Text Box: Fishing Edition

Text Box: Outdoor Action with Teddy Carr

Text Box: It seems an eternity ago but it was only just 5-years ago that our regional and local bass fisheries were a mess. With the exception of the Tidal Potomac which experienced just a minor blip. But what a difference time can make. We are now in a bass fishing boom time with all our regional fisheries hitting on all cylinders including the Tidal Rapp which was the last to recover. Look ahead in the newsletter to find out our trip recommendations for 2008, the choices will be many given all the good fishing opportunities. But for as good as it is we still have a black eye here in the region. We still have poultry pollution being dumped into the Shenandoah River that is slowly causing problems in the Potomac. Also due to overland distribution of poultry litter into the Cowpasture River valley we are now seeing fish kills up on the upper James River. Where is Governor Kaine’s leadership on this? He is simply turning the other way. I recommend you to go to www.shenandoahriverkeeper.org to stay informed. We also need to start holding our local politician’s feet to the fire on the problem. This is going to affect much more than just the fishing of these resources, this is going to be if not already a real health issue. 

Text Box: Some of the year’s best fishing is in March

Text Box: The state of our fisheries for 2008

Text Box: Volume 1, Feb. 1, 2008

Text Box: 2008 fishing hotspots

Text Box: Susquehanna River Lets begin with the Susky. The Susky has been on the up tick now for sometime and has really hit it’s stride. OA Guide Tim Nosek had many 60 to 80 fish days last year but the astounding thing is that the number of 3-pound smallies were off the chart. Tim feels that he and his clients will be consistently on 4-pound plus fish this year. There is a good snow pack to the north that will raise the water levels to the desired depths for targeting the early pigs in the sanctuary of the many eddies caused by the rising water. We start fishing here in late March and finish up in June. I have several clients that have been making this trip religiously for 10-years, if you have never done this trip I recommend without reservation that you need to experience this adventure. One of the best feelings you will experience is rounding the bend in the river at the islands and see the little town of Duncannon nestled on the banks of the river with the mountains rising in the background with a 60-fish day behind you. Simply priceless!! Lake Gaston OA Guide Eddie Griggs is responsible for opening my eyes last year to Gaston. I was hell bent on Buggs being the top bass fishery in the state based on my own observations of the spawn and recruitment numbers several years earlier. But after Eddie did a couple trips and came back to me with the numbers of quality bass he and his clients were catching, well lets say he got my attention. He had a total of 5-bass 7-pounds and over last spring. Techniques you can look to employ would be finesse fishing around docks as well as power fishing around some of the grass-beds especially topwater starting in May. Lake Anna Lake Anna will always make my top early spring destinations. This is when this lake shines. Both OA Guide Scott Hammer and myself fish here, but we both take different approaches to how we go about coaxing those big sows into the boat. Scott takes the finesse rout and I go the power fishing rout. Both work extremely well and we both will exploit this lake with the best of these tactics in the name of you landing that sow of a lifetime. Of all the trips I have to offer this trip over time has proven to be the big mama trip. I have a saying “we’re going to get our pigs at Anna the question is who’s going to be with us”. Because of the number of big bass in Anna and it’s smaller size it’s the perfect place to big fish hunt. Potomac River I was going to leave out the Potomac this year as one of our early destination spots, because over the last several years I’ve gotten into a habit of just showing up when the topwater action starts. Well it took Justin Riley of Maryland catching a 11-9-pound bass to wake me up out of a dumb habit. This got me to remembering those days where my clients and I would routinely bust a 7-plus pound bass or put together a 35-pound stringer and the photo would be all smiles. So that’s right I’m getting back into the early season  bass fishing on the tidal Potomac. There you have it folks this is our early season destinations as you can see you guys have great variety to choose from. If you want more details on what you could expect in the way of patterns, techniques, etc. please give me or your OA guide of choice a call. Thanks for being our clients!!    

Text Box: OA client Matt Campbell never misses our guided trips on the Susquehanna River.

Text Box: The Virginia Outdoor Sportsmen’s Classic, Roanoke VA Feb. 22,23,and 24th Bass Pro Shop’s Spring Fishing Classic Hampton VA Feb. 29 and March 1 & 2nd

Text Box: Shows Text Box: Lake Gaston  is churning out the pigs on a daily basis.  Just ask OA clients Mike Suarez and Bob Nencioni.

Text Box: OA Guide Scott Hammer  has an art  of finessing  big  Lake Anna citation  bass into his boat boat.

Text Box: Who wants to join me for some early season pig hunting on the Potomac??

Text Box: Angler Profile   A handful of you have been requesting a young gun who has not been named officially to our OA Guide roster. Well your wait is over my youngest son Justin will be making his debut this spring after he wraps up his sophomore year at Radford U.  

Text Box: The boy definitely comes from a good gene-pool but he has learned a lot from OA guides Eddie Griggs, Tom Toews, and Scott Hammer. He has also benefited from fishing with pros Shad Schenk and Wesley Shrader. To his credit he has taken all this tutelage, but ultimately shaped his style and approach to the sport and does a papa proud and will do a good job for you!

Text Box: Last Cast I don’t want to leave you without some suggestions on how to spend your money on fishing gear especially if you’re going to be fishing with us this year. First off Booyah has a new spinnerbait our called the HD-Spinnerbait. If you’re going to be on the Tidal Potomac with us this year and targeting grass-beds you will definitely want to have this bait in your arsenal. Best colors will be herring, blue glimmer, and chart/white. For you guys hitting Buggs, Gaston, or Lake Anna a good bet for you will be the xt-3 X-Calibur Jerkbait in pearl melon, pearl shad, and blk/chrome. This is not a new lure at all but very effective. As spring really hit it’s stride last year I really did well on Bomber’s new Balsa-B shallow crankbait. It’s a wake type bait that we threw over the grass and it really knocked the snot out of some really quality chunks. If your going to be pitching into some heavy vegetation then don’t be shy, go ahead and get that 65-pound Power Pro braided fishing line. And never leave home without your YUM dingers. This is a no bones about it fishing list I depend on this stuff when I take you or if I’m fishing a tournament.   Lastly, folks it is getting close and we are in the middle of show season and the trips are coming in left and right. In short don’t get left out I enjoy my time with each one of you and have many fond memories of our trips, but I’m getting old and have forgot some of them so we have to start all over again and make some new ones. Just kidding I’m not even close to being old!!! Don’t procrastinate get your trip booked. I have a lot of good dates left in March for Buggs, and I have some very good Anna dates in March as well, but the front side of April is untouched and would be awesome for either the Potomac or Anna. We look forward to fishing and fellowshipping with you guys this year.   Take Care, Teddy Carr