A Bit About My Home Water

Years ago I moved from my hometown of Norfolk VA. to Fredericksburg VA. to me it had the charm of an old European Town and It seemed to be a great place to raise a family. As a bonus Fredericksburg sits on the shores of the Rappahannock River. Right at the fall line. In colonial times It was a busy sea port. The town still has the remnants of colonial store houses and craftsman's cottages. It is also the Boyhood home of our first president, His mothers home, His brothers tavern, His sister's home. The law offices Of James Monroe , and was frequented by James Madison. It is here that the Farmers would bring their goods to be sold for shipment overseas.

This is also the home of the the Powhattan Nation. yes Pocahontas also played in these waters. A few years ago The Embrey dam was breached. This dam was original used to diver water to a canal system that fed the various mills. most notable of the mills was the Washington woolen mill. Yes that Washington Woolen Mill. The mill is now part of the Old Mill Inn. it undergoing a revitalization as I type and has become a go to lodging.

You didn't come here for a history lesson though. So lets get wet!. the Rappahannock is noted fishery that empties directly into the Chesapeake Bay. It starts on the eastern slope of the Shenandoah mountains. Along the way it joins the Rapidan River. Since the removal of the dam the water flows freely from its headwaters to the bay. That means we have just about every fish you can think of. from sharks to stripers and shad. we have catfish, Large mouth bass, Gar, Bowfin and yes we have snakehead. as you move upriver we have one of the finest small mouth fisheries in the country. Further inland the Rappahannock and Rapidan support stocked rainbow and brown trout as well as Native Brook Trout. There is of course a lot of sunfish.

Some years ago, The city of Fredericksburg became the owners of nearly 40 miles of the river shoreline. This shoreline is now in permanent conservation easement. The Easement extends from the point of the Old Embry dam up river on both sides. making this a protected area, the fishing is amazing. since the dam was removed, the annual shad migration has now made it up river to their native spawning grounds. This threatened species is slowly recovering. where there is shad there are stripers. and yes they too have migrated upriver.

soon the last dam in this water system will be gone. Currently, The mill dam in The town of Rapidan is slated to be demolished by 2026. This will mean the entire eco system will be free flowing from the mountains to the sea.