One of Virginia’s top crappie fisheries is right here in Central Virginia – Lake Orange. The 124-acre lake was stocked with crappie from Buggs Island Lake, known to produce lots of 3-plus pound slabs. The food chain ion Orange is abundant with lots of shad to feed on.
Darrell Kennedy (pictured above) of Angler’s Landing the says that crappie are currently in all phases of the spawn – some are through, some are just starting and others are right in the middle. Small shiners are most productive. The water temperature is now in the mid 70-s and shellcrackers and bluegills are beginning to fan out beds. Catfishing has been good and a few walleyes were recently caught with harness rigs tipped with crawlers.
Elsewhere in freshwater, the shad run continues in the Richmond and Fredericksburg areas with rockfish, white perch and blue cats in the mix. The upper James is low, but giving up some nice smallmouth.
