I’m presenting this photograph of a beautiful American Shad in the spirit of optimism. Yes, the Potomac at Fletcher’s has been swift and roiled for the last ten days. But the river will return to normal and the shad, stripers and even some of the biggest perch of the season will continue their runs. Historically, the shad run lasts into June. Striper season can stretch into summer and the biggest perch ever measured at Fletcher’s was caught on this very day in 1987. To be a successful fisherman, you have to be an optimist!

Mike Thron is the talented angler in the photo. The week prior to Sunday the 20th bestowed on us a fantastic stretch of perfect conditions and plenty of fish. Then the skies opened up, and…well, you know the rest. This period of high water is a normal spring event, and will pass. As the saying goes, “one must take the good with the bad.” What is different in modern times is the unwillingness and/or inability of anglers to “go with the flow.” Our busy schedules, our impatient natures, have bred in us a desire to fish on our terms, rather than nature’s. When the water drops, the fish will be there. Will you?

Striped Bass season in D.C. begins on May 16th. The limit is possession of two fish per angler per day. One fish can be between 18 and 28 inches in length. The other can be 18 inches or larger. Yes, that is different from the last few years. Yes, that’s confusing. Yes, that’s fishery management in the 21st century.

On behalf of Fletcher’s, I would like to extend a sincere thank-you to all the principles, sponsors, volunteers and participants in last weekend’s “National Casting Call” events. In spite of the un-friendly weather, the enthusiasm and friendliness of all involved was warming to the spirit. On Sunday, many smiling children lined the canal with fishing rods in hand. And lots of fish were caught and released, to the delight of all.

Monday’s rain brought most of the action under the tents, where awards to those involved in shad restoration and the displays of conservation organizations packed in the crowds.

A special thanks to Mike “The Animal” Bailey, long time friend of The Boathouse, who put in many hours of work coordinating the event. By Monday evening he could have been a character in “Night of the Walking Dead.”