An excavator with a special “concrete muncher” attachment goes to work on the Harvell Dam.

Around noon today I headed down to Petersburg to check out the progress on the removal of the Harvell Dam on the Appomattox River. The dam has been there since at least 1930, and for the past 20 years, Alan Weaver, fish passage coordinator for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, has been working with the owners to try to get fish, migratory fish specifically, past the dam. For the last 10 of those years, Weaver told me, the goal has been to see the dam removed.

Well, as you can see from these pictures, today was a big day for Weaver and all the other partners involved in the project.

If you were expecting to see water rushing through the breach, that hasn’t happened yet.

“The river is so low that it’s not going to be a dramatic burst of water going through because we’ve already got the water controlled through this powerhouse on the side,” Weaver said. “The river will go to the lowest point, but as far as how dramatic it will be, I don’t know.”

A before shot of the Harvell Damn from a couple of years ago. Credit: Alan Weaver/DGIF

By the end of the week, however, the concrete rubble should be cleared away up and down stream of the breach, and for first time in over 80 years, the Appomattox will begin to establish a “new normal” water level in the area. Currently, the dam holds a pool about nine feet higher on the upstream side.

Come spring migratory fish, such as American and hickory shad, American eel, and river herring will find 127 miles of upstream habitat for spawning. Very cool stuff, if you ask me. (It’s a shame the old Harvell didn’t come down in time to make this documentary about dam removal.)

A downtown RVA striped bass caught in July. Credit: Dave Valdimirou

Nothing like striper fishing on the James in July!

Dave Vladimirou, friend of the program and topwater angler extraordinaire, sent me this picture on Sunday night. It’s the smaller of two schoolie stripers he caught in downtown Richmond as the sun went down. Valdimirou was actually out after smallmouth bass. He parked at Diversity Park on the south side of the Mayo Bridge and walked upstream along the Floodwall to the train bridge. He rigged up a wacky worm on some six-pound test and “cast across to a little pocket where I thought a smallmouth would be waiting.” Nothing bit in that fishy-looking pool, so he began reeling the worm in quickly, dragging it across the surface.

That’s when the first striper hit. “It was awesome,” he said, though he wasn’t quite able to bring it in.

Valdimirou quickly switched to “the biggest topwater lure I had” — a skitter pop. On his first cast, a striper broke the line. He soon landed a 5-pounder and then the smaller fish (pictured). He also hauled in a nice largemouth before calling it a night.

Valdimirou said he’d heard that some schoolie-sized stripers will stay in the area until the fall before returning to the Bay, but catching them on the topwater in the middle of July is still a rare occurrence.

I simultaneously love and hate when buddies text me pictures of fish they’ve just caught. I love it for obvious reasons: “Dude, nice fish!” But it also makes me insanely jealous, because if I’m texting, I’m clearly not fishing. So I received the below pics with mixed emotions when good friend Dave Vladimirou sent them to me yesterday.

Vladimirou with a beautiful James River striper.

“Sat evening. All topwater. 20 fish,” the text read.

That’s a striped bass in the picture, in case you weren’t sure. Like American and hickory shad, they’re anadromous — they return to the rivers of their birth to spawn every spring. The stripers tend to stay a bit longer than the shad. Now is, obviously, a good time to be out plying the James in search of them.

Vladimirou went on to say that they were caught by he and a buddy, John Hendley, between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. this past Saturday below the overcast and stormy skies among the islands in the James in downtown Richmond (he wouldn’t say exactly where, of course). That is a serious haul for four hours of fishing, and the fact that they were all caught on topwater plugs means those guys had a ton of fun doing the catching.

There’s really nothing like standing in the middle of a downtown setting like Richmond’s, working the banks of islands frequented mostly by homeless guys and watching a big old rockfish break the surface after your lure. We talk a lot about Richmond having the best urban whitewater in the country and the best urban trail system. Could it be that RVA is also home to America’s the best urban fishing scene? How many medium to large cities offer this experience?

There was an interesting piece by Graham Moomaw in today’s Times-Dispatch (and at RVANews.com yesterday) about some environmental remediation and general refurbishment that will take place at Ancarrow’s Landing over the next year.

According to the article: “ExxonMobil has agreed to remediate and improve a 4.3-acre section of Ancarrow’s Landing in order to reuse an area that once housed a fertilizer-mixing facility for park improvements along the James River, according to Richmond officials.

Ancarrow’s Landing features the only public motorized boat launch in the city.

“The plan…will involve the removal of about 5,000 cubic yards of soil contaminated by lead and arsenic from the chemical facility that operated there from the mid-1920s to 1962.”

