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Spirit of Moonpie and I spent February the 15th through the 17th on the Blackwater below Franklin. The water was clear and 41 degrees. Air temps ranged from a very cold 25 to 65 degrees. It was one of those trips I had to take both winter and summer clothing.

Trash on this trip was not too bad. I picked up about a half a bag. Most of it was on shore where the water had been high, so I was not able to reach it. It’ll float back out one day, I know that for sure, and I’ll get it then, as no one else will it seems.

The fishing on this trip was pretty good. I tried fishing for stripers but didn’t catch a single one. However, I got lucky and started catching really nice size speckles on the blade bait. I also caught a bass, a chain pickerel and a few racoon perch, but they were too small. I also caught one of those minnow fish. It’s a little minnow-looking thing that comes up the river each year when the shad start running. So, I’m pretty sure there are a few shad in the river, but I didn’t try for them. 

So yep, it’s that time of the year again when the boat ramps will be full of enthusiastic anglers racing to get into position for the shad run. Please remember that other people are eager also to launch their boats and fish. So, please don’t pull your boat out and then block the ramp. Be considerate and get out of the way so there can be a nice flow of traffic. Also, don’t be throwing a big wake at the ramps; it makes it hard for people to launch and load their boats, and it’s dangerous for people tied up at the pier.  

Using common sense and being thoughtful at the ramps and on the water can go a long way in making a pleasurable experience for us all 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. Just type in “Blackwater Nottoway RiverGuard” in the search field on Facebook.