Spirit of Moonpie and I spent the 22nd through the 24th on the Nottoway below the Bronco Club. The water was normal and 46 degrees and really looked good. Air temps ranged from 27 to 50 degrees and it was once again a never-ending maelstrom with the wind.

I picked up only a couple pieces of trash so that was good and amazing! I was, however, so disappointed to see limblines hanging everywhere in the trees not being fished. It stuns me how so many people will not read the regulations or, should I say, will not abide by them. So once again remember that limblines, catlines etc. MUST BE REMOVED if not checked/fished daily. That does not mean be removed from the water, that means BE REMOVED, TAKEN DOWN, BROUGHT HOME. JEEEEZZZE.

Anyway, the fishing on this trip was pretty good, I caught several juvenile stripers, but none were the minimum 18 inches required to be large enough to keep. The second day I ran all the way back upriver to the narrows to try for the shad, but did not have even a hit. By the time this report comes out the weather is supposed to warm up and I think the shad bite will get back on track.

On the Moonpie Critter Patrol we saw some beavers that were not too happy we had moved into the neighborhood. They made that pretty clear that first night with all the tail slapping on the water that kept me jumpy for the first hour after dark.

We also had a pair of Osprey that seemed to pretty much follow us around the entire three days. They were having a right tough time in the high winds also. But it was really cool watching the pair fish even though I never saw them catch one.

It’s getting ready to be white perch season once again. In fact, folks are already catching a few. I caught about a dozen this trip.

I want to remind those who have high-powered fast boats that during this season there will be a lot of people fishing anchored in the middle of the rivers and on curves. Please keep that in mind and slow down when approaching some of these sharp blind curves. Shaving a few seconds off your time to the next hole is not worth dying over, or killing someone else. We all need to be respectful of each other during this busy time of the year on the rivers, whether it be at the boat ramp or out on the water. Doing so will elevate your fishing karma on the two rivers we call the Nottoway and Blackwater.

To contact Jeff about river issues, email him at blknotkpr@earthlink.net.