Northern Virginia Bass Fishing: The Grassroots Tournament Scene Is GROWING!

The crew from Lew’s Golf and Fish Club returns to the show to talk about one of the most unique grassroots fishing and golf communities growing in Northern Virginia. What started as a group of friends who simply wanted more people to fish and golf with has grown into local tournaments, weekly leagues, new friendships, serious competition, and a genuine brotherhood built around getting outside. If you’ve ever wanted to fish a bass tournament but felt like you didn’t have the right boat, enough experience, or the latest electronics, this episode is for you. We break down how Lew’s Golf and Fish Club has created an approachable tournament format where first-time competitors can fish alongside some of the best anglers in the region—and actually have a chance to compete. In this episode we talk about: • Bass fishing tournaments in Northern Virginia • Fishing the Occoquan Reservoir and Potomac River • Aquia Creek bass fishing and tournament strategy • Why they’re adding the Rappahannock River to the schedule • Upper Potomac and Shenandoah River smallmouth fishing • Fishing tournaments without Forward Facing Sonar / LiveScope • Catch, photo, release tournament formats • Why smaller tournament boundaries can make anglers better • Fishing from kayaks, jon boats, aluminum boats and traditional bass boats • How water level, current and water clarity affect river smallmouth • Why giant smallmouth become incredibly difficult to catch during low, clear water • The mental similarities between competitive golf and bass fishing • Building a local fishing community instead of chasing social-media algorithms • How beginners can get involved in tournament bass fishing • Where Lews Golf and Fish Club could go in 2027 and beyond We also get into some classic fishing stories—including broken trolling motors, project boats, learning bass fishing from scratch, winning your first-ever bass tournament, fishing the Brunswick-to-Point of Rocks stretch of the Upper Potomac, brutal summer river conditions, and why sometimes equipment failure actually forces you to fish BETTER. One of the biggest conversations centers around the changing world of tournament bass fishing. Forward-facing sonar and LiveScope aren't going anywhere, but there is also a growing appetite for grassroots tournaments where anglers have to read water, make decisions, manage time, find productive areas and figure out the fish without watching them on a screen. That old-school style of tournament fishing is exactly what Lews Golf and Fish Club is trying to keep alive. Link to Lew’s Golf & Fish Club Website: https://linktr.ee/lewsgolf_fishclub Lew’s Golf & Fish Club Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lewsgolf.fishclub Lew’s Golf & Fish Club Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lewsgolf_fishclub Lew’s Golf & Fish Club Fishing Schedule: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF8FSvenwM/oo9uSPuk4jO-24Wa0P-G5g/view?utm_content=DAF8FSvenwM&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=UNAVAILABLE Please support Fishing the DMV on Patreon!!! https://patreon.com/FishingtheDMVPodcast Green Top: https://www.greentop.com/ Jake’s bait & Tackle Website: http://www.jakesbaitandtackle.com/ Fishing Pro Tech: https://www.facebook.com/FishingProTech Phone Number: (757) 566-1278 Email: [email protected] Fishing Pro Tech Address: 7812-A Richmond Road, Toano, VA, United States, 23168 Flint Financial Planning: https://www.flintfinancialplanning.com/ FITT Lures: https://bit.ly/4w5lgHt LMD Enterprises: http://lmdoil.com/ Max4 Fishing: https://max4fishing.com/ Support the show