The Outdoors in Virgina

Camping, Campers, Fishing, Boats, Hunting, Trucks etc.

Outdoors in Virginia

AMERICAN SHAD —

Common Shad, Connecticut River Shad, Herring Jacks, North River Shad, Potomac Shad, Susquehanna Shad, White Shad

Species: American Shad

AKA:
Common Shad, Connecticut River Shad, Herring Jacks, North River Shad, Potomac Shad, Susquehanna Shad, White Shad

Identification:
Deep bodied fish with a white belly, silver-sides, and a greenish-blue back. It has a row of dark spots starting just behind gill cover and running towards the tail. Their colors darken to a brownish shade when they enter freshwater to spawn

Size:
It's the largest of the herring family averaging around 3 lbs. Although fish up to 5 lbs. are not uncommon.

World Record:
The current world record listed by the IGFA is 11 pounds 4 ounces (5.1 kg). Caught at the Holyoke Dam on the Connecticut River in Massachusetts, on May 19, 1986 by Robert A. Thibodo.

Habitat:
American shad are anadromous; Adult shad travel in large schools along the coast for 4 to 5 years. At 4-5 years they are sexually mature, and move up into large freshwater rivers to spawn. After they spawn adults return to the ocean. The new young stay in freshwater until the fall then migrate to brackish water where they stay for or year or so and then they move on out to the ocean.

Food:
Young shad feed on zooplankton and insect larvae; Adult shad feed primarily on zooplankton, but have been known to take worms or small fish.

Season:
Illegal to possess any river herring at this time.

Fishing Tips, tricks and techniques:
Natural:

Artificials:
1/32 to 1/8 oz., brightly colored jigs and spoons or gold spoons. Try fly fishing with shad darts, soft-bodied streamers, and other wet flies. Gold and white are good colors for shad.

Equipment:
Light or ultra-light spincasting rods and reels.
* Play Shad carefully their mouths are delicate and can tear.
* Try deeper pockets of water in rivers.
* The maximum reported age for an American shad is 13 years. 
* The Latin name for the shad means “delicious.” 
* Very high in “Omega-3” fatty acids.
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Info for research
Best Fishing in Virginia
Rivers: James (Richmond fall line area), Mattaponi, Pamunkey, Potomac and Rappahannock. Best time is from mid-March to early May around fall line areas of the big tidal rivers as adults return to spawn. (It illegal for anyone to possess any river herring at this time including American Shad, Blueback Herring and Alewife. For more information check the VMRCs website.)
Spawning Habits
Shad run up rivers in the spring when water temperatures reach the mid-50°s. Male shad usually move upstream first. Spawning occurs over sandbars or rocky riffles about 6' deep at dusk and into the night. Spawning happens when the water is about 65°F. Shad eggs take 4-12 days to hatch. The eggs float suspended in open water until they hatch.

BLUEFISH —

Blues, Tailor/Taylor, Snapper, Baby Blues, Choppers

Species: Bluefish

Identification:
Blueish green color on the back fading to a silvery white belly, torpedo shaped body with a deep forked tail and knife like teeth.

AKA:
Tailor, Snapper, Baby blues, Choppers, Elfs.
Young bluefish are called snappers.
Big bluefish are called choppers.

Size:
Rarely exceed 20 pounds and 40 inches in length.

Habitat:
Bluefish spawn in the open ocean. After eggs have hatched, larvae develop into juveniles near the surface over the continental shelf. Juveniles move to estuaries and near shore shelf habitats. They prefer sandy bottoms but can be found around mud, silt, or clay bottoms or vegetated areas. Adults live in both inshore and offshore areas and favor warmer water.

Food:
They will eat a variety of small-bodied animals such as shrimp, small lobsters, crabs, larval fish and mollusks, bluefish, menhaden, squid, sand eels, herring, mackerel, alewives, scup, butterfish and cunners (basically everything). Bluefish generally feed in schools, and will feed on prey in tidal rips or in inshore shallows where food in easier to catch.

