Channel cats, blue cats not native to river
The two most sought after catfish species in the tidal Rappahannock River, channel cats and blue cats, are not native to the river. Channel catfish were likely first stocked in the Rappahannock sometime between 1890 and the early 1900s, and blue catfish were not introduced to the river until the mid-1970s.
Largemouth bass
With slower growth and lower catch rates, this largemouth population has never had the national reputation the tidal Chickahominy and James largemouth fisheries have experienced.
Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass are encountered rarely in fisheries surveys. However, there have been verified reports of some very large (citation sized) individuals from the tidal section of the Rappahannock between City Dock and Little Falls.
Hickory Shad
The spring shad run provides excellent fishing for hickory shad at the fall line in Fredericksburg, with angler catches typically peaking in mid-to-late April.
Striped Bass
Seasonal striped bass fishing opportunities exist throughout the tidal Rappahannock, however fall striper fishing is best in the lower river.
NOTE: Regulations regarding season and creel limits for American shad, hickory shad, river herring, and striped bass in the tidal Rappahannock are set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC).
For season information contact VMRC in Newport News at 1-800-541-4646 or on the web at https://mrc.virginia.gov.
