James River

[Leegan]

Looking on the VDGIF website and they do a pretty good job of breaking down places and oppurtunities for float trips down the river.

However, I'm not really looking to do a float trip and was wondering where would be the best place to put a boat in on the James River with the hope of running into some smallies?

[Fat-G]

There is none, the river sucks.

Watkins.

[hookingem]

Maidens.

[Reel_Kaotic]

How's the small mouth fishing at Watkins Landing off Huguenot Rd, just above 288? Appears the water deep enough to put in a jon boat.

[hookingem]

Smallie action there is good, I know of a guy that caught a 5.5# right at james river hs. Your deffinatelly fine to put in a jon boat.

[Reel_Kaotic]

The landing behind James River HS, can a jon boat be put in there? Just noticed on the google maps.

[Sam]

For smallies you have three options for the Historic James River.

Option 1 - Put in at Watkins Landing and go upstream until you hit the rocks, turn around heading east and then float down to Bosher's Dam.

Option 2 - If you have a jet engine or a jon boat, put in around Scottsville and float down to Bosher's Dam with the understanding that you will encounter rapids and rocks.

Only problem with option 2 is getting back to your original launch site.

Option 3 - This summer when the river temperature is in the 70's or 80's, walk into the river upstream from the Pony Pasture and fish the rocks.  Have a buddy with you; wear your PFD; and if you have them, felt sole boots.

You can catch Smallmouth, Largemouth, Bluegills, Catfish and if you are really good, a Gar. 

[Sam]

Katoic1, Watkins is off 711, Huguenot Trail in Powhatan County, not Huguenot Road.

If you want to carry the jon boat from the parking lot to the dock at Robious Park you can put in there. You cannot back down any ramp at Robious Park.

Smallmouth fishing from Watkins down to Bosher's dam can be good or bad. Usually one goes upstream from Watkins until you hit the rocks and then you float back down the river towards the dam.

Great fishing from Bosher's Dam to the Z-Dam.

You put in at the launch site by Huguenot Bridge which is not an easy thing to do and you will need two guys to pull it off to get down the steps into the river.

You also will need two cars to leave one at the Pony Pasture so you can load the jon boat or raft back onto it and drive back to the Huguenot Bridge to pick up the second car.

I suggest putting in at Watkins and floating down to Bosher's Dam and then going into Tuckahoe Creek. This time of the year you do not have to be concerned with snakes falling out of the overhanging trees into your boat.

Looking forward to seeing you at Innsbrook this summer. Let's make plans when the weather gets warmer. 

[Reel_Kaotic]

Thanks for the info, looking forward to putting at Watkin's landing.

[osbornj2]

The landing behind James River HS, can a jon boat be put in there? Just noticed on the google maps.

If I am assuming correctly, you are referring to James River HS down here in Botetourt County...just outside the town of Buchanan?  The ramp/area there is known as Springwood, and yes, you can launch there.

The stretch from Springwood to the town of Buchanan (where there is another ramp - VERY popular area) is a moderate-to-good area for smallies, and a good -to-very good area for muskies, esp the area right under the I81 bridge.

Further down, from Buchanan to Arcadia, is mostly flat water with a couple of rapids. Fishing is so-so.

However, if you have a canoe or kayak, or you can manually carry your boat, you can launch at Arcadia and float for a couple of miles down to either Indian Rock (caution: VERY steep and difficult to take out) or to Alpine...both of which offer good smallmouths and excellent muskies!

Finally - if you prefer the simplicity of just launching your boat (from a trailer is ok) and being able to fish "open" water, the area at Snowden is tops! This is below the confluence of the James and the Maury, below the famous Balcony Falls, and is just full of both smallies and muskies! There is a dam here, so the river above the dam backs up a lot of big boulders and rock ledges...perfect habitat for both. If you're looking for this on a map, the launch is on Hwy 501, between the towns of Natural Bridge and Big Island.

