LMB, about even with the eye for SMB.  This guy's lip looked to me to stop right around the middle of the eye.  But I'm really new at this, so please don't take my word for anything.   If something I say doesn't make sense, it's probably wrong.

lol, no worries. Just for future reference, I believe there is only one local NOVA lake that has smallies and that is Beaverdam Creek Reservoir in Ashburn. The rest will be in the rivers and some smaller creeks. I've heard of the occasional smallmouth in the Occoquan up near Bull Run but I don't know if that is common enough to be worth mentioning.

Once you get used to catching each species you'll be able to tell them apart with no problems.

Skunked by Mr. Bass at Huntsman this morning, which was especially frustrating because the guy down at the end of the dam seemed to be absolutely slaying them. > Was it one of you guys?

However, the morning was partly redeemed by the fact that on my way out I stopped and threw a few casts with a chartreuse and blue spinnerbait from my ultralight, and hooked into a beefy 21" channel cat. That was kind of exciting on 4# line; he put up a good fight. Should be good eatin'.

Got to Burke Lake this mornin about 6:45and managed to catch a bass within an hour on a spinner.  I stayed until about 10.  Hell it was just nice to get out there and get my line wet and chat it up with the guys already there...Huntsman next week for sure (if not sooner LOL) 

Went to Huntsman on Monday morning at 6.30am. Picked up 3 smallish bass on the far side of the dam and 1 really nice 3 lb ish bass at the inlet. I don't carry a scale but it was 19-20" long and nice and fat.  All were caught using a Texas rigged berkely power worm.

   I'm thinking of trying Burke lake from the bank but am not sure if the fishing is deep now due to the temp.

       Cheers Steve.

  Ps.  Wish the livebait crowd would stop leaving their trash everywhere. Itook a bag of trash with me as well.

Hey, Steve, when you say the inlet do you mean where the creek flows in, or the little cove on the far side of the dam?  Or the narrow part right as you come down the path near the dam?

The far side of the dam is where the guy I saw on Saturday seemed to be cleaning up.

Hey, Steve, when you say the inlet do you mean where the creek flows in, or the little cove on the far side of the dam? Or the narrow part right as you come down the path near the dam?

The far side of the dam is where the guy I saw on Saturday seemed to be cleaning up.

  I was on the point rounding into the cove on the far side of the dam.

      Steve.

Ah, OK.  I know exactly where you mean.  I didn't have any luck there.  Typical!

I'm lookin' forward to hitting Huntsman this coming sunday myself...

I'm lookin' forward to hitting Huntsman this coming sunday myself...

I'll be down there tomorrow also. It'll be muddy and full with all the rain!

  Steve.

Hell I OVERslept again; I was up kinda late last night onnacountof I was @ the fights over @ the patriot Ctr. my father in law had his fighter on the undercard so I didnt get home and in bed till much later than normal for me LOL Let me know how you did Steve...

Hell I OVERslept again; I was up kinda late last night onnacountof I was @ the fights over @ the patriot Ctr. my father in law had his fighter on the undercard so I didnt get home and in bed till much later than normal for me LOL Let me know how you did Steve...

  Pretty lousy morning. Muddy water much higher than before and very few bites. I got 2 little ones on a Rebel pop-r. Hopefully it will be better next weekend. Isn't it it supposed to slow the bite after a front goes thru?

Isn't it it supposed to slow the bite after a front goes thru?

that sounds about right...LOL I dunno IF I can wait till next weekend Imight try to go there tonight actually...

Never got to hit Hunstman Last night BUT I did hit Lake Royal on the way home from work caught one bluegill onna Jig...there were a quite a few anglers there! but nobody was really catchin' anything...not sure what the status of the Royal is since they redid it last year>?

So last night I started @ Burke Lake(2am-5am) catfishin' my lil heart out and came up empty LOL no biggie There were a few others there who I dont think any better luck than me LOL it was nice too get out though...I got to Huntsman around 5:30 told myself I was gonna sit in the truck for a spell before gettin started...fast forward to 9am!!!! guess I needed that nap more than i realized LOL I went to breakfast then hit a lil creek over on Prosperity rd...caught one baby bass and two ro three blue gills using a spinner and a jig respectively...kinda started feelin good so off to Huntsman i went...Fished there from about 1-5 maybe longer? LOL caught a few Bluegills but managed to lose my best spinner and one popper LOL saw a guy catch a nice catfish another guy caught a bass so it was inscentive to stick around LOL finally decided I needed to try "Lake Braddock" Christ i live right round the corner from it (well a mile away) and never ever tried it before sooooI get there and lo and behold one bass tracker boat, numerous bank fishin etc.... I was like who knew????LOLI wouldnt have guessed it be so crowded??? I threw a few casts before I lost another spinner LOL and a nother popper LOL Got afew bites but landed nuthin....Still it was great to know somethin so close so accessible and the ppl were quite friendly too

L Braddock is private.  Do what you will with that information.

Indeed ...and i was lucky enough to be a "invited guest" as i couldnt find my way to it without the assistance of one lovely young woman and her dog, as I asked permission she she was more than happy to show me the way etc...I love livin in Burke (never thought Id say that LOL)

I hit Huntsman today @ around 2ish stayed till 5:30 (not the best time of day I know but I needed to relax)caught three bluegills and one bass, using worms and crappie nibbles...

  Went down to Royal today at 11-30am for about 45 mins in between jobs. Caught 4 bass each around 1-2 lbs and my son caught one also.We were using Berkeley minnows with the fork tail. First time at Royal, that's a nice lake. Gonna try it again but not during the middle of the day. Tooooo hot!

   We are going to Huntsman early Sunday, aiming for 5:30 to catch the topwater bite. I picked up a koppers livetarget bluegill crankbait to try at Huntsman. Also, my son picked up a bass pro shops mini zr9 hard swimbait which he modified himself. He was trying it in the bathtub and noticed it wasn't moving properly. So he removed the rear hook and split ring and now it swims perfectly.

I'll let you know how we get on at Huntsman on sunday.

Was also thinking huntsman possibly on sunday.....or burke. When I scouted Huntsman, looks like I could launch my inflatable but not use the trolling motor...... am I correct there?   

I believe you can use trolling motors but no outboards. I would check with the parks website though to be sure. My son and i are in the process of picking up a pair of float tubes to fish out of. Boats are not in my budget at the moment.

Was also thinking huntsman possibly on sunday.....or burke. When I scouted Huntsman, looks like I could launch my inflatable but not use the trolling motor...... am I correct there?

ive canoed at hunstman with my trolling motor, and no one has said anything.

I've seen guys use small trolling motors on Huntsman -- I think it's fine. I've never actually seen any park police there either, though...

Steve: float tubes are fantastic fun -- highly recommended! I used one for a few years until I upgraded to a pontoon boat (which I actually prefer over a kayak).

Got to Huntsman @ about 630-6:45  landed this @ 7:30 not too mention numerous Bluegill but still no catfish :-(  Met a couple of really cool guys down there with thier sons...hope to go back during the week...