RICHMOND, Va. (WFXR) — Richmond is a bustling place and the capital of Virginia. You might want to visit the city for its history, its museums, or even to see where Virginia’s laws are made.
It’s also a great place to visit for the fishing.
In the spring, the James River is the site of several different fish runs. They include striped bass and hickory shad, in addition to resident species like blue catfish, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, and white perch.
“You can come out target stripers for a couple of hours,” said Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR) Aquatic Education Coordinator Alex McCrickard. “Switch gears, target hickory shad for a while and then maybe end up catching some white perch or maybe target some catfish.”
You do not need a boat, either. All of those species can be caught from shore. There is ample public access at Ancarrow’s Landing.
“Action can be fast and furious,” said McCrickard.
Striped bass can be taken by casting or trolling diving crankbaits, or by trolling live eels. Shad are taken on small spoons or tiny jigs called shad darts. Stripers and shad can also be taken fly fishing. Blue cats will readily take cut bait, but can also be caught on artificials.
The key is that it is a quality fishery for multiple species, all in the shadow of the of the downtown Richmond skyline.
“Spring is here, even if you don’t have a lot of experience I would encourage people to come down to the river,” said McCrickard. “This is a very welcoming area. Even if you don’t have a boat, you can fish from shore here.”
