Mid to late February report

Riazuli · February 23, 2018, 06:41:03 AM

Hey all, this is a combined post from another thread. It starts off with a general report with some tips for Four mile run and is followed by a more detailed report from 2/22/18. Btw, wanted to add that the water temps may have been around the 60s at least, given this creek is fed by a WWD and the detailed report was after two 70+ degree days.

I've been fishing at four mile run, where there is a WWD from a water treatment plant. It's been a great winter spot, but am looking forward to getting back out on the water in my kayak in other areas in VA and the Potomac. The conditions at 4mr are generally steady unless it rains, which is when the water can get pretty murky. This seems to be a good time as the bass aren't as finicky as when the water is more clear. Incoming tide seems to be the best time to fish there, as well as early morning and late afternoon (if the water is on the higher end). The bridges are great structures to fish and most of the fish seem to be caught along there. I've managed to catch several along the bank that shares the same side as the water plant. Not as many people fish that side as it is generally shallower, and just further to travel from parking. I don't mind the walk and am happy to get the exercise. I like to check the WWD when the tide is high as it's too shallow at that end of the creek on low tide.

I've caught bass at 4mr in 29 degree weather... The WWD there is a winter blessing! It's pretty shallow there, and people often wade across the creek during low tide. One unfortunate part of the area is that there is a lot of littering going on there. Several of us regulars have cleaned up either in groups or on our own. If we keep doing that every now and then it can help keep the place decent - saddest part is is that I see a lot of fishing litter... Fishing line, lure boxes and bags... It's a real shame. I've been on the verge of making some no littering signs with a "special" message to fisher"men" who decide they want to litter in the natural environment they are going there to enjoy... Really boggles my mind. Anyways, I'll end that rant with a recent catch

(posting pic soon after I can get to my computer and shrink the file)

Re: Using Deeper sonar with arm mount on kayak for mapping?
« Reply #12 on: Yesterday at 08:46:41 PM »

Went out early today to 4mr and had a slow day to begin with...temps started in the low 60s and dropped to low 50s throughout the day. There was a light drizzle on and off throughout the day and it was really cloudy. I caught my first dink near the WWD after a couple of hours on a chili craw red eye shad and lost a few pounder at the main bridge under 1 South on that same red eye shad. I don't know what happened after that, but I had a mini fishing breakdown as I ended up losing one red eye shad on the bank...thought I had it saved with my pole lure retriever, but ended up bringing nothing but a bent snap back. Then I snagged again...the snags at 4mr are pretty bad. If it's not a log or old fishing line, it's likely that you're lodged into a rock pretty bad. This can often happen just a few yards from the bank, which was really frustrating at first, but I hadn't lost many lures after getting my lure retriever - well worth it for any bank fisherman, but definitely at 4mr...I lost 50 dollars of lures within my first couple of weeks learning the place...today was a blast from the past as after that first one was lost, I got snagged into another dropoff...this time while using my old, defective lure retriever, the head of the retriever popped off as it was loose because it wasn't properly made...then I lost the second chili craw red eye and had no more in my box. After that, I lost a chili craw squarebill that I probably could have saved if I had a working retriever. I had some chili craw red eyes at home, but also had been wanting to hit up the BPS spring sale, which was about an hour away in MD...so, I went the other direction from my home to the bps and picked up what they had left of the 1/2 oz chili craws, which have been great producers lately (there were only 2 left, but was happy to at least get those). I also picked up a chili craw kvd squarebill (both lures were on sale and around 2 dollars less than usual), and 3 bluegill colored red eyes...then I drove over an hour back to my house, and another 30-40 mins back to 4mr. This time I had my new lure retriever that the company had sent me as a replacement, and I had newfound confidence. Was so glad I came back, because within a few casts, I had on a decent sized bass. After I set the hook on a strike, I knew I had something decent. He immediately went for the surface so I lowered my rod and kept tension...I was not going to lose this fish today! I stayed focused and got him to the bank...now came the hard part. I had him hanging in the water ready to be lipped, but he kept thrashing and I was convinced he was going to shake the lure...he ended up hanging by a thread and I finally managed to lip him with a huge sigh of relief. He weighed in at 4.1, not huge, but not bad for February either. He was pretty long, and if he was fatter, would have been a hefty one - hopefully, he grows to become a trophy fish one day! Definitely made hacking the sub-par weather worth it