The exciting aspect of the story, from the river lover’s perspective, is that “the subsequent restoration will involve an expanded parking area with space for up to 30 boat trailers and 73 cars. Canal stones that have been stockpiled will be reused by being placed around the park to provide seating and define certain areas. More lighting will be added and access trails will be improved, including the area near the beginning of the Richmond Slave Trail. The city may also locate a historic slave cabin at the site.”

Almost as exciting as the plan itself is that it’s scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. That’s a Redskins training camp timetable!

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want their kid to enjoy fishing. The peace and quiet, the beautiful settings, the ability to spend quality time together with no electronic devices – fishing has it all from a parent/kid standpoint. But, let’s be honest, getting a kid to like fishing as much as you do – or even just enough to get them out the door and on a boat – is often easier said than done.

It’s smiles all around when the lines are tight.

They get “bored” if they don’t catch something in the first three casts. Or they don’t like being wet. Or they’re hungry.

Luckily, there’s a solution: Shad fishing in downtown Richmond from late March to early May. Sure it’s temporary, but shad fishing is a great way to get the kids outside and probably the best way in this area to get something consistently pulling on the other end of the line – the key to getting kids hooked (so to speak). And you can do it from the bank or a boat.

When it comes to taking kids fishing, I always gravitate toward lures that can be tossed out and reeled straight in without a lot of unnecessary finesse. Most shad baits are perfect for that.

The most kid-friendly rigs are shad darts and spoons. They are best fished on a medium to light spinning rod with 6 to 10 pound test.

My favorite rig is to run the line through a ¼ ounce egg slip sinker and tie the tag end to a swivel. Attach about 18 inches to two feet to the other side of the swivel and tie on a shad dart or spoon. The line from the swivel to the dart or spoon should be rather stiff and a little heavier gauge. If I am running 8-pound test to the swivel from the reel, I will go with something like 12-pound test from the swivel to the spoon or dart. The thicker, stiffer line is most important when fishing a spoon to avoid line twist.

Shad fishing (not pictured) this time of year is one of the best ways to keep kids catching fish.

From there it is just a matter of casting across the current and commencing with a slow to medium retrieve, depending on the depth and current.

Then just hang on when they bite.

One thing I have learned out there is that you can’t be afraid to move. Sometimes a matter of 10 yards can be the difference between catching them hand over fist and not getting a bite.

As for color of spoons and darts, if you aren’t catching them on one then switch to another color. I generally start with a silver spoon, then switch to gold and finally chartreuse if I need to. If one of these colors doesn’t work, you are in the wrong spot or the fish just aren’t around.

The white perch will show up soon as well and they certainly prefer a curly tailed grub or shad dart over the spoons.

Ask the old-timers, and they’ll give you a variety of indicators that the shad are in the river. My neighbor across the street even has a “shad” bush whose buds and blooms send him digging through his garage for gold spoons and shad darts. When the dogwoods bloom is another classic sign and as reliable as any. Well…if you haven’t noticed, spring has come to the commonwealth, the dogwoods are blooming, and my retired neighbor is scarcely to be found. The shad are here!

The 2014 shad run has only just begun. There’s still plenty of time to get after it.

This time of year marks an amazing transformation to the James River, as hickory and American shad, as well as herring, stack up below the fall line in Richmond on their annual spawning runs. And one shouldn’t overlook the striped bass that come along with them. Every year there are some real bruisers caught right off the banks of the river within the city limits.

Fishing for shad from the banks of the James might be accurately described as urban combat fishing, but I love it. People from all walks of life find their way to the river, from the guys fishing off 14^th Street Bridge to the downtown businessman fresh from work still wearing dress pants and loafers. You laugh, but I’ve seen it all!

Every boat owner within miles flocks to the river. Jon boats, canoes, ski boats, kayaks, bass boats, and small yachts take up just about every inch of fishable water from the 14^th street bridge downstream to I-95 and all the way back to Ancarrow’s landing. If you are looking for peace and solace in your fishing experience, this ain’t it. This time of year is about the birth of a new fishing season, about something pulling on the other end of the line, about getting outside.

They come for the same reason Native Americans and then the first white settlers set up fish camps at the fall line in Richmond each spring, the river is literally teaming with fish this time of year. And it should only get better in the coming month.

The beauty of fishing the river this time of year is that everyone can do it. You don’t need fancy gear or high-end fly rods, just a basic spinning outfit will do, or an old beater fly rod with a sinking line.

When the shad are running, don’t expect to have the James to yourself.

