July 30 2014 - Quantico Creek (Tidal Potomac)

Went on a grand adventure and put in at Quantico Creek.



Quantico Creek is a tributary to the Potomac and the portion I fished is an embayment formed by the tidal portion.  On one side, the creek is bordered by Quantico Marine Corps Base, which you pass through to reach the access.  On the other side of the creek mouth is the Possum Point power generation station.  I don't know what impact the power station might have on the water temperature, but the droning of what I assume are the turbines is not the most pleasant ambient noise.

I got there at about 4, and talked with some of the local boaters to get whatever local scuttlebutt there was.  M________, who apparently fishes here with some regularity, had a lot of positive things to say about the fishing, and assured me I'd catch something.

According to NOAA, when I put in at 4:45, it was low tide.  Here I am, having passed under the bridge, looking west, upstream.

Initially I paddled along the north bank, but moved over to the south bank looking for some shade.

Moved along, initially casting a weedless frog over the mats of hydrilla, hoping to tie into a snakehead.  Got tired of that and started fan casting over top of the hydrilla, one rod with a small spinner and the other with a buzzbait.

Caught this bluegill.

Then tied into this big 20.5" largemouth:

And then just a couple of casts later, this one that was 18".

Here's the buzzbait I was using, one of my own design.  The treble hooks snag the hydrilla like crazy, and it sinks fairly quickly.  I might try building one up with a wooden body so that it floats, and using a single hook.

Not all of them can be lunkers.  Caught this one on a larger spinner.

This place was lousy with ospreys, here is just one of many:

Being near the Marine Corps Base, there are also ospreys of an entirely different sort around: V-22 Osprey.

 
Saw these flowers on the way back, have had a heck of a time figuring out what they are, but I'm fairly certain they are white turtlehead flowers (Chelone glabra)

Took out at about 8:45.  The Acute Angler, at the end of a successful day, in the classic bassmaster pose: