Occoquan River – August 8, 2025
“Bassin’ With Elijah: Big Bites, Small Egos, and Zero Catfish”
Trip Overview:
Evening float, 5–8 PM, Occoquan River. I fished with Elijah, who seems to have some kind of deal with the fishing gods.
Weather & Conditions:
- Temps: Low 80s dropping into the 70s.
- Barometric Pressure: Steady ~29.9 inHg, which apparently makes bass behave better than my kids.
- Wind: Barely a whisper.
- Tide: Climbing toward an 8:47 PM high.
Fishing Report:
Elijah bagged a 2.5-lb largemouth—a solid fish that had him grinning like he’d just won the lottery. I pulled in a 1-lb bass, which looked like its little brother tagging along. We also snagged a few sunfish for bait, but the catfish were on strike.
Bait of the Day:
The 4″ Fluke Vertail from Get a Grip Custom Baits and Tackle (picked up at Harford Crabbing & Tackle). Worked like a charm.
Closing Roast:
Elijah gets bragging rights this round. My consolation prize? A mosquito bite the size of a golf ball.
South Fork Shenandoah River – August 30, 2025
“7.5 Miles, 20 Fun-Size Smallmouth, and Too Many Jerks (Mostly Us)”
Trip Overview:
Float trip with Downriver Canoe Company out of Bentonville, VA. 7.5 miles of paddling, casting, and swearing.
Weather & Conditions:
- Temps: Morning low 40s, afternoon low 70s. Perfect “freeze your butt at launch, sweat by noon” weather.
- Barometric Pressure: Steady ~30 inHg, boring but good.
- River Level: Low, gin-clear—basically fishing in an aquarium.
- Trend: Stable all day.
Fishing Report:
We threw everything: crankbaits, jerkbaits, weighted plastics, weightless plastics. All worked. Between three of us, we boated about 20 smallmouth, none over 14″. A parade of fun-sized fighters.
Closing Roast:
No trophies, but we didn’t flip the canoe or lose a rod. That’s called a victory in our book. The fish may have been small, but at least there were more of them than excuses.
