At low tide, anglers do best to float out of the creeks, casting a drifting or floating rig to the steeper bank and wood structure.

Anglers wishing to fish the river proper can anchor near the shore in the shade during the day or on a flat at night and cast toward the channel. Most of the time, two rods are more than enough for smaller fish because they are so willing to hit. Any water more than 4 feet is a good bet, although 8 to 10 feet of moving water will hold larger fish. Hard structure such as the Port Royal Bridge, old barge walls and pilings and logjams provide the best angling for the 20- to 25-inch fish.

An observation this writer has made over the years involves the availability of channel catfish. Anglers preferring channel catfish will catch more fish downstream of Leedstown and upstream of Hicks Landing to Fredericksburg at the fall line.

There are several put-ins for the Rappahannock. The first one is at Fredericksburg at the City Dock (free). Next is Little Falls in Stafford County just south of Fredericksburg (free), followed by Hicks Landing in Caroline County ($7) off Route 17. Port Royal Landing is just downstream of Hicks at Route 301 and Route 17 ($7), followed by Wilmont Landing (free) in King George near Westmoreland off Route 3 and Route 681, and finally the private landing at Leedstown Campground in Westmoreland County.

PAMUNKEY RIVER
The Pamunkey River is an up-and-coming trophy blue catfish destination, according to Bob Greenlee. Currently it has the highest growth rates of any Virginia tidal river. Much of this may be attributed to the fact that the fish recently moved into the system from the nearby Mattaponi River. Greenlee reports that 20- to 30-pounders are common in the river. He expects this trend to expand upward in size and numbers as the population increases its range.

Because the Mattaponi River, one of the cleanest rivers in Virginia, is so close to the Pamunkey it should not be left out of the mix as a good destination for catfish. The quiet flowing, tea-colored stream is full of a number of species of fish, including catfish. Fish in the 20-pound range are not uncommon on the Mattaponi, with larger fish being landed throughout the year.

Greenlee advised us that there are several access points for both rivers.

"Access to the Mattaponi can be made from Melrose Landing and a private landing at Walkerton. Access to the Pamunkey can be made from the Lester Manor landing in King and Queen County and Williams Landing (Putneys Mill in the Gazetteer), a private landing in Hanover County off Route 607."

Both rivers are smaller than the James or the Rapp, and fish are somewhat easier to locate as a result. Look for logjams, overhanging trees in conjunction with deep water and bends in the river. Float-fishing with a johnboat or canoe works great in these two beautiful rivers. On the downriver stretches, a johnboat is a bit more comfortable as boat traffic increases. Weighted baits in the lower sections of these two rivers are more effective than floating if you are in search of larger fish.

FLOATING RIGS
Float-fishing tidal water allows anglers to effectively cover more water at a rapid rate and catch more fish as a result. Generally the floating technique is used for eating-sized catfish, while traditional-weighed rigs are used for trophy fishing. There are two approaches to set up a floating rig.

The first rig is best used in smaller waters such as tidal creeks, smaller rivers, such as the Piankatank, Chickahominy, Mattaponi or Pamunkey. Attach a stick float above the hook so that the bait will drag just above the bottom. This depth set should be customized to avoid snags if the area is full of tree roots or underwater grasses. Using a stick float allows the anglers to see the fish take the bait and provide minimal resistance to the fish pulling on it.