a friend of mine got to listen to john speak recently and here are the notes he took, very interesting reading.
John Odenkirk, District Fisheries Biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. His presentation and replies to questions were both superb. I have tried to include here a brief synopsis of the information provided:
1. Lake Manassas -- Old City Manager is out. VDGIF and new city manager, along with a couple of board members, are meeting to discuss opening the lake to the general public. VDGIF is bringing attornies to the meeting since state funds were used to stock the lake. Any time state funds are used to stock a body of water in Virginia, the water must be open to the public to access the fish. Of particular interest is the fact that the attornies feel that there is no way the City of Manassas can prohibit a citizen from putting in on Broad Run at US 29 and drifting down into the lake, as long as the citizen does not get out of the boat onto land.
2. Goose Creek Reservoir - Kiss it goodby forever. It is owned by the City of Fairfax and located in Loudoun County. The intergovernmental politics will never allow it to be opened to the public again.
3. Beaverdam Reservoir - Same as above. Owned by County of Fairfax and located in Loudoun County.
4. Chickahominy River - The fishery is back. It is currently taking 12-16 pounds to place in a tournament there. Due to excellent spawns in 2004 and 2005 and a very good spawn in 2006, combined with the stocking that was done on the river, the bass fishery is in excellent shape and will only get better over the next few years.
I also found a note on the Virginia Bass Federation page that a Boy Scout Tournament will be taking place out of Rivers Rest Marina. Checking out Rivers Rest Marina in Google, I found their web site and it not only lists a Marina, but also renovated motel rooms, swimming pool and a new restaurant. It is actively advertising for fishermen. I guess they are back in business.
5. Northern Snakeheads are very similar to Bowfin.....in both appearance and habits. They are air-breathing fish, with no gills. This means that they must come to the surface every three minutes or so to gulp air or die. They
love vegetation, never leaving it if at all possible. The are also homebodies, preferring not to stray from the place they were born. The live in very shallow, vegetation infested, water and eat primarily killifish. Most do not frequent water deeper than two feet, with many five pound fish living in six inches of water. Their range on the Potomac River is from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to the Possum Point Power Lines. Most of the Northern Snakeheads are located in that 25 miles of river. They breed all summer and the females lay 40,000 eggs at a time. Both parents protect the young until they can fend for themselves. A one month old snakehead can catch and eat a killifish minnow. Current record is 12 pounds, electroshocked by John Odenkirk in Dogue Creek. The 2007 regulations will allow anglers to catch and keep Northern Snakeheads, but they will be required by law to kill the fish. According to John, they are excellent eating.
6. Blue Catfish have exploded in the tidal Potomac River. They are getting bigger and bigger each year and John fully expects to see 100# blue catfish within the next 5-6 years. The Potomac River is more fertile than the James, is larger than the James and has the capability of producing much large fish than the James, due to the availability of forage. They are expected to outcompete the channel catfish and coexist with the flathead catfish in the river. With the huge population of gizzard shad in the river, the blues will just keep getting bigger and bigger. They are reproducing very well and the population is increasing exponentially.
7. There is a new 400+ acre reservoir in Spotsylvania County, near t
John Odenkirk, District Fisheries Biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. His presentation and replies to questions were both superb. I have tried to include here a brief synopsis of the information provided:
1. Lake Manassas -- Old City Manager is out. VDGIF and new city manager, along with a couple of board members, are meeting to discuss opening the lake to the general public. VDGIF is bringing attornies to the meeting since state funds were used to stock the lake. Any time state funds are used to stock a body of water in Virginia, the water must be open to the public to access the fish. Of particular interest is the fact that the attornies feel that there is no way the City of Manassas can prohibit a citizen from putting in on Broad Run at US 29 and drifting down into the lake, as long as the citizen does not get out of the boat onto land.
2. Goose Creek Reservoir - Kiss it goodby forever. It is owned by the City of Fairfax and located in Loudoun County. The intergovernmental politics will never allow it to be opened to the public again.
3. Beaverdam Reservoir - Same as above. Owned by County of Fairfax and located in Loudoun County.
4. Chickahominy River - The fishery is back. It is currently taking 12-16 pounds to place in a tournament there. Due to excellent spawns in 2004 and 2005 and a very good spawn in 2006, combined with the stocking that was done on the river, the bass fishery is in excellent shape and will only get better over the next few years.
I also found a note on the Virginia Bass Federation page that a Boy Scout Tournament will be taking place out of Rivers Rest Marina. Checking out Rivers Rest Marina in Google, I found their web site and it not only lists a Marina, but also renovated motel rooms, swimming pool and a new restaurant. It is actively advertising for fishermen. I guess they are back in business.
5. Northern Snakeheads are very similar to Bowfin.....in both appearance and habits. They are air-breathing fish, with no gills. This means that they must come to the surface every three minutes or so to gulp air or die. They
love vegetation, never leaving it if at all possible. The are also homebodies, preferring not to stray from the place they were born. The live in very shallow, vegetation infested, water and eat primarily killifish. Most do not frequent water deeper than two feet, with many five pound fish living in six inches of water. Their range on the Potomac River is from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to the Possum Point Power Lines. Most of the Northern Snakeheads are located in that 25 miles of river. They breed all summer and the females lay 40,000 eggs at a time. Both parents protect the young until they can fend for themselves. A one month old snakehead can catch and eat a killifish minnow. Current record is 12 pounds, electroshocked by John Odenkirk in Dogue Creek. The 2007 regulations will allow anglers to catch and keep Northern Snakeheads, but they will be required by law to kill the fish. According to John, they are excellent eating.
6. Blue Catfish have exploded in the tidal Potomac River. They are getting bigger and bigger each year and John fully expects to see 100# blue catfish within the next 5-6 years. The Potomac River is more fertile than the James, is larger than the James and has the capability of producing much large fish than the James, due to the availability of forage. They are expected to outcompete the channel catfish and coexist with the flathead catfish in the river. With the huge population of gizzard shad in the river, the blues will just keep getting bigger and bigger. They are reproducing very well and the population is increasing exponentially.
7. There is a new 400+ acre reservoir in Spotsylvania County, near t