Some tips for 4mr - don't stay in one place for too long (but also give the spot enough time if the water is on the deeper end)
-don't hug the bottom too much or you will inevitably get snagged. (keep a lifted rod tip and you can coast along the bottom without bumping too much - although the bumping is great for reaction strikes, you'll be playing with fire depending on which stretch of the bank you're on). There is a several inch almost 90 degree drop off a few yards from the bank all along the creek it seems (on the toyota dealership side). This ridge has got be a lure haven as I've lost several on this thing, but again I haven't lost nearly as many with a working lure retriever.
-play the conditions of the water and sky, and things tend to work more in your favor (natural colors or chrome for clear/sunny, also chrome for cloudy, chili craw for murky water in sunny or cloudy skies...the standard approaches work well here, but I haven't had luck with firetiger yet. Maybe the water isn't dark enough for that unless it rains. If it rains, the water can become very muddy...I might try firetiger more in those conditions.
-topwaters have produced here even in the winter because of the WWD
-Chatterbaits with trailers work well too - I have good luck with "woops"y shad and a chartreuse grub trailer at 4mr.
-moving tide seems to be a good time to fish here, also early in the day and late afternoon (standard stuff). There can be schools of bass in the creek and when they're on they're on...when they're off they don't want to hit a single thing you throw at them...people seem to have luck finessing during these times.
-I suggest mud boots and even waders for this place...might save you some lures lol. I've seen people wade all the way across the creek during low tide (and pretty much through the creek from one end to another). Definitely get a lure retriever!
-That's all I've got for now, hopefully this helps for someone who comes across this

Here's my catch for the day

Lee Smith · February 23, 2018, 07:41:52 AM

Great report and NICE catch Sir!

Lipripper · February 23, 2018, 07:53:42 AM

Great in depth report and that is a nice looking fish.

TheLastRodBender · February 23, 2018, 08:00:23 AM

Like I said in the other thread, that's a heck of a fish!

Pacific NW Ron · February 23, 2018, 08:52:45 AM

Nice catch and thanks for the detailed report.

Riazuli · February 23, 2018, 10:20:29 AM

Thanks, gents! Happy to help and provide some insight from the day so folks can enjoy themselves more while they're out there.

Capt. BassinLou · February 23, 2018, 01:32:46 PM

Nice fish!! Thank you for sharing your report.

zippyduck · February 27, 2018, 12:45:27 AM

Really nice river fish!

Great in depth report.

68camaro · February 27, 2018, 06:15:02 AM

Nice report, on the 22nd I was out at Briery in central va in rainy overcast windy conditions and it was tough, landed a couple biggest being 3.1lbs, but lost serveral more. Was bringing one in on red lipless shad and after it broke water it threw the lure. I lost my fist three fish, talk about frustrating....ugh.....

Like you I lost several lures in Briery which is normal, there is a ton of standing and laying timber and you are always getting hooked up on threes broken off under water line or on bottom. Most of my lures were lost deep and lure retreiver was hard to use in wind with kayak.

However, yesterday from 3 - 5 had best day in two neighborhood ponds, caught 5 LMB for 14-16 inches. Our ponds have been very difficult this past year and this winter, however with water hitting 58* they were chasing chatterbait with black/blue craw trailer.

Riazuli · February 27, 2018, 06:56:05 PM

Quote from: 68camaro on February 27, 2018, 06:15:02 AM
Nice report, on the 22nd I was out at Briery in central va in rainy overcast windy conditions and it was tough, landed a couple biggest being 3.1lbs, but lost serveral more. Was bringing one in on red lipless shad and after it broke water it threw the lure. I lost my fist three fish, talk about frustrating....ugh.....

Like you I lost several lures in Briery which is normal, there is a ton of standing and laying timber and you are always getting hooked up on threes broken off under water line or on bottom. Most of my lures were lost deep and lure retreiver was hard to use in wind with kayak.

However, yesterday from 3 - 5 had best day in two neighborhood ponds, caught 5 LMB for 14-16 inches. Our ponds have been very difficult this past year and this winter, however with water hitting 58* they were chasing chatterbait with black/blue craw trailer.

Good to hear that you're catching bass in VA ponds now. I'll have to start doing some temp checks at local ponds, as I prefer local ponds (after kayak fishing potomac creeks) over 4mr just because they're less crowded. I went the other day to a small pond that I know has bass but didn't have any luck - I had only gone for an hour though and although I went around the whole pond, I didn't thoroughly fish each area. This pond was also frozen just a couple weeks ago so it might still be pretty cold. I was using older setups and hadn't cleaned them in a while (until last night) so I couldn't get my cast to where I thought they might be (near a fountain where the water is deeper - confirmed with deeper fish finder) Keep it up!