Fletchers Update -- 4/6

[Tissy Furnes]

Bailed on my fellow office drones, knocked off for lunch and went up to Fletchers. Danny and Ray were just opening shop.

Good news. They have DC licenses! About 30 of the boats are refurbished and ready to go in the water. Rain and water levels depending, they thought they would renting by early next week.

Ray said that the new contractor/Park Service would be more conservative than in years past re: boat rental and water levels. He thought the magic number would be 4.7' at the Little Falls gauge.

Water is still high and muddy, but it looks like it is dropping fairly quickly. I saw 7-8 cormorants. They were as eager for the season to start as I but I didn't see them catch anything.

A new web site should be coming on line soon. They will also be hooking up the old phone number as well.

[noke41]

Great news!! Man am I looking forward to getting out there....I hope the retained the services of the gentle, soft spoken young lady at the boat launch.....Now she's a keeper...

[djones]

Great news about the boats. I'm all set otherwise with tackle, license, and flies.

Meanwhile, I've been putting in some long hours at work because I have a feeling I might have some illnesses or personal emergencies coming up real soon.

[Salmo trutta]

On Sunday when the river was blown high sky I was driving down Canal Road and saw hundreds of cormorants in the trees, on the rocks and in the water. Tomorrow, just maybe tomorrow!!!

[AlexT]

The suspense is killing me. I'm going early tomorrow morning...

[Salmo trutta]

Had dinner tonight at the water front near Tomson's Boat house, the water didn't look too bad at all. Rock creek was dirtier than the river for some reason. I think the Potomac is fishable and I saw plenty of fish flipping in the river. GET OUT THERE NOW! More rain on the way to $crew us weekend warriors. The rain gods really hate us this year. Just when things are about to come round it turns upside down again. I'll be fishing tomorrow evening in the rain then giving up for the rest of the year. Obviously not but I wish I had something else I was passionate about besides watching water levels and praying for clear rivers.

[The Old Man]

Salmo, I'll be out there tomorrow afternoon too, trying the rocks in the CB area. From 3:00 to about 6:30. Tall guy, Ohio State hat.

Should be well below 5' at Little Falls by then, maybe 4.6 or so. Me like!

-- Doug

[kwk]

Salmo, I'm on the waterfront by Thompson's right now, and the river is still pretty dirty but getting cleaner slowly. Couple of more days and it should be OK if we don't get a ton of rain.

[Tissy Furnes]

Doug,

I might be out there with you.

But now this front looks like it is moving in earlier than projected.

Sebastian

[SteveL]

It will likely be around April 15 or so before its really fishable. Good news is that the water temp is up to 53 degrees!!!!

April 7 from http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/md/hydro.html

LOW PRESSURE OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY WILL SPREAD MORE RAINFALL ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH SATURDAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO A HALF INCH ARE EXPECTED OVER THE UPPER POTOMAC AND SHENANDOAH BASINS... AND UP TO ONE INCH OVER THE LOWER POTOMAC AND RAPPAHANNOCK BASINS. THIS RAINFALL WILL CAUSE RISES OF ONE TO THREE FEET IN THE UPPER
POTOMAC BASIN...AND RISES TO ONE-HALF FLOOD STAGE ACROSS THE LOWER POTOMAC. RIVER LEVELS ARE ABOVE HAZARDOUS LEVELS FOR RECREATIONAL USE ON THE MAIN STEM POTOMAC FROM PAW PAW DOWNRIVER TO LITTLE FALLS ...ON THE SHENANDOAH RIVER AT LYNNWOOD AND MILLVILLE...AND ON THE
RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AT REMINGTON.

The site calls for the river to rise from current 5.8 feet at LF to 6.4 on Sat. My guess is that if this is the last rain for a week the river may drop to below 5 feet by around around April 15. Although 5 feet is a good cut off for fishing, best fishing conditions are usually at 4.7 or less.

[The Old Man]

*sigh*[sad]

[hyla]

I actually fished the river just upstream from Fletchers yesterday. The only action I saw was from some fouled-hooked threadfin/gizzard shad. I'll put money down that today will be the day someone catches the first Hickory. Of course . . . I'm trapped indoors having the life sucked out of me by cheap flourescent lighting [sad] I'm looking forward to Sunday!

[Brandon]

Gang,

I have been working in Georgetown lately and the river today to me still looks pretty dirty and a bit high. I have not fished the river here as much as many on the board, so I am by no means and expert on this area, but I would say we need a lot cleaner water to really have some decent fishing. But hey, I am willing to get it a go whenever anyone else is. I am actaully heading back to the E. Shore, but will be back here next week. Hopefully the rain that is coming will not do dump too much.

Brandon

[HJS]

Dam4, 10:00 to noon - Just got back from Dam4 up near Hagerstown (only1 walleye caught, 18"). Flow was still too high by 1'-2' for good fishing from shore. Plus water vis was barely 1 foot at the best. I thought it would be clearer. Water this murky this far upstream means it will take at least a few more days for the Potomac to clear down by Fletchers.

I could see fresh signs that flood waters was at least 4' deep on the canal towpath just down from Dam4... that'sa lotta water folks.

[Flying Fish]

Brandon (and others): Stay in touch next week, I'll be trying out the river if there's any chance.

FF

[spilunkr]

It don't sound good. NWS has issued flash flood warnings for Wasington, Frederick and Montgomery Counties(among others). Looks like the water will be high a dirty for a little while longer.

Guy