Spent a week in N. Wisconsin and caught small fish; came home and caught this 3lber from Huntsman- oh well

nice fish! gotta love huntsman.

Good job!  What did you catch it on?  I've been getting lots of fish at Huntsman lately but nothing over 2lbs.

Nice fish -- especially for a NoVa lake!  Personally, I've never fished Huntsman before (probably because it looks so small on Google Maps next to Burke and the O Res) but will have to give it a try.

I'm guessing that Huntsman is a shore fishing lake?  How's the vegetation around the edges this time of year?  Any first time tips if I want to head out there next week and give it a try?

grass is not an issue. shore only unless you have a small boat. most of it is very shallow and can be walked/waded. lots of street parking as well. good luck.

We've launched our scanoe w/ TM there a few times.  Other than a kayak/float tube/etc., you are shorebound at Huntsman: no ramp that is available.  We've always launched near the inlet that runs under Huntsman Blvd.

Nice fish!

Nice fish. 

You can use the "ramp" where the gate is..... but the gate is always locked and you have to talk it down the "road" ...... and that is a not fun walk with batteries, poles,...ect. 

I have enjoyed huntsman a lot this summer, though have not had a lot of success shallow or in the trees down in the water.  Have always done better deeper.  Speaking of which anyone use electronic much on there?  With the stained nature of the water, I would love to know what else is down there besides what I can "feel" on the bottom with a carolina rig.  Anyone have a map? 

I've taken electronics there. Not a whole lot to see, actually. A few old tree stumps along the south side. Some patches of thin sticky weed, some rockier places. With maybe one exception, the bottom contours can be guessed quite intuitively by looking at the bank contours -- there really aren't many major surprises that I've found. Maximum depth is about 11ft and it gets gradually shallower as you move towards the west end (away from the dam).

It can make the fish tricky to find because I suspect they're quite well spread. The bait fish certainly seem to be. I was there a few days ago and there must have been a mid-morning insect hatch, because a ton of small fish were rising aggressively all over the lake for a ~15-min period.

Someone needs to plant some pads in there or something. Give us some weeds to fish to!

there are a lot of isolated rock piles and tons of stumps.

Nice catch but if you like Huntsman then you should really try Pelham in culpeper. That place is chalk full of 3-7 pounders and not to far of a drive for NOVA folks. The only downside is there isnt much shore fishing , you need a small boat. I been seeing 8-9 foot plastic jon boats on craigslist for around two hundred bux lately.

Interesting..... any info on boat launch ect? Would be real interested in getting my inflatable out there.

Looks much much larger than Huntsman, closer to the size of Burke, only bigger.   

Always willing to drive a further for a potential 7 lber...ha. 

I would be careful in taking that advice at face value, and you drive by several great options on the way.

i'd be careful of deez nuts

I was @ hunstman yesterday afternoon/early evening...caught one bass on a crank bait and a fat bluegill ona top water...

I was on there yesterday on my pontoon until around 1pm. Managed to scrape together half a dozen bass, and dropped a couple, but it was tougher than it has been of late. Nothing over about 1.5lbs. Bit more of a breeze needed, maybe -- it was very flat.

I would be careful in taking that advice at face value, and you drive by several great options on the way.

Well I would not avoid my normal spots here locally in NOVA..... but are you saying it is not worth a longer hike out that way? 

That's exactly what I'm saying; you drive past many as good or better fisheries, why waste the gas?

Went to Hunstman this morning and landed a nice bass ona spinner but still lookin' land a decent size catfish there...

Good Job! The catfish in there love cubes of spam if you're looking to go for them.

I was the one out on the pontoon on Huntsman this morning. I assume you were the guy I spoke to briefly? If so, nice to meet you!

It was tricky in the wind -- had to use my anchor and even then I was occasionally getting dragged. But I managed to get a bunch including one that was an ounce shy of 3lbs.

[edited to add picture]

Nice!

Nice fish!

I went to Huntsman from 8-11 and only caught a couple bluegills no bass today :-( i saw a couple of guys in a jon boat hopefully they had some good luck....

I was @ Huntsman from about 7pm to 8:30 caught three fat bluegills one(pictured) that had a hellofa bite and fight! I was using a black jig with a greeen curlytail I set on the end of the hook they loved it