Season:
Along the U.S.'s east coast, bluefish are found off the coast of Florida in the winter months. By April, they are heading north. By June, they may be found off Massachusetts. Around October, they leave the waters north of New York and begin migrating south. Some less migratory bluefish, are found in the Gulf of Mexico year round.
In New Jersey, the bluefish show up in the spring around early May, and they stay all summer long and into October.

World Record:
The world record bluefish was caught by James M. Hussey on Jan 30, 1972 at Hatteras, NC. It weighed 31 pounds, 12 ounces.

EQUIPMENT
Rods:
7' fast action spinning rod/reel combo that can handle up to 1oz lure spooled with 20-30lb braided line.
When fishing with lures, spoons or plugs its a good recommendation is to use a 3ft leader. 50-8olb mono or fluorocarbon leader with a 75lb barrel swivel or you use an albright or uni-knot instead of a swivel.

Fishing for (tips & tricks):
When fishing live bait, wire leaders are essential!
You can catch blues during the day; even in the summer. But, early morning and dusk are the best times to catch bluefish.
Red head white bodied Pencil plugs like the Sea Striker Gotcha plug are probably the number one bluefish lure especially when fishing from piers and bridges. Red head with silver or gold bodies do well too.
6-6 1/2" Silver and gold spoons trolled from a boat.
Try green mackeral colored shallow running crankbaits in shallow inshore waters.

COBIA —

Black bonito, black kingfish, black salmon, cod, crabeater, lemonfish, ling, ling cod

Identification:
Cobia are dark brown on the sides and back which graduates to white on the belly with two darker brown horizontal bands on each side.
They have small eyes and a flat head with an elongated body with small, smooth scales and very coarse sand paper like teeth in the jaws and mouth designed for crushing crabs, bait fish and squid. The lower jaw protrudes slightly further than the upper.
The first dorsal fin has 6 to 9 independent, short, stout, sharp spines that are not connected by membrane. They have large pectoral fins and forked tails. Young cobia have prominent bands of black and white and have rounded tails.

AKA:
Black bonito, black kingfish, black salmon, cod, crabeater, lemonfish, ling, ling cod.

Size:
They can get to be a maximum length of 78" (2m) and weigh up to 172 lbs. (78 kg).
Range:
Cobia are Pelagic covering the whole water column.
Ideal Water Temp.
68°-86°

Habitat:
Along inshore structures, near shore beaches, reefs, seagrass beds.
Diet:
The cobia feeds primarily on crabs, smaller fish and squid. They will follow larger fish like rays and skates and even sharks, turtles to scavenge.
Season:
Fish beaches in the spring and fall.
Try bridges, buoys and piers in the summer.
Try warm water sources during the winter

RECORDS:
World Record:
The largest Cobia caught on rod and reel was caught in Shark Bay, Australia, and weighed 135 lbs (60 kg).
Fishing Tips:
Natural:

Artificial:
Eels, Eels or you can try Eels imitation eels from 6" to 10"+
Fast Facts:
• Cobia are the only members of the family Rachycentridae.
• Cobia are also referred to as Black King Fish. 
• A cobia does not have a swim bladder.

