Fletcher’s Boat House is located on the Potomac River along the C & O Canal National Historical Park, between Chain Bridge and Key Bridge at 4940 Canal Road, NW, Washington, D.C., and is an official National Park Service seasonal concessionaire, renting row boats, canoes, kayaks and bikes. Fishing tackle and licenses are also available as well as food and drink. Please note that Fletcher's is a trash free park, so any sort of litter you generate must go home with you. There are NO trash barrels.
Be very careful when entering the driveway to Fletcher's. The road is wide enough for only ONE car, let alone an SUV. And the tunnel leading to the lower parking area is also narrow and has a very low ceiling. If you're car-topping a kayak or canoe and it's on an SUV, you won't make it. If it's on a car roof, stop outside the tunnel and check for clearance before proceeding.
The boat house has been in this location since the mid-1800’s and has been run by four generations of Fletcher's. A few years ago Joe and Ray Fletcher decided they'd had enough and turned the operation over to the park service.
During the Spring Fletcher's is THE spot to fish for Hickory Shad, American Shad, and migrating striped bass. There is a fleet of boats available for rent (hourly or day) but when the shad are running you must get there early because boats are often gone by 8am.
Be nice to the Boat Lady. She is your friend.
PHONE: (202) 244-0461
EQUIPMENT: Use anything between a 5 to 8-weight rod but most people fish with a 6 or 7-weight with a Type V or any fast-sinking line. The flies that work best were either size 8 or 10 dressed in white, chartreuse or hot pink, with the white fly being the best producing color.
