The Rappahannock

[dhami013]

I'll be fishing the Rapp. this weekend. We'll be putting in at the city docks, downtown Fred.

I was wondering if anyone has fished here, and if they have often, what baits have been most productive. I caught a few using rage tail craws, lizards on a c-rig, and brush hogs.

My buddy is back for leave from the airforce and I'm trying to get him to pull as many fish as possible out of the water. If anyone could help. I would appreciate it.

Take care all.

[Sam]

I don't fish the Rapp up your way so I am absolutly no help.

My only suggestion is to use live bait if your friend is not into bass fishing and he wants some fast action.

Sometimes guys and gals who have not fished for bass get bored when using artificial baits so when I take the newbies out I use live bait and everyone has a good time.

[SteveinVA]

If you want to put him on fish , try catching Catfish, lots of em in the Rapp. I have not had much luck with Bass on the Rapp. I suck at river fishing for LMB though.

[dhami013]

He's new to Bass fishing but he likes the challenge of trying to do it like Squid and I do. He's not too keen of the idea of using live bait when he knows we'd rather use artificial.

I've picked out a couple bass here and there on the Rapp, and have a decent idea on what to use, I was just seeing if anyone else has some input.

[SteveinVA]

All of the Little luck my buddy and I have had has been during an incoming tide, fishing creek tributaries with wackys, and swim jigs and spinner baits

[Nitrofreak]

He's new to Bass fishing but he likes the challenge of trying to do it like Squid and I do. He's not too keen of the idea of using live bait when he knows we'd rather use artificial.

I've picked out a couple bass here and there on the Rapp, and have a decent idea on what to use, I was just seeing if anyone else has some input.

Try some smaller swimbaits, they usually work pretty good too.

Where exactly are you fishing on the Rapp?

What kind of cover and structure do you have available to you?

[endless]

Try some smaller swimbaits, they usually work pretty good too.

Where exactly are you fishing on the Rapp?

What kind of cover and structure do you have available to you?

This is what I'm wondering I never boated by the docks to know. But if can and want I would come up and try by Hicks landing if still the same it was $6 to put in but by there and up past Port Royal you will the grass, lilies, submerge trees, creeks. I've been meaning to go there but sometimes the river can put a hurting on a electric motor boat. No gas power motor here. I did tried at Hopyard landing at spring time with Chatter bait and wacky around the edges, grass, submerge trees, and duck stands. I landed a 3# cat on my chatterbait, 4# bowfin and three little bass on wacky. The water was nasty that day too.

This was my best bass for the day around that duck stand. I caught two bass there. These pics are from Hopyard landing as well. I caught the catfish around the trees you see in the pic. The bowfin came from a drop off not to far from the trees.

[dhami013]

We're fishing down river after the fredericksburg city docks, down town. Right down the street from the railroad tracks.

There are a lot of sea walls, some downed trees and about 10' of water almost every where. The water has about 3ft of visibility. Further down there are some big rocks. I haven't fished much further than that.

[Nitrofreak]

We're fishing down river after the fredericksburg city docks, down town. Right down the street from the railroad tracks.

There are a lot of sea walls, some downed trees and about 10' of water almost every where. The water has about 3ft of visibility. Further down there are some big rocks. I haven't fished much further than that.

Is the water murky past three feet like a mud color?

Since you mentioned rocks and IF the water is murky or stained I would say to try a two blade HAWG CALLER spinner first and bounce it off the rocks just like a jig, don't be afraid to drag the spinner along the bottom where there are rocks also, The other piece of advice...Don't just beat the banks get out there in the middle and work it good too.

Downsize your baits too go smaller on the cranks etc...the only things that get the chance to get big on the rivers are the fish and frogs.

[Sam]

Early AM - Try buzzbaits, frogs and poppers, all topwater.

After Topwaters - Shaky heads and wacky rigged Senkos.

After that - Wacky rigged trick worms.

After that - Crankbaits. Depending on water clarity use shad, chartrues or white. Bandit 100s and 200s. Try a Shad Rapp #5 silver with black back.

Spinnerbaits - Give 'em a try. White.

Drop Shots - Give them a try, too.

Carolina Rig - Maybe. Can't hurt to give it a try.

Jigs - Black & Blue; PB&J; White.

Go with small baitm, especailly the crankbaits.

Fish all wood you can find. Fish the grass lines straight from the boat to the shoreline and back and then parallel to the grass line. Look for rocks, duck blinds; piers, boat houses; logs; lilly pads; bridges; anything the bass can hold onto.

You have to find the bass first and then see their pattern for the day.

Fish s-l-o-w. The water may be dirty from the rain runoff so you may try baits with rattles.

Let us know how you do.

[dhami013]

After that 3 to maybe 5 feet it's not like muddy it's just murky. A lot clearer than what I'm used to fishing. The lakes here in Norfolk and most of the ponds in Fred are pretty murky, like 1-2 ft of visibility if you're lucky.