In Stafford County few places are better for Northern Snakehead fishing than Government Island County Park.  The park is a 17 acre island with a pretty rich history. On the island is a historic sandstone quarry from the late 1700’s.  The sandstone mined here was used to construct many of the early U.S. Government buildings in Washington D.C., including the White House and Capitol building.  So it’s pretty cool to see the pickaxe marks carved into the bedrock here.  Government Island is one of the best places to bird watch in Stafford county as well due to the unique landscape that is a great home for woodland and waterfowl alike.  The main reason to go to Government Island is for fishing, especially for Northern Snakehead Fishing.  Check out our post on Northern Snakehead Fishing Here.  And check out the best northern snakehead lures here. This is where I’ve caught some of my biggest snakehead.

Fishing

There are a number of great spots to fish from in the park as shown on this map below.  Government Island is bordered by Aquia Creek and Austin Run.

Fishing Site 1– The mouth of Austin Run into Aquia Creek is a very productive fishing spot.  The secret to really hit this spot well is to wade into the water a little ways.  That way you can make sure you clear the channel with all of your casts.  You can access this spot by jumping off the boardwalk right after it crosses over Austin Run and following the little footpaths in the downstream direction. These paths are muddy during most of the year so watch your step. This site allows fishing access to the open waters of Aquia Creek. The most common fish caught at this spot are Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, and juvenile Striped Bass. The best way to catch a Snakehead here is to throw your lures/bait alongside the spatterdock that lines Aquia Creek.

Fishing Site 2- Access to fishing site 2 is pretty simple as there are clear walking paths leading right to it. This is one of the best snakehead fishing places in Stafford County. During the warmer months there is almost always someone at this spot fishing so don’t be surprised if it’s already taken when you get there. The most common fish caught at this site are Bluegill and Northern Snakehead.

Fishing Site 3- Site 3 access is pretty similar to Site 2 as there are obvious paths to follow. Fishing this site is a little trickier as the vegetation is much thicker in this area. The water is deeper though so the fish are a little more abundant over here. Most common fish caught at this site are Snakehead and Largemouth Bass.