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Whispering Bear and I spent September the 19th through the 21st on the Nottoway below Delaware. The water was clear but nasty/stagnant on the surface, 71 degrees, dissolved oxygen (D.O.) 5.87. Air temps ranged from 57 to 80. The only trash we picked up was a foil balloon near Monroe Bridge. We saw either two bald eagles on this trip or saw the same one twice, which is what I believe was the case. Both sightings were near Monroe Bridge. Very skitterish, could not even come close to getting a picture of it.

The fishing this trip was as poor as I have seen it in a long time. At least for chain pickerel. I only caught one and hung one. We caught several bass, but only two were big enough to count. I caught a bunch of like 6-inch bass, and that was pretty weird. First night catfishing we had a monster hit on the big rig, but it didn’t stick. The second night I changed to a circle hook, and we caught a 7-pounder. That fish looked and acted like it was about dead. I don’t understand the fishing or the way this fish appeared. At least we did not see any dead catfish this time. Water temps are great and so was the D.O., I don’t get it?? Anyway, the bream fishing was even poor. Maybe things will get better after the river gets flushed from this tropical system that’s going to fly right over us.

I am so glad it’s finally fall. Been another very hot summer, and I’m ready for cooler air and water. I don’t know what caused the dead blue catfish problems in the rivers this year and some last year (mainly the Nottoway and Chowan), but it certainly is a summer seasonal phenomenon. Anyway, I am glad that seems to be over with for the year. I am soooo looking forward to sittin’ beside the river with a cup of fire on the two rivers we call the Nottoway and Blackwater.

NOTE: A cup of fire is how Freezing Deer used to describe the size of my campfire, hhaaaa.

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. Just type in “Blackwater Nottoway RiverGuard” in the search field on Facebook.