{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Pickerel - Seeking spots/tips

Lane,

Great advice on flies!!  I haven't had any flies get destroyed yet, but it's easy to imagine.  For tippet, I've been using 22-lb hard mono, but this weekend I had a very small fish inhale the fly and probably shredded about halfway through that tippet - and that wasn't even a 12" fish.  I landed that one and re-tied but I'd hate to be setting myself up to lose a big one if I hook one so I'll probably get some tie-able wire.

Quantico is definitely within my preferred travel range.  Based on online info I was only able to confirm that they are in Lunga which is a massive lake, so it's good to hear they are spread around that area.  Where do you go to get the base fishing permit?

Really nice fish btw.

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 4:24:26 PM UTC-5, Lane Thurgood wrote:

Andrew, I am a chainsides addict between now and late March.  And it seems there aren't very many of us.  I love their torpedolike explosions from the side and V-wakes when on the chase.  Took 4 of them like this one this weekend.  Quantico ponds are loaded with them and here is info on fishing Quantico.  https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/waterbody/quantico-mcb-ponds-lakes/  I have also seen them caught from Burke Lake but not by me.  (And yes, I'm sure they were chain pickerel.)

Tactics:  I use a floating line.  Although when I started targeting them years ago, I initially did fine with 6 and 8 pound mono (I got lucky) because all fish were hooked in the corner of the mouth like yours.  After my first "sliceoff," I went to 20-lb wire.  Used wire for a few years and then somebody told me to use 20-pound fluoro because I'd scare less fish and I'd be fine.  Although 20-pound fluoro has generally worked, I have had a few biteoffs/sliceoffs.  Two weeks ago, I was using 20-pound fluoro, stripping the fly, saw the v-wake coming in, kept stripping, saw the explosion and strip-struck to nothing.  My 20-pound fluoro had been sliced (from thick to threadlike).  I never even felt the strike on the strip.  So, I immediately grabbed my bag and saw that I only had 30-lb wire.  It worked that day and then again this last weekend.  I tie the fly on with a "jam knot."  Way too easy.  And it has never failed me.

As for flies, I started with clousers and half-and-halfs years ago.  As you can imagine, bucktail and feathers generally last for exactly one fish.  I have experimented with various flies and now really only use one.  A bunny-strip fly.  I generally have a 2-inch white or yellow section as a tail, add some flash if I feel like it (and I have felt like it lately using red flash), and I then palmer a chartreuse strip up the shank.  I generally use 1/0 but I've taken pickerel on 6s up to 2/0. And I always mash that barb down.

In colder weather, look for shallow weedy bays protected from the wind. 

I have caught them on topwater, but generally fish a non-weighted bunny strip fly a foot or so under the surface.  In deeper places, I will at times resort to dumbbell eyes.

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