What is the Best place for Specks, in Northern VA ?

Right where you live is supposed to be great crappie fishing: "Occoquan Reservoir has a very good crappie fishery and anglers should concentrate on areas with structure during the early spring. Anglers consistently catch fish around boat docks, fish attractors, or brush piles." Slab's comment on the Potomac are accurate from what I've heard, 'tho, I've never had the opportunity to fish there, Lake Anna is close for you and is a real fish factory. The Dogwoods are gonna bloom real soon!

Speaking from experience (been in nova 42 years) I vote the Occ every time. Don't dismiss Burke either. You'll get river run fish, but nothing like whats waiting in those big lakes. My step dad tells me Curtis is good too.

Occoquan Res. is good when it's on. But it's so big and so DEEP that they can be hard to find when they're not right up on the banks doing the do. And they ain't doing it yet.

There's a dude on the Maryland forum that used to post reports here that catches the snot out of em on the Potomac.

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Originally Posted by TapOut64

All I know is that you need a new screen name. :D

Here We Go Steelers, We Go!!!

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No need to reply.......but I think that was a little uncalled for :rolleyes: Now that the bills have T.O. 2009 will be quite interesting, BRING THE STEEL CURTAIN :eek::D
Oh yeah, ( bring your popcorn) :D:D

Hey TapOut,

Thanks for the info! I hope to have pics of some slabs, posted soon!

Mottlet,

Do you fish the Occoquan regularly? If so where do you find the Specks around this time of year, depth? location? etc?

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Originally Posted by backtocrappie

Speaking from experience (been in nova 42 years) I vote the Occ every time. Don't dismiss Burke either. You'll get river run fish, but nothing like whats waiting in those big lakes. My step dad tells me Curtis is good too.

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Back to Crappie,

Please help me out with some specfic tips on where to find the specks in the big Occoquan? I have heard that Burke is really difficult to fish. My buddy says that if you can catch a minnow of out it, then your lucky. Do you catch them regularly out of Burke?

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Originally Posted by Redy2Fish

Right where you live is supposed to be great crappie fishing: "Occoquan Reservoir has a very good crappie fishery and anglers should concentrate on areas with structure during the early spring. Anglers consistently catch fish around boat docks, fish attractors, or brush piles." Slab's comment on the Potomac are accurate from what I've heard, 'tho, I've never had the opportunity to fish there, Lake Anna is close for you and is a real fish factory. The Dogwoods are gonna bloom real soon!

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What area of the Occoquan do you fish in the spring? It's so big that I am not sure where to start?

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Originally Posted by Corker

Steve- Welcome to the board! I have very limited knowledge of lakes to the north of Richmond, but did have a nice day at Lake Abel (southern Stafford Co.) last October. It's a long skinny lake with some very deep water in places, lots of wood along the extensive shoreline, and many beaver huts. It's TMO and DGIF recommends 2 batteries. In a full day's fishing, I didn't make it all the way to the end.

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Coker,

Have you ever fished it in the Spring?

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Originally Posted by Go Browns

Back to Crappie,

Please help me out with some specfic tips on where to find the specks in the big Occoquan? I have heard that Burke is really difficult to fish. My buddy says that if you can catch a minnow of out it, then your lucky. Do you catch them regularly out of Burke?

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Burke is made difficult due to pressure and mid day stupidity. If you are going to fish Burke, be the first on the water, or the best on the water. As it stands it's a phenomenal fishery chalk full of monster bass and muskie, walleye, white & yellow perch, gills and big specks! The bait shop there sells minnows roughly from Memorial day to Labor day (never the same from year to year). If you are set and ready, you can avoid the formal ramp by the bait shop and go straight to the back (near the dam) and launch from an unregulated primitive ramp.

Occ- go to Fountainhead and launch there ($5 fee) they are best in the area. Their bait shop is open year round, fully stocked with minnows and tackle, food, drinks, restrooms. Get ready for DEEP waters with sharp drop offs, cliffs etc. Get about 2 doz smalls, 2 doz med and hit any tree or brush pile you see. I have HEARD a story recently from a contractor of mine, 10 years ago or so he caught a 5 lb speck out of there. 2lb and 3 lb are fairly common for determined anglers. One tip though, anchors are almost pointless at Fountainhead. The sides are so steep in places that they rarely grab anything. The bottom is a mixture of rock, mud, sand, gravel and tons of submerged trees. I'd go down there with you if I wasn't so caught up with kids and job.