RED DRUM —

Redfish, Channel Bass, Reds,

STRIPED BASS —

Striped Bass, Striper, Linsides, Linesider, Rockfish, Rock

Species: STRIPED BASS
Description:
Morone saxatilis: Striped Bass, Striper, Rockfish, Line-sider whatever you call it, along with the red drum, are arguably the most sought after inshore gamefish on the East Coast. They range from northern Florida up the east coast to southern Maine They can be caught from the shore, in the surf, from the pier or jetty, or from a boat.
Identification:
Dark olive to blueish silver above, silvery on the belly with 7-8 dark horizontal stripes down the sides.
AKA:
Striper, Rockfish, Line-sider
Size:
Average weight is from 15-35 pounds. Females are larger than males. Generally they grow up to 59 inches and weights of 55 to 77 lbs.
Range:
Migratory range the east coast from northern Florida to the Carolinas and Virginia, north to New England along the Massachusetts Coast into New Hampshire and southern Maine and into rivers up to freshwaters to spawn.
Ideal Water Temp.:
Are migratory fish and seek water temperatures between 45°F and 65°F. with ideal temps being between 55°-65°.
Spawn:
Striper migrate north or south depending on the season. In the spring, between April and June they move into freshwater rivers and tributaries to spawn.
Habitat:
Striper are migratory fish moving up the coast when water temps reach about 50°, and into rivers to spawn. Spends most of its time near the bottom around structure. Will hide near or behind structure in the current break and wait as current moves bait into striking distance and dart out and grab a meal.
Food:
Eels, smaller fish of various kinds, also blue crabs, lobsters, shrimps and clams.
RECORDS:
World Record:
The world record striped bass is 81 lbs. 14 oz. (37.14kg) caught by Greg Myerson on August 4, 2011 in Long Island Sound, Westbrook, CT. on a live eel.
The previous record was 78 lbs. 8 oz. caught by Al McReynolds on September 21, 1982 on the Vermont Ave Jetty, in Atlantic City, New Jersey on a Rebel 5-½" Black-back Silver Minnow. It was 53" long and had a girth of 34 1/3".
Record for the Chesapeake Bay:
In the Chesapeake Bay, the largest striped bass is just under 68 pounds.
CATCHING THEM
Natural:
Eels, bloodworms, spot, croaker, peeler crab. Use hooks atleast 2/0 and the lightest weight possible and cast up current of the structure and let the current carry it down to the structure where the fish can ambush it.
Live bait recomendation, for early in the season, try whole bloodworms and/or clams on a 3-way bottom rig. As the water temps warm try live Baiting with Menhaden, Spot or Eels on a fish-finder rig around rocks, rip-rap and bridge pilings with a 6/0 to 8/0 circle hook, depending on the size of your bait and as light a sinker as is logical.
Artificial:
Bucktails with plastic bodies or pork bodies are one of the favorites, surface poppers, jigging spoons, and crankbaits that move in a straight line like a speed shads or rattletraps or mirr-O-lures are great choices too.
Never leave home for striper fishing without Jigging spoons either. Hopkins spoons are a long time favorite. You can use them plain or baited with a piece of cut squid or add a curly tail grub for a little extra action. Cast spoons right beside bridge or pier pilings or drop them in the rocks. Let it fall, then "Jig it" by quickly jerking rod tip up about 6" and let it fall again. Work it all the way back to yourself. Feel for the tap of pickup when the lure is on the fall.
Try top water lures like Mirr-O-Lure's “Top Dog”, or Heddon's "Zara spook" or "Super Spook, Jr or "poppers/chuggers when the water temps are in the mid to upper 60s. Cast near rip-rap, rocky shores or structure, like bridge pilings or "current breaks" right into the rocks or structure. Let the current wash your lure into the "break" or area where waves break and work the bait all the way back to the you.
Popular colors for artificials include:
Most popular colors for striper fishing are chartreuse, white body/red head and chrome body with black or blue back especially. On bright days try gold or chrome spoons, spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits. During the early morning or on cloudy days or in low light conditions try topwater plugs or popping plugs. During the mid-day try deep diving crankbaits or cocktails jigs in darker colors like black, grays or blues.
Equipment:
Medium to heavy spincast equipment that can handle 200-300 yards of 20-40lb mono or braided line works great in the surf but levelwind or baitcast equipment is a better choice in most cases. Use heavier leaders when fishing around rough structure.
Interesting and un-interesting facts:
• Striped bass, are the top recreational sportfish in the Chesapeake Bay.
• The striped bass is Maryland's official state fish.
• Striped bass were once so plentiful they were used to fertilize fields.
• Striped bass were introduced to the west coast in 1879. 133 yearling fish were seined from the Navesink River, New Jersey, and transported to California by train and released into the San Francisco Bay.

About Lake Harrison

About Beaverdam Reservoir

About Briery Creek Reservoir

About Diascund Reservoir

ABOUT:
In 1963, an earthen dam was constructed across Diascund creek above Lanexa to create the 1,100 acre reservoir for Newport News Waterworks.