If you are new to the game, I would suggest heading out to Greentop Sporting Goods and having them get you set up with what you need. Shad darts and spoons should do the trick. Many prefer to catch them on the fly rod, which requires a boat. A sinking line and small, simple shad flies in green, orange, or white are all one needs to get the job done.

For those wishing to fish from the bank, the 14^th street bridge parking lot is a good start. Walk downstream. Where you see the anglers, you will likely find the fish. Those with boats are best to launch at Ancarrow’s Landing just below I-95 and head upstream.

A few things to remember while you are out there: You may not keep American shad. Usually the American shad is bigger than a hickory shad, but that is not always a true marker. The easiest way to tell them apart is their jaws. The American’s upper and lower jaws are equal in length when the mouth is closed while the Hickory has an under bite. Also instituted this year is a moratorium on catching herring. You have to throw them back. A good rule of thumb, if you are unsure, just throw them back. Most people do any way.

Even if you are not an angler, I encourage you to head downtown and check out the scene over the course of the next month. It is something to behold.

While we await Old Man Winter releasing his icy grip, I wanted to point out two recent releases from the James River Association that should be of interest to outdoors folks in the area.

The bunkhouse for the JRA’s Ecology School on Presquile.

The first is an opportunity to discover one of Central Virginia’s hidden gem outdoor destinations: Presquile National Wildlife Refuge. Just 15 miles from downtown Richmond, Presquile is a 1,329-acre island in the James River that’s only open by appointment. The NWR system has a few facilities there, and the JRA’s ecology school is based there as well. It’s teeming with wildlife and is a great place to discover by canoe or kayak. And on April 12, the public has that opportunity for the second year in a row. The JRA and US Fish and Wildlife Service and holding their annual Presquile Field Day. Activities lead by the James River Association, VCU, US Fish & Wildlife Service, VA Master Naturalists and the Audubon Society will be going on throughout the day. This is a once-a-year opportunity to see one of Central Virginia’s most stunning natural settings.

The JRA also recently announced that they’re giving away free trees. Who doesn’t love free, right? Especially when we’re talking trees. Actually, they’re giving away money to reimburse people for the cost of planting trees, but the end result is the same.

The wetlands boardwalk on Presquile.

During the spring and fall planting seasons, the James River Association is offering free
trees to Richmond City residents. Homeowners can receive up to a $200 reimbursement per
home for trees planted on their property.

This tree incentive program is only open to City of Richmond residents and reimbursements are
available March through April, and September through November 2014. Homeowners must be
an existing River Hero Home or submit an application to become a new River Hero Home to
qualify.

River Hero Homes is JRA’s certification program that recognizes homeowners who are
successfully taking steps to improve water quality by reducing the amount of stormwater and
pollution leaving their property. To become certified, JRA requires homeowners to install a
river-friendly practice, such as planting trees or installing a rain barrel, as well as following some
simple everyday actions to reduce pollution. These actions, which include picking up after your
pet or planting native plants, may seem small, but when adopted on a wide scale, can have a
significant impact on local water quality.

Tree reimbursements are available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be available until
funding runs out. For more information about this program, and to find out if your property
qualifies, click here.

Hunter Reardon has a great piece on Atlantic sturgeon in the James River in the most recent issue of Richmond Magazine. It’s a bit on the long side, but well worth the time if you’ve followed the return of these prehistoric Richmond natives to the James River.

VCU sturgeon researcher Matt Balazik with a beast in the James. Credit: Chuck Fredericksburg/JRA

Among the interesting tidbits Reardon included:

…the prehistoric fish has managed to avoid destruction, extinction and radical evolution since the Triassic Period. Two hundred million years ago, the first ray-finned fish appeared, and since the Cretaceous Period, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, the physical qualities of the sturgeon have remained basically unchanged.

When it formed so many millennia ago, it was built without teeth of any kind; instead, it feeds by sucking up food from the floor, like a 300-pound vacuum cleaner.

John Smith, for his part, declared that the river contained more sturgeon “than could be devoured by dog or man.”

At the turn of the 19th century, the sturgeon was not in high demand. The fish was considered a nuisance at best, and no Richmond residents hunted it for food. There was no demand for fish eggs among Southern folks, and there were far better fish to fry. In the 1850s, however, immigrants began to arrive from Russia and Eastern Europe. These new settlers were used to catching Atlantic and beluga sturgeon on the Baltic Sea, and they brought with them a knack for cooking and an appetite for caviar.

Bald eagles may be the most visible sign of the recovery of the James River over the past 40 years, but the story of the Atlantic sturgeon is just as dramatic. Click here to read the article.