FISHING...

Little Hunting Creek is about 6 feet deep in most of the channel at high tide and about 10 feet at the moth of the creek. The mouth of the creek is very dangerous and has been posted to ban wading or swimming in that area, but many people fish there under the bridge on parkland maintained by the National Park Service.

Most of the rest of the creek has very mild currents. The bottom is thick silt and there are many areas to catch fish. Although the water is brackish (it has some salt content) it is not salty enough to produce crabs, as is the case closer to Chesapeake Bay.

Recreational fishing on Little Hunting Creek is licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia, (see the Virginia Regulations) and on the Potomac by the State of Maryland.

There is both recreational and commercial fishing in Little Hunting Creek. Recreationally, fish caught include catfish, perch, and largemouth bass. The easiest fish to catch are carp and catfish. The creek is known as a prime habitat for largemouth bass, and has been frequented by fishing tournaments held in the area. . Largemouth bass can be taken on artificial lures. These lures vary by season. Several years ago, a bass tournament was won by a fisherman who caught most of his bass within the creek. He located two prime fishing spots, one near Stratford on the Potomac and the other near Riverside Estates. They also get very big in the creek. Our local bass guide and Stratford Landing neighbor Steve Chaconas can provide a general fishing report and also some "secret" recipes for catching the carp and catfish. Steve's website is at www.nationalbass.com and also includes helpful links.

While most residents are proud of the creek's bass reputation, others are concerned that fish caught in the creek may not be safe to eat. While there is no formal warning not to eat fish caught in the creek, many people who are familiar both with the quality of the fishing, and the quality of the fish, would not choose to eat it.