AVAILABLE SPECIES:
Largemouth Bass
Spotted Bass
Bluegill
Red Ear Sunfish
Yellow Perch
Chain Pickerel
Black Crappie
Carp
Bowfin
Lognose Gar
FORAGE
Gizzard Shad
Blue-black Herring

REGULATIONS:
• Open 1 hour before sunrise til 1 hour after sunset.
• Bank fishing is permitted in designated areas adjacent to the public boat ramp
• Only electric trolling motors are allowed
• Outboard motors can be left on the boat if:
A) motor is kept out of the water at all times
B) Portable fuel tanks must be removed from the boat.
C) Built in fuel lines must have the shut-off valves closed.
• Sailboards, floating platforms, PWCs (Personal Water Craft, jet skis etc) are not allowed
• Conoes and kayaks are allowed

RECORDS:
Largemouth Bass
9lbs 12oz.(9.75lbs) 25 3/4" (25.75") caught 6/12/2005 by Christopher Ellington
9lbs. 12oz.(9.75 lbs) 23" (23.00") by Kenneth Hoffman 3/26/2000.

Blue Catfish
50lbs 0oz (50.00lbs) 48" (48.0")

Bowfin/Grindle
13lbs 11oz (13.69 lbs) caught 9/16/2021 by Wesley Griggs

Carp
18lbs 10oz (18.63lbs) caught 10/2/2021 by Kenneth Latimer

Chain Pickeral
5lbs 8oz (5.50lbs) 26 1/4" (26.25") caught by David Stewart Jr. on 5/20/2001

5lbs 8oz (5.50 lbs) 25" caught 2/25/2021 by Gregory Bowyer

Crappie
2lbs 12oz (2.75lbs) 17 3/4" (17.75") caught by Dorothy Wray on 11/6/2015

2lbs 15oz. ( 2.94lbs) 15 1/2" (15.5") by James Witte on 4/10/2005

Gar
15lbs 2oz. (15.13 lbs) 47 3/4" (47.75") by John Nicholson on 3/13/2009

Sunfish
1lb. 2oz. (1.13 lbs) 13" (13.0") by Don Photakos on 9/24/2011

Yellow Perch
1lb. 10oz (1.63lbs) 14" (14.0") by Tyree Bryant on 7/2/2015

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About Little Creek Reservoir

1
ABOUT:

AVAILABLE SPECIES: 15 known species Largemouth bass, walleye, saugeye, striped bass (landlocked), black crappie, yellow perch, chain pickeral, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish

AVAILABLE FORAGE: Blueback herring, gizzard shad

RECORDS:
Striped Bass
32 lbs 42" in 2015
27.5 lb. David Knopp

Channel Cat 30 lbs 2019

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Tips, Tricks & Techniques

Deep Cycle Battery tips

Deep cycle batteries have solid thicker internal lead plates than cranking or starting batteries. The thicker plates have less surface area which creates less instant power than a cranking battery needs. They are designed to be discharged repetitively down to 20% of their maximum charge.

• The first tip is to look for batteries that that have the highest amp hours in the size battery that fits best in your available space.

• Tip 2 is to use 2 deep cycle batteries. 2 deep cycle batteries with the same AH rating hooked in parallel with each other will increase your AH by 100% virtually doubling your available AH without affecting voltage It is possible to hookup up two 6 volt batteries in series-parallel and double the AH as well as increase your voltage to 12 volts).

• Tip 3 always allow the batteries to deplete down to 50% and fully charge to 100% to maximize battery life.

• Tip 4 you should never store batteries in less than a fully charged state.

Determining a batteries state by digital voltmeter readings:
100%: each cell in a 12 volt battery will produce 2.12 volts so a 12 volt battery which has 6 cells at full 100% charge would read 12.72 volts

50%: At 50% or half charged, each cell will produce about 2.01 volts so a battery at 50% or half charged should read 12.06 volts.

0%: Each cell in a fully discharged battery will read 1.75 or less therefore a discharged battery would read 10.5 volts or less.

Cranking Batteries

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ACG Batteries

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