Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Hey guys. I have no idea where to post this. I hope in General is okay. I also have no idea where to go for fishing advice either. You guys have been awesome for support in all kinds of stuff. Seemed like a no-brainer to ask you all.

Anyway, for the first time in his life, my son is showing some interest in going fishing. I have a ton of experience with ocean fishing, but I don't know anything about fresh water fishing.

I was thinking that since The Cove stocks Walleye and those grow to a pretty nice size. They also stock Bass. Do you guys think this is a good time of year for fishing for Walleye? Is the Cove a good place?

Also, what type of lures or bait should I use for each? If I use lures, are there chems to make the lure more attractive, like sent wise?

Also, is a boat needed or can you fish for them from the shore? I think the Cove has row boats for rent, but haven't found any specifics.

Thanks for the help.

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Usually walleye are more active in cooler water temperatures. They may go deep and slow down this time of the year in VA waters. I caught a small one on Lake Chesdin one spring on a small crankbait. There are supposed to be nice ones in Chesdin, but few are caught.

If you're bank fishing try live bait. Minnows or worms. Bottom fishing with a sinker of the right size to take the bait down but not to make it hard to feel the fish take the bait. You might try bobber fishing, too. Same bait, but suspended under a bobber and up off the bottom. You can experiment with how far below the bobber till you find the depth the fish are at.

You could also use the plastic worms, grubs or lizards from the bank if you know how to fish them.

Good luck. Fishing can be fun and eating them even more fun. Not much better than fresh caught fish deep fried in oil with boiled potatoes and green beans.

and cornbread...

Cool. I appreciate the feedback.

I miss fire grilled flounder on the beach at night in Florida. Man, that was the best. I have been partial to garlic salt and butter... little lemon if its an older fish. I guess I have to learn some new cooking methods for the freshwater fish. Learn the flavors, etc.

The Lakes at The cove must be stocked pretty well. We camped there for 10 days a couple years ago and a couple camped next to us caught fish every day. Bass and Sun Fish...Didn't see any Walleye. If the fish ain't biting there's The Range and 4 wheeling !

I haven't fished in years but , we use to fish just below Richmond at Maury Street Ramp .We fished top water plugs for Walleye in late March and April. We caught quite a few and pretty regularly.

Lake Anna is pretty close to you and I know there are several Fishing Guide's there. A friend of mine has been there several times and have done good on Strippers. I'm not sure exactly where he goes but he does make the trip each year.

There are also many State Parks with ponds that are pretty productive.

We owned property at Bent Creek on the James for many years and fished for Small Mouth Bass. We used Bait casting rods with top water plugs , Rapala's and Rebel Minnows. I also loved Fly Rod Fishing. Many of the locals fished with night crawlers and mad toms.

The best thing is you will be fishing with your son !

Don't know squat about Walleye, but do know a little about Bass. Best time for largemouth is the AM. Use topwater stuff - poppers, zara spook (Heddon), buzz-baits. Near the edge of weed-beds, and into the weed-beds if you don't mind cleaning the bait every time you get it back. Look for gaps in the weed-beds. Fish will hide just inside the weeds, and when the lure hits the hole - WHAM!

As the sun rises, the fish will start to look for cooler water and go deeper. Diving crankbaits will work, but at that point I usually go to plastics or jigs. One of my favorite divers is the Rattl-trap. Not a very deep diver, but effective. For divers the thing to look for is how big the lip is and how far back on the lip the eye to tie the line is. Bigger lips and line eye farther back is a deeper diver.

Vary the speed of your retrieve to get different depths. If you go to plastics there is some argument about whether you need a bullet weight or not. Heaviest bullet I use is 1/16th oz. Bullets slide on the line so it's not gonna have the same effect as a fixed or clamped weight. Lots of guys don't use weights, just let the worm sink slowly and then twitch it gently. Drives the Bass crazy.

This - http://www.annapoint.com/fishingreport.html - is one of the Lake Anna fishing reports. They'll tell you a few things, but the guys at the marina will know more. But be careful, they'll also try and sell you the favored lures for a slightly inflated price. Have fun!

Thanks for all the feedback. Lots of good info. I really do appreciate it.

Snakester wrote:The best thing is you will be fishing with your son !

Yes Sir. I'm pretty excited. He hasn't wanted to spend much time with me lately. He's on summer break and is all about his friends. I was thrilled when he asked about it. This is going to be a good time for sure. I miss spending time with him.

We are in the same neighborhood. The occaquan offers good fishing for bass and sun fish 10 mins from you.

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True... but I think it would be a bit more fun when there is a short road trip and a little hike on a wooded trail out in the country. Especially compared to fishing smack dab in the middle of town.

We could always got to Bull Run Marina off of Yates Ford Rd. At least is not in a town. But I really want to catch a Walleye. LOL

A one-day or half-day striper fishing trip on Lake Anna would probably be a good way to go. You're almost guaranteed to catch fish, so it won't be a boring "we didn't catch anything" day. Catch some fish so that he'll want more. Stripers are delicious, too!

https://www.google.com/search?q=lake+an ... 8&oe=utf-8

So, I went to Gander MTN and bought some gear. Guy there asked if I wanted help. I told him I had salt water experiance, but haven't been fresh water fishing since the 80's (which may as well been never) and had no clue what I was looking for.

He was showing me some kits geared towards bass. He said "This one should have everything you need." He thought it was damn funny when I said "Does it come with 12" or 18" steel leaders?". He said "I see the salt water fishermen coming out.

Anyway. I think we're good. Should I buy scent for bass fishing with a lure, or are lures usually good enough?

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