Hunter Spinks bagged this handsome buck in Fort Valley.
According to VDGIF Deer Program Coordinator Matt Knox, the opening weekend electronic data from the early muzzle-loading season listed below shows that hunters had a very successful weekend. The weather was very good, the first really cool to cold day and very little wind. The electronic running total is comparable to last year, but at this time more harvest data is needed before making comparisons between this fall and last fall.
The kill for the opening weekend was 6,317 on Saturday and 2,868 on Sunday, a total of 9185. Things look very promising for Virginia’s general firearms deer season, which opens statewide November 19th, 2016!
James River
Lots of big smallmouth are being taken in the city of Richmond on live bait. Below the city, largemouth and crappie are being caught on minnows fished along the drop-offs and on brush piles throughout the river. Catfishing is good to excellent, particularly in the warm water around Dutch Gap Power Plant.
Rappahannock River
Action is slow overall, but some fish are being taken from the shoreline structure, particularly where the channel hugs the bank. Catfish, many large, are taking cut shad, fished on the bottom, in outside bends of the main river channel.
Shenandoah
The river is in good shape but few are fishing
Lake Anna
Striper action is picking up as schools work shad in low light conditions. Top water plugs are taking lots of 8-10 pounders off the rocks at Dike #3 at dawn. Largemouth bass are being found at all depths. Crappie fishing is good under the bridges, around brush piles and under deep boat docks.
Chickahominy River
Anglers are catching a smorgasbord of fish including striped bass, largemouth, catfish, perch and crappie. Many of the bass are being caught on live minnows, but some bass are being caught on small crankbaits in shallow water. Yellow perch are feeding heavily, with some citations being taken. Anglers fishing around Walker’s Dam are taking nice coolers of crappie to 1 ½-pounds along with a few striped bass.
Buggs Island
Bass fishing is good throughout the lake with the bass holding in pockets, coves and along bluff banks. Rat-L-Traps ripped through the pockets and coves are producing 2-5 pounders. Anglers trolling bucktails around the Clarksville area are catching stripers. Crappie are stacked along the bridge pilings.
Smith Mountain Lake
There is lots of top water action for stripers and bass as the schools bust bait. Many of the stripers are in the 10-pound class, with some bass over five pounds. Walleye are taking live shad, fished on the bottom along the main lake points.
Lake Moomaw
The very few anglers out fishing are catching a few trout, crappie, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. Most are hunting.
Potomac River
Slow Down
Chilly water temperatures are slowing the food chain. Bass are still eating. Fish grass remnants inside creeks and close to water around 5 feet deep or more.
Water is in the mid 50s and falling slowly.
Tight wiggle crankbaits like suspending Lucky Craft Bevy Shad and floating US Shad can be worked around milfoil grass. Short movements followed by brief pauses on 10-pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line.
Spinnerbaits are best on cloudy days with some water chop or stain. Use 12-pound test Edge. Slowly crawl them over and through grass. At low tide try 1/4-ounce, 3/8 ounce at higher tides.
Shaky head with Gamma Torque braid and Edge leader with stick worms down to thinner finesse worms on 1/8 to 3/16 ounce heads are working.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Chickahominy Lake
The Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the low to mid 50’s in the lower main lake and the high 40’s in the upper lake on Wednesday
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Karen Anderson had 1 flier, 15 crappie, 1 pickerel and 4 bass. Tom Porter had 4 bluegills, 41 crappie, 1 white perch, 1 blue cat, 1 pickerel and 2 bass.