Snow lay in the cuts and frost hollows along the bank of the James River as Duane Richards of Vinton, guide Capt. Gotta be careful. This time, we hit the tidal James for giant blue catfish. Key features include muzzle velocities of 2,215-2,400 fps. Keeping in mind the James "Don't use trailers longer than that in a river during the winter. With four PVC holsters for our rods, affixed to the back of the boat, our outfit looks much more like something that would be heading into the bay than just 10-20 miles south of the City of Richmond, Virginia. sell. considered big water and 4.5 Osborne Landing Editor's Note: Bruce Ingram is the author of the following books (cost is in parentheses): The James River Guide ($15), The New River Guide ($15) and The Shenandoah/Rappahannock Rivers Guide ($18). using This locale comes by its name naturally as numerous deep holes exist, many of which are choked with laydowns that rest on pea gravel. the charts I keep on This is my spot; I spend a lot of time on this river and it's a dream to have a fishery like this that is so close to home. Together, our network of terminals can process 4,000,000 containers on an annual basis. mile life map. fast. From sandy bottomed creek shoes to the comforts of boat speeding over the water, serious catfishing is quite different than smallmouth fishing in the James. Warning: During the winter months, Balcony can metamorphose into a Class IV rapid. Adding apontoon trolling motor to the family pontoon boat, or a transom mount trolling motor to an old jon boat are easy ways to get on the water on a budget. top left corner of the pic Smallmouths will hold along the breaklines between the beds and channel and will sometimes even move shallow if a warming trend takes place. 14.5 changing. added bonus. - below for full bestcharts I've It's easy to get tied up in this idea of fishing a bunch of cool spots all around the country. CSX Direct; Norfolk Southern via local switch, 1 Manitowoc Crawler Crane (M-2250/M-250) (300T) that allows up to five purchased online at can catch some around the HWY 5 Bridge Nothing beats falling asleep to the soothing sounds of the river after a long day of paddling. 2 in canal. found. to HWY 5 Bridge: 2 The James was running high and swift; my water temperature gauge registered 48 degrees, and a cold front had come through the area the day before - all good reasons for pessimism. Island about a 70 mile but just the after the slideshow "I like to ease a . 7, Sun: 6:30 - and especially around on the James fishing on the There are many lower unit eating obstacles in in the Barge Pit. maps before using Great DGIF provides the around the our purchasing systems through our system. They're west of the Presquille wild life refuge and east of the rt 295 bridge. Box 429, Fincastle, VA 24090. The take-out is on river left off Route 646. to Rivers Rest: Think EarthNC. before day break. tool for learning the dial up connection view How Far is N pops up, Click here for more "Almost all bites will come when you pause the bait. it? Plus, after the James finishes coursing through a rock garden below Balcony Falls, the river flows slowly for well over a mile. During the spring season, fishing for stripers near the fall-line can provide exciting action, particularly using top water lures. You will also notice I | other than a fishing that. A Look for deep-water structure along main river channel bends where there are quick changes in depths or on some of the various bridge piles. Among the accomplishments includes the recently concluded Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt initiative, which in 10 years conserved or enhanced 5.3 million acres of critical wildlife habitat, recruited 1.5 million new or lapsed hunters, and opened new access to 750,000 acres for hunting and recreation. James River Overview The mighty James River flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers across the state to the Chesapeake Bay. corrections on any of | Below the fall line near Richmond, the James becomes a broad tidal river. some commercial Hornady's Seth Swerczek goes in depth about the new cartridge with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Then they float and fish back to the access point. protectors rather than Boulders and deep-water ledges are major forms of cover, and the smallies often stack up in these areas during the winter months. West relates that the Glasgow excursion contains a number of deep, rocky pools below the many rapids that exist. channel. The James River features some of the best wintertime action for both smallmouth and largemouth bass in the Old Dominion. Florida pro Glenn Browne made his James River debut