Oxygen levels in the Rappahannock

[jwas1]

Fishing in the river seems slow. Last year there was someone on this board from CBF checking dissolved oxygen levels from Urbanna to the mouth of the river. If anyone knows levels this year, I would be interested to know.

[ChumSlick]

I don't know the levels however I do have a DO meter that I use in my line of work. It is the same meter used by most biologists and I'll put it in the boat the next time I head to the river. I'll take some readings. Given the protocol I use they will be accurate. Unfortunately that won't be until mid-August.

[Va Hokie]

Along the same lines, I did see alot of patches of red water up the River between buoy #6 (not 6R near the mouth) and the Whitestone Bridge.

[J.P. Williams]

Gentlemen--

Capt. Bill Portlock from CBF has been checking the Rappahannock over the past several weeks. There are indeed oxygen problems from Urbanna down to the mouth, especially in deeper water (30 feet +).

Watch your meters carefully. The fish will tell you where the bad water is by suspending above it. If you're trolling, set your spread of lines to run above it. If you're bottom fishing, look for live bottom at depths just above the bad water.

If the river is heavily stratified (fresh water lying over salt and warm over cool), you may see your bottom machines actually bounce echoes off the density break. The transition area may look like a haze if it's wide or a solid line if it's narrow (as after the heavy runoff from TS Ivan last fall).

Check CBF's web site for more information (www.cbf.org). Also note on the site that our Virginia Office is asking anglers like you to report any bad water or algae blooms you see.

Hope you find some fish in spite of the bad water, but please get involved (see web site) and help us improve the Bay's water quality.

Best regards, John Page Williams
CBF Annapolis