Fish Consumption Advisory DOEE urges limited consumption of Anacostia and Potomac river fish. PCBs and other chemical contaminants have continued to be found in certain fish species caught in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and their tributaries, including Rock Creek, within the Distric's boundaries.

Summer is a great time to go fishing because of the wide variety of species you can target. Fall is known for its great Rainbow Trout runs, especially in the Upper Potomac, near the North Branch and South Branch Rivers. Fall is also a good time to target Striped Bass, especially in the Lower Potomac region.

However, in recent years anglers have pulled out some trophy size Striped Bass from the Potomac with some reaching over 40 inches. The typical ways to catch these fish are soft plastics, crankbaits, or live minnows.

Fish are always active in the early hours of the morning, but with these temperatures, they will move to shallow water. The shallows are the areas that will warm up first when the sun comes up in the morning. Any time you know where you will find the fish, you have a significant advantage.