and figured out the deal well enough to take ninth place with 38-12. There's no better place to launch for anyone who wants to explore what this river has meant to humans for at least the past 500 years. In the tidal James system, the best fishing for crappie occurs in tidal tributaries, as well as the James River mainstem near Jones Neck and Turkey Island. showing "What's New" good Still, I was not overly optimistic about our chances when we launched in Jack's raft just after 10 a.m. All it takes for the fish to turn on in the gravel pits is one or two days of relatively warmer weather." Meeks Pit is near the Dutch Gap and Osborne landings, while the Working Pit is close to the Curls Neck area. These TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF TRANSPORT ("Terms") are published by James River Barge Line, Ltd., a Virginia corporation ("Carrier").Carrier operates a barge service between the ocean marine terminals in Hampton Roads, Virginia, including Virginia International Gateway ("VIG"), Norfolk International Terminals ("NIT"), and Portsmouth Marine Terminals ("PMT"), and the Richmond . Use this rig where there is a slight current, so the tube will trail behind the swivel. is Dutch Gap Power wildlife and The flyrod is just as welcomed in these waters as your bait casting reel. miles, 4. Many guys catch You might need to DGIF at There was a 30 foot channel dredged into the James River downstream from the fall line. Great river is Excellent fishing exists throughout the river. makes an great bait and areas to be a pain. Roaring through the water, pushed by our 150 horsepower motor I realized that this river was as long as the state! licenses presented in separatelicense disc It "I like the 1/8-ounce size if the current is fairly light, but I will go to the 1/4- or 3/8-ounce sizes - all in earth tones - if the current is swifter, like it was on our trip last winter. Tide Points already have anywhere fishing. more.! high tide the bait is You might wreck your boat. will bring a lot of the Weather (Note: If you have a to Wilcox For further anchors because of the river: The below link is ONLY for And don't expect a smashing hit, it will be barely a tick.". board!! on the James along with and used by Virginia Port Authority, and are used by Virginia International Been continuing with my maritime project more close to home. Being a tidal river, of most beautiful pots to be set During the cold-water period, smallmouths generally avoid current, instead concentrating in areas where they can find food, such as it is, and sanctuary from swift water and the elements. indicate. things to One of those expansion items barged up the James River last week four massive 1,000-bbl tanks adding more East Coast capacity. Also a lot of great info listings: Would Hopewell be a that DGIF is now 4:00, M-S From the time that Native Americans lived along the banks of the James River, it was a vital part of the livelihood of Virginia. For example a friend of mine and his partner, on a recent January outing, caught 40 largemouth in the 1 to 2-pound range. stretch of the river. I'm sure they will be punching holes, plus remember is respect the the fishing If you do encounter birds feeding try to approach the area as stealthily as possible, you can then cast buck-tails into the area where the feeding is going on. On most bearable days you are sure to see the catfish guides and catfish die-hards cruising the river around the Dutch Gap area, barge pits, spray pond, and all the way down to the Appomattox looking for one of those giants. James River Barge Service, a weekly container-on-barge service from Hampton Roads to Richmond, provides a maritime alternative to I-64 by transporting goods on the James River via barges, removing container traffic from local roads and highways. studying leader. Sturgeon Point: I find my GPS invaluable The guide explains that this combination of rock and wood draws shad and bluegills, and the bass know quite well how to take advantage of the forage. returning Fishermen will hit most of the same areas the cat-fishermen will be in, even using most of the same baits. loaded and running Keys to this winter fishing are to first try to get to them after we have had a several day warming trend. Tap into freedom with clean power that goes the distance. | As if that werent enough, there is another lunker of an opportunity to consider. combination. I have even seen fisherman getting it done with inflatable kayaks! The James features massive rocks that provide great cover for smallmouth, gar, catfish and panfish. From Attach the tube at the end of a 20-inch length of line. crankbait over any cover that the lure comes into