Dragon Run / Piankatank River

Those visiting the Dragon will find it much the same as in generations past, both in terms of its scenic beauty and in the diversity of fish it provides for anglers. The Piankatank River and Dragon Swamp “The Dragon” support a surprising number of fish species, from freshwater gamefish such as largemouth bass, redbreast sunfish, and warmouth to important migratory fish species such as shad, river herring and striped bass.

The Dragon begins as a non-tidal blackwater stream surrounded by vast areas of flooded woodlands, cypress swamps, and freshwater marshes, where access is limited to a few bridge crossings. The expanses of lowland hardwoods and cypress swamps that fringe the river make for a trip back in time for those adventurous few who venture here, and fishing will be an added bonus to a wonderful wildlife experience. Chain pickerel and warmouth sunfish provide exciting action in the upper Dragon, and anglers will be likely to encounter bowfin, redbreast sunfish, and white catfish as well. Beaver dams and logjams are numerous and vegetation typically chokes the channel by late spring. As a result, the best time to fish or float this section of the Dragon is during early spring when water levels are relatively high and aquatic vegetation growth has not completely blocked passage. The float from Route 602 to Route 603 is the shortest between bridge crossings on the Dragon, and can easily take a full day to complete. Anglers unfamiliar with the Dragon may want to limit themselves to fishing in the vicinity of bridge crossings where relatively deep channels provide good “pool” habitat for chain pickerel and other species.

The lower reaches of the Dragon (below Route 17) support spawning runs of a number of migratory fish species. These anadromous species spend a majority of their adult lives in the ocean and Chesapeake Bay, making annual spring spawning runs up freshwater rivers and streams such as the Dragon. Species of anadromous fish occurring in the Dragon’s excellent spawning and nursery habitat include American shad, hickory shad, river herring (actually two species, alewife and blueback herring), and striped bass. All of these species are important economic and recreational resources of the Chesapeake Bay. Restoration efforts by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources in cooperation with other state and federal agencies have resulted in increased numbers of striped bass in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, while recovery efforts continue for the American shad. Spring striped bass fishing can be excellent in the lower Dragon and upper sections of the Piankatank.

The lower Dragon also supports excellent populations of channel catfish and white catfish, however in recent years blue catfish have begun to replace these two species in the fish community, and anglers can expect to increasing numbers of blue catfish relative to channel and white catfish. In addition, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, various sunfish species, yellow perch, and fairly large-sized white perch can be found in the lower Dragon.

Below the Dragon, the Piankatank is a transition zone. The upper reaches supporting a freshwater assemblage represented by blue, channel, and white catfish, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and sunfish. The lower reaches supporting a primarily saltwater fish assemblage represented by croaker, flounder, spotted trout, spot, and other species typical of the Chesapeake Bay.