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Spirit of Moonpie and I spent April 8-10 on the Blackwater above Joyner’s Bridge. The water was high at 6.47 on the Burdette USGS gauge, fast, clear and 64 degrees. Air temps ranged from a nice 34 to 67 degrees. Excellent camping weather… except for the drizzle the first morning. Trash was light as I had already cleaned up at this location. I did not go downriver from the landing. I saw no water quality issues. However, someone had been on that part of the river and set limblines. When they left, they took the lines as required but left the orange survey tape hanging from all the tree limbs they had put lines in. The regulation states that everything must be removed… that includes the survey tape. Why someone would remove the lines and not remove the tape while you are right there removing the line can be nothing but just trifling. 

The fishing on this trip was fantastic. I tried for shad the first day, but never even had a hit. So, I changed up and started fishing for bass and Jack. Since the water was so fast in the river, I started fishing in the swamps. Plus, I wanted to see if the bass were in pre-spawn yet. That proved a good move as the bass were indeed in the swamps. I caught several just letting the Rogue stick bait just wiggle around on the surface right up next to the shore. I caught 10 bass up to near three pounds. I missed that many also, which is typical for fishing this technique. I also caught two Jack; one was 3.3 pounds. 

So, it was a really fun trip, and my back held up, which is always great. Although it’s kind of annoying that I am constantly afraid now whenever I go that my back will give out. Any little twinge and I get worried. I guess that’s just the way it’s gonna be. It was also great fun fishing in the swamps. I actually got into a place this trip that I have never been in before. Kind of hard to believe there is anywhere out there I have not been, but the water was high enough that I took a chance and worked my way through the cypress knees winding through the swamp. I was pleasantly surprised when to my amazement the swamp opened up into a small circular pond. It was very cool and stunningly beautiful. I did not catch a single fish in this magical place and you know what, I didn’t even care because I was just happy to be where I was at on the two rivers we call the Blackwater and Nottoway.

Jeff Turner is the Blackwater Nottoway RiverGuard. To contact him about river issues, send him an email at blknotkpr@earthlink.net. He can also be followed on the Blackwater Nottoway RiverGuard Facebook page. Search for “Blackwater Nottoway RiverGuard” on Facebook.