A couple of question about fletchers?

[Ken Tidy]

I may be down in that area this upcoming weekend. Is Fletchers fishable from shore? Can I buy a DC license at Fletchers, any idea how much they are? What different gear should I use say than Deer Creek, flies, lines, etc!

[kiko13]

Yes, yes ($13.50 for the year, $6.50 for a few days). Someone else will need to answer about the lines but there is a lot of current in the Fletcher's area.

But there are no fish there!

Ernie

[Ken Tidy]

Yes, yes ($13.50 for the year, $6.50 for a few days). Someone else will need to answer about the lines but there is a lot of current in the Fletcher's area.

But there are no fish there!

Ernie

I sure ther won't be any by the time I get there!:cool: :rolleyes:

[noke41]

Ken-

I use a 7 wt w/ 250. It works fine for me. Unlike Deer Creek, you have to get down. I think it's safe to say that sinking line will outfish floating line at Fletchers by a wide margin.
Flies should be the same or similar.

Jamie

[Flying Fish]

Ken: The license price you were quoted is for nonresidents of DC. Yes, sinking line. You will be able to reach bottom; you can avoid bottom by stripping before you hang up; that's a feel thing. The American shad tend to be deeper than the hickories, but you can catch either deep or shallow (but I've never got one right at the surface). I've been using a 7-weight rod with a 6-weight Rio Type 6 full-sinking line.

Smallish bright flies work.

The problems you need to solve from shore--and they can be solved, but you have to pay attention--are getting to a place where you can reach the current and deeper water, and finding a place that permits a decent backcast. Please do be careful, though, and pay attention to the tide if you're fishing from shore. My rough sense of things is that tides are at least an hour later at Fletcher's than the official "Washington DC" predictions.

FF

[HJS]

Ken - Several places to fly fish from shore upriver from Fletchers parking lot. Park at Fletchers, walk upriver, cross foot bridge over little stream, walk at least 1/4 mile past were all the bait guys fish (its where all the trash is). After passing all the trash you will start to encounter rocky points to fly fish from for the next 1/4 mile. The lower the tide the more places become available (2'-3' tide change). At high tide, places to fly fish are few and far between. Must at least have hip boots to get to many of the good fly spots. Difficult wading, lots of user unfriendly rocks and boulders. Lots more spots with no back cast room if you're spin fishing. Wade carefully. Many, if not all, places go from 2' to 6'+ in one step.

Unfortunately for you, low tide this weekend will be during the afternoon when everybody will be there. So expect most, if not all, the good fly fishing spots to be taken. But you might luck out and find a spot... just keep walking upriver. If you come to Chain Bridge and haven't found a spot yet then you're not only SOL but dead tired too.

Today (Thurs.) the whole area above Fletchers was nearly deserted. Very unusual during the height of the shad run. I see more fishermen at the mouth of Deer Creek than I saw today along a 1/2 mile is prime shoreline. (See my report attached to "Flying Fish's" report)

On pretty weekends during the shad run, Fletchers is a freaking zoo!!! And you're going to love the turn into Fletchers.

I've said enough. I'll let others fill in the gaps and make corrections.

[Flying Fish]

Well, at least the turn into Fletcher's is easy on weekends (and on weekdays before 6.15 am, after 10 am, before 2.15 pm, after 7.15 pm).

FF

[kwk]

Ken--If you're coming from the north on Canal Road, you don't want to make the hard right turn to Fletchers. Much better to turn left at the light at Arizona Avenue (first light after you pass the light at Chain Bridge), go up the hill, turn right at at the first light (MacArthur Blvd), and take MacArthur to the first right after the Exxon station. Go down that hill and the entrance to Fletchers is directly across the road. Wave at me while you're driving on MacArthur ...

[Tissy Furnes]

Ken,

KWK is probably older and wiser than I but I love making that right, especially in morning rush hour (and with the crowds showing up to Fletchers on Sat it will be like morning rush). It will get your heart pumping enough that you will be locked and loaded to set that hook on the very first strike.

Fish'em up!

[Ken Tidy]

Gents,

Thanks for all the good info, we have never been to Fletcher and are looking forward to it, bad news is I will be working part of the time I’ll be there so any fish that I will get in will be catch as catch can!

KWK, I will wave as I go by, BTW what’s for lunch, remember I like the crust trimmed of my bread!