Thread: Pass The Salt

Went for evening boat ride on the James. Put in on the Appomattox at Hopewell. As we were leaving the ramp I noticed two guys catching crabs with chicken parts. Occasionally I have seen rows of crab pots in the same area. I know the salt water gets further up the rivers when there's little rain and temperatures rise in the 90's.
Just wondering how the salt content get's in the NW River and what effect it has on the crappie bite.

Many yrs ago I use to catfish on the chick river. My secret bait was slim-jims! One day I was fishing and something kept messing with bait but would not take it.. I led the culprit to the boat reeling slowly. It was a very large blue crab!
Unforunatly it was only crab caught ( I don't remember how the channel cat hit that day)

I think the salt water gets there from Currituck sound. I fished Back Bay back in the day and they pumped salt water in and the fishing was to die and go to heaven for, Bass and crappie up the wazoo so I thing they adapt well. I fish Currituck too and it was the same way.

Originally Posted by Joe Tilghman

I think the salt water gets there from Currituck sound. I fished Back Bay back in the day and they pumped salt water in and the fishing was to die and go to heaven for, Bass and crappie up the wazoo so I thing they adapt well. I fish Currituck too and it was the same way.

Every time someone mentions Back Bay, I can remember what a good fishery that was. A lot of nice catches came out of there. What is it's present condition? Coming back or getting worse?

Originally Posted by Doodlum

Every time someone mentions Back Bay, I can remember what a good fishery that was. A lot of nice catches came out of there. What is it's present condition? Coming back or getting worse?

it is coming back from what i hear. not sure about the crappie but the bass are in some areas that have grass beds. they say the whitw perch is really good. it is a big body of water for my small boat. back in the 70's the grass covered the whole bay so it kept the wind waves down to nothing. not that way today. i miss backbay tite lines JIM.B

I have caught crappie in water that had almost the same salt content as Ocean water. The adult black crappie can tolerate it. The fry will die though and You can lose a year class from salt water being too far up river in the spring. Also explains why You can't catch them in true saltwater areas. White crappie can't tolerate salt water which is why You never see them in coastal rivers.CF