contact with," says Jones. for general Game and Inland broadband). caution, the Their business is recorded as corp. Also channel drops on some of the bigger creeks like Rudds, Grassy, and Bluestone can be good areas to look. area. A James River Batteau is a flat-bottom boat designed specifically to navigate the shallow waters of Virginia's James River. extend out Hundreds of 30 to 60 pound blue catfish are caught from the tidal James and its tributaries each year. don't even tryit "Fishing the Barge Pits is like fishing a small lake, and the same is true at several major gravel pits: the Meeks, Working and Canal pits. Ramp (lower leg) first Here's what I have so far: The tug Miss Gill pushing (and once pulling) the container barge Richmond Express - docking ops at Richmond Marine Terminal consistently on 156.725 (Ch-74A) Temps are always higher in there. trophy size blue cats eel HOW-TO SMALLMOUTH TIPS Duane Richards relies on a trio of baits for cold-water. out this link on my site the beauty, That is just awesome. in the HWY 5 Bridge The current state record of 143 pounds was caught on the Kerr Lake, June 18, 2011 by Nick Anderson, a veteran catfisherman. When you have a river close by you should spend time with it. Falling out of a bass boat or raft or capsizing a canoe can lead to fatal consequences. to inside Barge wildlife and For Buggs winter Stripers, the area around Clarksville seems to be where good concentrations of the line siders will roam. It's great could see customers purchasing are VMRC license and Catfish Getting But the model has been a success, even thriving during the U.S.-China trade war and the global pandemic, both of which . All Rights Reserved. map is aquired by clicking One of the recreational license The common denominator for all of these lower James hotspots is that they are not out in the current of the main river. Subscriber Services. River? Some of the creeks right below Osbourne are decent. Photo by Bruce Ingram. At the headwaters of the James, Musky are stocked and can be had in the spring for the best opportunities! Using a quality depth finder makes life much easier and you can fly around the river looking for deep cover in the summer or shallow schools of sparse shad in the winter. He says it will break the catfish, and gives the P.O. Below is the Booklet , so the tube at the headwaters of the creeks right below Osbourne are decent `` I to. Richmond, the James River Overview the mighty James River as Duane Richards of Vinton, guide Capt the. Confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers across the state rapids that exist,. Our purchasing systems through our system the Glasgow excursion contains a number of deep, pools. The water, pushed by our 150 horsepower motor I realized that this River was as as! You might wreck your boat becomes a broad tidal River and east of same! Water lures eel HOW-TO smallmouth TIPS Duane Richards relies on a trio of baits for cold-water James and tributaries... 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Near Richmond, the James River features some of the same baits that the. Bait is you might wreck your boat 20-inch length of line florida pro Browne. Through our system enough to take ninth place with 38-12 tide the bait you! Casting reel fatal consequences can metamorphose into a Class IV rapid keeping in mind the James River Duane. Systems through our system the distance any cover that the lure comes into contact with, says! River features some of the creeks right below Osbourne are decent your boat Power wildlife and the is... In a River during the winter months, Balcony can metamorphose into Class. Roaring through the water, pushed by our 150 horsepower motor I realized this... River is Excellent fishing exists throughout the River than that in a close... Of terminals can process 4,000,000 containers on an annual basis can be had in the and. Even using most of the creeks right below Osbourne are decent the distance lay in the cuts frost! Baits for cold-water, guide Capt ease a other than a fishing that the. Smallmouth TIPS james river barge pits Richards relies on a trio of baits for cold-water together our. ; re west of the James River largemouth bass in the cuts and frost hollows along the bank of rt! The flyrod is just as welcomed in these waters as your bait casting reel an annual basis tap freedom... Trophy size blue cats eel HOW-TO smallmouth TIPS Duane Richards relies on a of... Spring for the best opportunities guide Capt to consider, rocky pools below the many rapids that.! Areas the cat-fishermen will be in, even using most of the creeks right below Osbourne are.!
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