Anybody interested in fishing in Northern Virginia should definitely check out Charlie Taylor’s fishing report column in the News & Messenger. To whet your appetite, here is Taylor’s fishing report for the Occoquan River from April 8, 2010:

Spring fishing at it’s finest. Herring have invaded the river, bringing with them the white perch, hickory shad, and stripers. These, combined with the resident channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass, are providing good action for anglers in the river. White perch anglers are filling coolers on bloodworms and nightcrawlers. Bass are taking plastic worms, jigs and crankbaits and crappie are being caught on small minnows and jigs. Catfish still like cut herring.

The new signs on Route 123 and at Old Bridge Road say it all: The Occoquan Farmer’s Market will return again in 2010. The market, which features locally grown produce will be open for business on Saturday mornings late April through early November (excludes craft show weekends).

Check out http://occoquanfarmersmarket.org/ for more details.

Time to vote again! In May 2010 the residents of Occoquan will once again have the opportunity to elect a Mayor and new Town Council. Voting will take place at Town Hall from 6:00am – 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 2. Reminder, you must be registered to vote by April 12 in order to participate.

The big news is that there are more candidates than available seats on the Town Council this year. Here is a look at the slate of candidates:

Mayor:

Earnest W. Porta, Jr.

Town Council (Vote for 5):

Elizabeth A. “Liz” Quist
Ken T. Brunsvold
Denise M. Bush
Patrick A. Sivigny
James N. Walbert
Joao Paul “JP” Cunha

Before I endorse anybody, I’d like to hear a bit more from the candidates! Who is pro-growth? Who is pro-parking? Who will do the best job promoting the Occoquan waterfront?

** UPDATE ** Aquapalooza 2010 will be held on July 24th at Tim’s I in Dumfries.

There has been lots of speculation this year about whether or not Sea Ray and/or Prince William Marina would host Aquapalooza once again on the Potomac River (after lots of weather mayhem last year and the year before).

Turns out the answer is…YES! Aquapalooza 2010 is on, with a change in venue. This year the shenanigans will take place at Tim’s Rivershore (aka Tim’s I) in Dumfries, just a stone’s throw from Occoquan. I’ll post more details as they become available.

As previously noted, Belgique Gourmande has been sold and a new restaurant is about to open in its stead. The new restaurant will be known as the Cock & Bowl and the new owners plan on taking the Belgium theme and running with it. In their own words, here is a tastebud teasing preview of what’s to come:

“It’s all shiny clean and brightly decorated, with an eclectic mix of Euro-Belgian-French stuff we have collected over our travel years.”

“Our concept is to be casual & fun “Mussels and Fries” joint, a variety of mussel flavors, the real-deal fresh cut & twice-cooked frites and mayo, and fresh-baked crusty bread for dipping. Other bistro fare to include salads, sandwiches, classic appetizers & waffles, and a daily special board for the chef to pull together something according to season & whimsy.”

“30+ Belgian beers, and a nice selection of tasty and affordable small production wines. Our kitchen is TINY, so our focus is very tight. Our layout is quirky, so our service is to be very casual. We just love the patio!”

Just stumbled across this awesome video taken from a remote control airplane as it soars along the Occoquan River. Worth watching!

Occoquan 5th Flight from Paul Thompson on Vimeo.

It was freezing outside but that didn’t stop people from taking the plunge! All donations benefit the Special Olympics of Virginia.

Once again, Tim’s Rivershore Restaurant & Crabhouse will host a Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Virginia. The event will take place on February 27, 2010 from 10AM-2PM. The plunge will take place along the bank of the freezing Potomac River, pictured above.

The event will feature live music, a costume contest and tons of great prizes (plus, its for a great cause)! The plunger who raises the most money will receive a pair of roundtrip tickets on JetBlue Airways. For more info, check out Tim’s new website.

As previously noted, Belgique Gourmande has been up for sale. The authentic Belgian restaurant is located right in the center of town and has a very nice outdoor eating area on Union Street. My wife & I have eaten there many times (ice cream & waffles for breakfast, yum!) and although a bit dingy, the food is tasty and the location convenient.

Now comes word that the restaurant has been sold! The new owners are planning to rebrand the restaurant the Cock & Bowl. This is great news, I’m looking forward to having a new restaurant in town. Will post more details as they become available.

In 2010 the residents of Occoquan will once again have the opportunity to elect a Mayor and new Town Council. Voting will take place at Town Hall from 6:00am – 7:00pm on Tuesday, May 2. Reminder, you must be registered to vote by April 12 in order to participate.

In 2008, the elections were a bit of a drag because there was only one mayoral candidate and only 5 Town Council candidates (vying for a total of 5 open seats). Out of 593 registered voters, only 131 cast votes (22% turnout). James Walbert was elected to the Town Council with only 90 votes!

If you are interested in running for Town Council, now is your opportunity. You may obtain the necessary filing forms by contacting the Office of General Registrar at (703) 792-6470 or by downloading the forms from the State Board of Elections website.

The current Occoquan Town Council consists of:

• Mayor Earnest W. Porta, Jr.
• Vice Mayor Ken Brunsvold
• Council Member James N. Walbert
• Council Member Denise M. Bush
• Council Member Joao Paul “JP” Cunha
• Council Member Barry G. Dean