A day on the water
Published 2:03 pm Thursday, August 29, 2019
Twins Scott Rusch and Isaac Rusch were enjoying the sunshine and catching blue gill from the dock Sunday morning. (Photo by Betty J. Ramsey)
Nashawn Hurt, of Farmville, patiently waits for the next fish to come along. (Photo by Betty J. Ramsey)
Crewe resident Randy Rusch enjoys fishing and spending the day with his boys. (Photo by Betty J. Ramsey)
Carson Yogi from Amelia does some last minute checks before launching his boat for an afternoon of fishing. Yogi says he usually catches bass and a few pike. (Photo by Betty J. Ramsey)
Chad Bowles and Jeff Gibson, both from the Charlottesville area enjoy fishing Sandy River Reservoir. The big catch of the day was a 5lb bass. (Photo by Betty J. Ramsey)
Sandy River Reservoir has been an area favorite for fishing since it opened in 1996. It’s easy to see why as this 740-acre lake, set just east of Farmville in Prince Edward County, provides the chance to catch largemouth bass, black crappie, redear sunfish, bluegill, chain pickerel and even channel catfish.
Families and friends alike gathered up poles and fishing gear on Sunday and headed out to try their skills at catching a big one. Some fished along the shore, others set up at the docks and still others took to the water by boat and kayak.
The reservoir is managed by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) so if you decide to try your own luck catching a few fish here are a few things you should know.
Regulations:
• Largemouth bass – 14–20 inch slot, 5 per day, only 2 greater than 20 inches
• Sunfish – no size limit, 50 per day
• Crappie – 9 inch minimum, 25 per day
• Channel catfish – 15 inch minimum, 8 per day
• Outboard motor use restricted to 10 hp or less. The following are prohibited on this property: swimming, open air fires, trotlines, littering, sailboats and jetskis.
A fishing license is required for those over 15 and can be purchased online or at hundreds of licensed agents. For more information or to purchase a license visit the https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/.
An old fishing saying goes, “any day on the water is better than a day at the office.” There is some truth to that and to find out for yourself how rejuvenating a day on the water can be Sandy River Reservoir, along with many other fishing spots, are just minutes away. Grab a pole, some bait, family or friends and try your hand at catching a big one.
