The Best Bass Fishing Spots in Northern Virginia: An Expert's Guide

Are you an avid angler looking for the best bass fishing spots in Northern Virginia? Look no further! The Potomac River, Lake Anna, Occoquan Reservoir, Lake Braddock, Royal Lake, Chickahominy River and James River are all great places to cast your line. With the right knowledge and gear, you can catch some of the biggest bass in the area. The Potomac River is a great spot for bass fishing in Northern Virginia. Most fishing guides are found in the Lower Potomac, in places like Fort Washington, Maryland and Alexandria, VA.

You can choose to go fishing with some of Washington's famous landmarks as a backdrop, or go out into nature for a quieter experience. The sampling of the river shows that the bass fishery is in good condition and that the size structure is very healthy, since there are many fish in the 3 to 4 pound range available and also some larger fish in the mix. Lake Anna is another great spot for bass fishing. It's the best large lake near Northern Virginia, where you can find high-quality largemouth bass. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) lists the Occoquan Reservoir as an “exceptional bass fishery” with a diverse number of small and large bass, with a good quantity of more than 4 or 5 pounds, which is considered a trophy size for the area.

Fishing for the grass is key for Occoquan, but finding the fish in points or structural changes is where you'll really find quality bass. Lake Braddock and Royal are more aimed at bank anglers. Copeland said that the average bass was 12 to 14 inches long and that the minimum size limit of 18 inches for the limit of a bag of bass was helping to maintain a constant amount of bass in the lake. The Chickahominy River is still king in terms of fishing for largemouth bass in tidal rivers (it even rivals or surpasses some lakes), while his recommendation was the James River for largemouth bass anglers. The populations of largemouth bass in both lakes are also quite good, and multi-quality bass weighing more than 4 pounds have been reported in fishing applications such as Fishbrain and Hook and Bullet. Black largemouth bass can be fished in the tidal and southern regions of the river, while black bass is commonly found in the Upper Potomac. If you're looking to catch some great bass in Northern Virginia, then look no further than Contrary Creek, Carolina's platforms, Potomac River, Occoquan Reservoir, Lake Anna, Lake Braddock, Royal Lake, Chickahominy River and James River.

With the right knowledge and gear, you can catch some of the biggest bass in the area.