Wading for SMB in a Virginia River, Where to go

[Brayberry]

I live in the Hampton Roads area where there are no Smallmouth. I'd like to take a drive and find a river, creek, or stream that I can wade around and catch some smallmouth. Ideally the water would be clear, shallow (5 feet or under) and not overly crowded.  Looking for more numbers then size. So what body of river would be best, where would be a good access point to start, and any tips on tackle?  It'd just be a 1 day trip, I'd throw on a pair of water shoes, shirts and a backpack and head out,nothing fancy. 

[marsfromva]

let's bump this up. i'd like to know too. anywhere north of richmond to the skyline. 

[flyfisher]

james river, shenandoah river and most of the tributaries that empty into them have smallies.  The type of place you want exists but would be a smaller type location so I won't be sharing info there but i can say that Google Earth, DGIF website and knowledge of right of way access on bridges is your friend  

good luck and half the fun to me is exploring and finding out of the way stuff...

[Brayberry]

4 hours ago, flyfisher said:

james river, shenandoah river and most of the tributaries that empty into them have smallies.  The type of place you want exists but would be a smaller type location so I won't be sharing info there but i can say that Google Earth, DGIF website and knowledge of right of way access on bridges is your friend  

good luck and half the fun to me is exploring and finding out of the way stuff...

I agree with all this just if I'm driving 4 hours each way for a 1 day trip I just wanna make sure I have a place to fish. Legally. I'll check out Google Earth though 

[flyfisher]

I am pretty sure that every bridge has a right of way that allows legal access to the river.  the tricky part is if there are landowners that think they own everything and then parking completely off the road.

[Brayberry]

Is it as simple as parking somewhere, walking beside the bridge and just wade where you want to go? 

[flyfisher]

It definitely can be that easy and there are a few spots  I do just that to fish them. 

[Linewinder]

And Rappahannock, above fall line.  Meaning, Fredericksburg.  There is also the Phelps WMA.

[Otis85]

Look at the Appomattox river located south of Richmond. 
 

A lot of information about where you can go can be found here: https://folar-va.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/105844-Map-Guide_web-final.pdf

 

Not many people are down there during the week day. Weekends are more crowded obviously. I go on a week day at any time and I feel like I have the whole place to myself. I don’t typically wade fish. I do wear a old pair of shoes and make my way around the river to rocks and small islands. 
 

To get a better visual of how the river is and the trail that runs miles and miles down it there’s quite a bit of videos on YouTube. Look up Appomattox river trail.

 

Heres a random video I found.

 

 

[Brayberry]

20 minutes ago, Otis85 said:

Look at the Appomattox river located south of Richmond. 
 

A lot of information about where you can go can be found here: https://folar-va.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/105844-Map-Guide_web-final.pdf

 

Not many people are down there during the week day. Weekends are more crowded obviously. I go on a week day at any time and I feel like I have the whole place to myself. I don’t typically wade fish. I do wear a old pair of shoes and make my way around the river to rocks and small islands. 
 

To get a better visual of how the river is and the trail that runs miles and miles down it there’s quite a bit of videos on YouTube. Look up Appomattox river trail.

 

Heres a random video I found.

 

That's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!  I'm not really wading either, just shorts and a pair of water shoes. 

[Otis85]

That guy has a bunch of videos of the river from the different parks you can go to along the river. There’s literally endless places to wade, bank fish or find some rocks or island to set up at. 
 

There’s parts of the James River that are like that as well. I don’t fish there often but I know there’s a place called the Pony Pasture and Belle Isle that look similar. 
 

The James River is about a 40 minute drive from the Appomattox so it would be possible to hit up both in the same day. I like the Appomattox because it’s not so crowded as the James being in a bigger city. 
 

 

[Otis85]

Any update Brayberry?

[Sam]

Go to a.....forgot how to use English's or a local Tidewater tackle shop and see if they have the free 2020 Freshwater Fishing and Boating booklet from the VG&IF.

 

It lists places to fish for smallies and other species.