Best of luck to you...let us know how it turns out!

[Reel_Kaotic]

A catch like that, I wish I was. I was talking about James River HS in Chesterfield,VA, off Robious Rd. Watkins Landing is directly behind the high school, with excess to the James river.

[typed by ben]

yes a jon boat can be put in at that landing... thats probably as big of a boat as you would want to put in without excellent local knowledge

we were going to go wakeboarding with some guys that wanted to put in at watkins... big mistake, but the habitat looked outstanding

water is flat enough, with lots of grass beds and boulders just below the surface

[Sam]

Osborn,

No, the James River High School we are talking about is in Chesterfield County about a mile off the Historic James River.

[Reel_Kaotic]

@Typed by ben,

Thanks for the info. How is the fishing that area around this time of the year? The site looks promising.

[typed by ben]

@Typed by ben,

Thanks for the info. How is the fishing that area around this time of the year? The site looks promising.

eh, i wish i could tell you. we dunked my buddy's mastercraft in and idled around for a bit to see if it got any safer but of course it didnt. ive only lived here for about 6 years so i dont know a lot about the james, especially in the winter

but as we were putting around i thought that it would be an excellent place to fish. it really reminds me of the rappahannock west of fredericksburg, which has excellent fishing with slightly lower water levels. killer smallie habitat.  id go in with minnows.

[VAfishin]

i would love to catch some smallies. any good places to wade?

[Reel_Kaotic]

Thanks, looks as though I'll wait unitl the late winter/early spring.

[s13john]

i would love to catch some smallies. any good places to wade?

their are all kinds of spots to wade in rva, just have to decide how many fences you want to jump or train tracks.

bells island is good lots of people though, if you can get in around james river park your options open up alot.

[Aluma-Bass]

West View to maidens is a great all day float!! It can be done with a jon boat. Maidens to watkins is a lil bit more rocks to deal with but an awesome float! If your looking for deeper water anything below watkins should be fine to run most types of boats...only 1 or 2 bigs rocks down below watkins, they were marked years ago so you didnt hit them.

You can also wade just about anywhere on the upper james as it gets really shallow up above watkins, specially during summer!!

[WdyCrankbait]

i would love to catch some smallies. any good places to wade?

Go down to 42nd street park or Texas beach area near Hollywood cemetery.  Pony Pasture has too many people out there.  Maybe, try going down to the end of Landry dr.  a few miles south of Pony Pasture.

As for fishing behind James River High, too many recreation boats and jet skis in nice weather.

[Sam]

Good suggestions from Woody Crankbait.

Get a GMCO map of the Upper James River and find the places Woody is telling you to go.

Also, check out the Kanawah Canal and where you can fish that waterway.

Just be cognizant of the little reptiles that live along the river in the rocks and grass.  ;D   ;D   ;D

[Sam]

Virfginia DG&IF has a new brochure about fishing the Historic James River in the greater Richmond geographical area.

The publication shows where you can fish and how to enter the river.

I suggest securing a copy so you can see the locations DGIF recommends.

And don't forget the power plant adjacent to the Nickel Bridge by Maymount Park. 

[WdyCrankbait]

i would love to catch some smallies. any good places to wade?

Go down to 42nd street park or Texas beach area near Hollywood cemetery. Pony Pasture has too many people out there. Maybe, try going down to the end of Landry dr. a few miles south of Pony Pasture.

As for fishing behind James River High, too many recreation boats and jet skis in nice weather.

Another point, if you go in at 42nd street, you can wade up to the Chippenham bridge from there!  it is a long way, but you can do it.  Or, you could park in the neighborhood there off Forest Hill Rd. right as you cross the train tracks past the golf course heading into town.  There is a small subdivision across from the equal distance where the toll plaza is.  Park there and walk down the train tracks that parallel Chippenham.  When the tracks bend off to the right, start looking for paths down to the river.  Secret spot, got a nice 3 lb smallie out of there on a crawfish jig.