Are you a fan of bass fishing and live in or around Northern Virginia? You're in luck! This area is home to some of the best bass fishing spots in the state. From the Occoquan Reservoir to Lake Anna, there are plenty of places to cast your line and catch some quality bass. Largemouth bass, native to southeastern Virginia, can be found in slow-moving, warm, shallow lakes, ponds and streams with abundant vegetation, thickets, stumps and logs, usually at depths of less than 20 feet. It prefers temperatures of 68 to 78°F.
In reservoirs, it is oriented to slopes, cornices, underwater islands, sunken timbers, boathouses, docks and bridges. Chesapeake Bay is very close to much of the river in Northern Virginia, which means that the water you'll be fishing in can be brackish or rise and fall constantly with the tides. Some professional BASS tournaments have even been caught here. The VDGIF classifies the Occoquan Reservoir as an “exceptional bass fishery” with a diverse number of small and large bass, with a good amount of more than 4 or 5 pounds - considered the size of a trophy for the area. Fishing for grass is key for Occoquan but finding the fish in points or structural changes is where you'll really find quality bass. Lake Anna is also a great spot for largemouth bass; its populations are quite good and multi-quality bass weighing more than 4 pounds have been reported in fishing applications such as Fishbrain and Hook and Bullet. Lake Braddock and Royal are more aimed at bank anglers; they earn a spot on this list because they are two of the places where you can fish bass off the coast of Northern Virginia.
If brackish water and rising tides don't scare you away from bass fishing, you can also try your luck on Aquia Creek. No matter what type of bass fishing you prefer or what type of water you're comfortable with, there's something for everyone in Northern Virginia. So grab your rod and reel and get out there!.
