Just received the following message from John Odenkirk with VDGIF:

"We were getting lots of calls, so I ran down to check the status of the river and shad run.  First off, she is very low and clear (only about 600 CFS when normal flow should be around 2000).  So, we need rain and have been promised some over the next 24 hrs.  I fished for about 40 min. and landed 5 hickory shad - all males except one nice green female.  Saw one alewife get eaten by a heron. There were several other anglers in the rapids above Route 1 where I was but many wading in the flats below the bridge.  It seemed most anglers were catching a few fish, but it was a bit on the slow side.  If we get rain (not a blow out), the water should rise and become a bit off color.  This should produce a really good bite over the weekend and into early next week despite the predicted drop in temperatures."

I used to live not far from there. Old town fredericksburg is a great place.

                   -searoach

I saw many people catching loads of shad from Old Mill Park along the Rapp last year. Lots of bank fishing there.