Water clarity is an essential factor for the production of plankton, the foundation of the food chain. Fish that feed on sight, such as largemouth bass and blue gall, need reasonably clear water to find their food. The clarity of the water must be at least 18 inches all year round. Clarity can be measured with a Secchi disc, which is an 8-inch disc made of wood, metal, or plastic.
The disc is marked in rooms painted alternately in black and white. Attach the disc to the end of a measuring rod or pole (right). If you're looking to go bass fishing in Northern Virginia, it's important to understand the special water clarity levels that are necessary for a successful fishing experience. To ensure that your fishing trip is a success, you'll need to know what type of clarity is needed for bass fishing and how to measure it.
The Secchi disc is a great tool for measuring water clarity. It's an 8-inch disc made of wood, metal, or plastic that's marked with alternating black and white rooms. You can attach it to the end of a measuring rod or pole and lower it into the water to measure the clarity. The Secchi disc should be lowered until it's no longer visible in order to get an accurate reading.
If you're dealing with murky water problems, contact your local county extension office or any DGIF office for help. They may suggest a diversion trench to channel water away from the pond or lime to reduce acidity and settle suspended clay. Briery is one of the best waters in the state for hunting bass, with a small number of fish up to 24 inches collected fairly consistently. Fishermen who aren't lucky enough to tie themselves to a trophy fish should enjoy great success, as the lake has a large number of fish from 12 to 18 inches.
Over the years, considerable effort was made to get the bass out of the lake, as it became overabundant and atrophied in size, however, the bass has returned to the lake. The small mouth, the big mouth and the spotted bass (collectively referred to as “black bass”) are the “bread and butter” fish of this lake. This simply means that the reservoir would be deep enough for warm-water fish (bass, catfish, sunfish, crab) and cold-water fish (trout). Farther offshore, at shipwreck sites and reefs, bass fishing has declined a bit and limited catches are nothing more than a memory.
Biologists expected that the presence of seabass from the Florida strain and the complex habitat would produce a high-quality largemouth bass fishery. Remember that hot summer weather creates difficult conditions for striped bass to survive, so DNR will re-publish its striped bass fishing forecast for the warmer months so that anglers can better plan their striped bass fishing forecast and reduce mortality. Good fishing for striped bass has been found in the lower part of the Patuxent River, around the docks of the Solomon Islands Bridge and also around the edges of the canal. Nordic snakeheads can be part of the mix, especially if you fish higher up in rivers at high tide near grassy plains.
Fishermen who do not want their trophy mounted will release their fish at the end of the fishing day. Whether you're looking to break a record, fly fish, or catch a fish “that big” there are plenty of places around Virginia where you can go fishing. Little fish drifting along deep edges of grass are a good way to fish for bass, yellow perch, crappie and black bass. The lake is nationally recognized for its bass and stripper fishing so it is subject to significant fishing pressure.
It has been fun fishing for striped bass first thing in morning and late at night at mouths of Virginia's tidal rivers along coastal structure. Proper management and care of largemouth bass will increase everyone's chances of catching one. Initially regulations for largemouth bass were set with minimum length of 18 inches and limit of two fillets per day.
