Fishing Report

Summary: FLETCHERS COVE - MARK BINSTEAD - SHAD REPORT #2 Upon full bloom, the mature cherry tree at Fletcher’s Cove, seen by thousands of commuters from Canal Road, usually signals the initial wave of the hickory shad run. This year, the petals were already raining down when fishing finally started to improve. Actually, the breakout we have enjoyed over the last few days corresponded perfectly with peak bloom downstream at the Tidal Basin. On Thursday, March 26, Douglas Harpel began the day all alone in a Fletcher’s rowboat. He said there were “lots of hickory shad this beautiful morning, but I was the only fisherman that I could see.” He caught shad on any color he threw at them (below). The weather was gorgeous, and by the afternoon anglers along the banks were not lonely at all. Gabriel Leonesio (below left) strapped on his waders to reach a prime spot at Warning Rock Cove. After failing to connect with his fly gear, he worked the seam perfectly and caught almost 40 hickory shad with his spinning rod. Two teenagers on the boulders nearby were duly impressed and later met up with Leonesio at the Fletcher’s shop. Sam Crowley, age 17, was eager to let us all know about his 21 catches – and get more spoons. His buddy Aran Bragan, age 13, had landed a chunky roe among his seven shad (below right) but was a little more reflective. Their youthful enthusiasm got a chuckle out of me, but it was inspiring to see these kids celebrate a wonderful time outdoors. As we talked, a steady stream of cherry blossom petals fell over them like confetti. On Friday there wasn’t much activity on the river as cold, damp weather kept most anglers indoors. Bill Gordon and his friend, Drew Bank, showed up at daybreak on Saturday morning when the temperature was only 36 degrees. The late March sunshine must have overpowered the nasty wind chill, because the two men stayed along the Gordon’s Rock shoreline for seven hours, enjoying a surprisingly steady bite. Gordon himself logged 48 hickory shad catches and guessed just as many were lost. He says “a lot of the fish were hooked on the outside of the mouth because of the cold, plunging temperatures.” Given the conditions, Gordon was amazed that Bank had banked five American shad (above), and I would have to agree. However, this spot has produced the first catch of the year many times, usually small bucks. (Read further to find out what happened this year.) On Sunday morning, Chris Campo reported hickory shad on “every cast” for the two fly fishers he was guiding (above). He also observed others “smoking them” from a Fletcher’s boat. My two grandkids helped their father, Derek Binsted, catch a hickory shad at Gordon’s Rock after just four casts with Uncle Alex’s spinning rod (below). The narrow section upstream of there, where the teenagers fished on Thursday, and beyond, is now seeing the best action. Once again this year, the Potomac flow is well below normal and shad are moving upstream of the Cove earlier than usual. Despite the rough start, our hickory shad season on the Potomac is looking good as we head into April. Warm weather this week will likely raise water temps close to 60 degrees and begin to stimulate spawning activity – and more strikes. If flow remains stable as expected, any of your favorite shad fishing spots should produce well. And soon, American shad will capture our attention. The first American shad landing is a milestone moment each spring well worth celebrating. My fellow FFC Board member John Kuriawa retired from NOAA last year and expects to have more opportunities this season to venture here from his home along the Magothy River. I was rooting for him to catch the first American, so it was a delight to receive his pithy text message last Sunday, the 22nd: “They’re here!” His included photo clearly showed DC’s official fish in the net (above). The water temperature was just 54 degrees but rising rapidly on a very warm day. Kuriawa joked that I should bring champagne when I came down to join him in the afternoon. Well, there was an old bottle of prosecco in my refrigerator, so why not? We soon enjoyed a proper toast to the new season, near Walker’s Point where the shad was caught (above). Kuriawa later wrote that “the lighthearted moment was much appreciated and a true embrace of my 'retired' status!” We are fortunate to have incredible hickory shad fishing here on the Potomac, but catching these acrobatic fighters on smaller water has great appeal. Last Monday, Eric Packard posted to the TPFR forum after his successful trip to Mattawoman Creek, a tributary of the lower Potomac in Maryland. He caught 40 fish near Mason Springs, where the streamside environment appears to be intimate and attractive (below). Andrew D. sent word that he caught a single hickory on his first kayak outing to the Occoquan River last weekend. I wrote about the optimism of spring last time and enjoyed the ironic photo he included (bottom). He added dryly: “It was perhaps a bit early in the shad season to break out the clicker!” Good news for perch lovers: Jumbo white perch are back! The run has been feeble for many years, so it’s too soon to know how long this will last. It’s always fun to take a sizable perch on a fly rod. Kevin Eichinger did just that last Saturday, and we thank Alec Hicks for sending along a nice photo (below). Finally, a word about the shad’s predator. Over the years, Bill Gordon has fished for shad along more East Coast rivers than anyone else, giving him a unique perspective and an intense dislike of striped bass. On the Susquehanna, he has watched giant pre-spawn stripers attack his catches many times over. He hadn’t seen this on the Potomac until his visit on Saturday, when three hooked hickories were “eaten at our feet.” Two other such incidents were reported to Fletcher’s Boathouse. (See also 2022 SR #3.) Gordon went on to say that he “landed over 50 stripers this week fishing in the Susquehanna basin on shad darts alone...it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.” The early presence of schoolies, and lots of them, will be something to look out for here on the Potomac.

The Check Station

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