Fishing report 3/18/06

All the signs of nature in bloom are a gauge used by old-timers to indicate the fish are here.  On my daily walks I have noticed more and more cormorants diving for their morning meal of herring, another sign that the fish are here.

Although March came in like a lamb, it’s turning into a lion in mid month. The warm temperatures and no wind at the beginning of the month allowed a few fish to come early. The high winds and cold nights lowered the water temperature to the upper 40’s, and the fish are harder to find.

There have been a few herring seen all the way to Chain Bridge, and some of the hard core fishermen have hooked a couple of nice size stripers from shore.  A few stripers, and catfish up to 25 pounds, were taken on fresh cut herring fished on the bottom.

A few white perch have been taken by shore fisherman and private boaters when weather allowed them to get out.

Three hickory shad were reported before the winds started blowing this week.

The boathouse is open this weekend and fishing licenses, bait, and tackle are for sale.

The phone is back in service and the number is 202.244.0461.

Let’s hope the winds lay and it gets warmer soon so we can all wet a line.

River keeper