14th Street Bridge (Floodwall Park)

🅿️ Parking: Floodwall Park: 101 Hull St, Richmond, VA 23224 [https://goo.gl/maps/RLb5pPU2pqi5JbRk9]

⭐ Accessibility rating: 8/10

🛶 Kayak/canoe launch: There is a makeshift canoe/kayak launch (more like a sandy beach area) 1/4 mile from the parking lot. Boat transportation (trolley) is needed.

🐟 What to expect: So so so many stripers, and lots and lots and lots of shad. And lots and lots of bass (smallies and largies). And plenty of catfish.

🍨 Inside scoop… Get here before 5am in the spring for a parking spot…the hype is real!

The Details:

While most of the year this section of the James remains quiet for anglers, when the middle of March comes along, this zone of the river turns into a fish producing machine. American and Hickory shad make their way up the James in the spring to spawn, and they do their spawning in the fall line area, which just so happens to be a few miles upriver from the bridge. What makes this spot so great for the shad, and then the stripers that follow suit, is the river’s first series of rapids that form above the bridge and act as an unofficial end of the journey for these anadromous fish (fish born in freshwater who spend most of their lives in saltwater and return to freshwater to spawn, credit NOAA). Shad and stripers will reach the rapids and miles of water below it to spawn, creating an excellent fishing scenario for eager anglers.

To access the river from the parking lot, head toward the flood wall, and then you will see a path just upriver from the bridge. The section of river above the bridge is actually relatively shallow up until the large rapids, and this lower section doesn’t hold as many fish. I recommend heading down below the bridge in between the old train bridge during shad season (mid-March through late April) and fishing for shad at this time. There are endless amounts of hidden rocks in this zone, however, so be careful fishing deep with your shad gear, and be prepared to lose a few bucks every session. You can continue walking downriver past the old train bridge to access my favorite shad fishing spot. In between the train bridge and the I-95 bridge is some of the best shad fishing in Richmond, especially in the later part of the year. There are a lot less snags down here, and usually less people. Additional parking is available unofficially beneath the 95 bridge, so you can also park there if you want less of a walk.

When it comes to fishing the main rapids in the upper part of this area, you should go into the session understanding that this spot is VERY VERY popular during striper season. It’s not unusual to find the parking lot full and the rocks lined with people all the way from below the bridge up through the end of the rocky shoreline. Since this part of the river is tidal, the river will look significantly different at a high tide compared to a low tide. Fishing during the incoming tide is traditionally more effective, as the striper will move up and chase bait during this tide change. However, you can have success during all tides, so give it a shot no matter when you are down at this spot in the spring and early summer.

While striper and shad fishing tend to dominate the spring, there is also really solid largemouth fishing in this area of the river. Don’t be surprised if you hook into a 3-5 pound largemouth bass while jigging a swim bait in the spring. As the water continues to warm up, the largemouth fishing tends to improve significantly. As always, take some time to enjoy the views, and let us know how you do fishing this epic section of the river!

Local tip: Fishing in the early morning or evening on an incoming tide in the spring will bring you a lot to write home about

If we were stuck with one lure: 5 inch swim shad on a jig head.