RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The James River in Richmond is home to a variety of fish species, offering a great opportunity for fishing in the area. 8News has compiled a list of several fish species that the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources says can be found in both the James River's tidal and upper and middle areas. Fish found in the James River Black Crappie Black crappie fish (Photo by John Patriquin/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images) According to the Department of Wildlife Resources, the best fishing for crappie in the tidal James system occurs in tidal tributaries, as well as the James River mainstem near Jones Neck and Turkey Island. To find these fish, the department recommends anglers to look for submerged structures, such as downed trees, or pier pilings in the vicinity of channel drop-offs. Catfish A trophy blue catfish caught on the James River near Jamestown, Virginia A variety of catfish can be found in the James River, including blue, channel and flathead catfish. According to the department, the tidal James River provides the best fishing for blue catfish in the state, and anglers from around the country have begun to travel to Virginia to fish for its abundance. The department reports that hundreds of 30 to 60-pound blue catfish are pulled from the tidal James each year, with the former state record, a whopping 102.25 pounds, reportedly caught in 2009. According to the department, there is a possession limit of one blue catfish larger than 32 inches per person per day. However, there is no creel limit for blue catfish less than 32 inches in Virginia’s tidal rivers. Channel catfish can be caught both in the James River's tidal and upper and middle areas, however, the department says the best catches are restricted to the main river and tributaries from the Chickahominy to Hog Point. Flathead catfish in the tidal James are the most abundant between Richmond and Interstate 295. In the spring, many flathead catfish are caught at the head-of-tide, where the falls of the James meet the tidal James, upstream of Ancarrows Landing in Richmond, according to the department. Bass Largemouth Bass Striped bass, Virginia's official state saltwater fish. (Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) Both largemouth and striped bass can be found in the tidal James. The Non-Tidal James River also offers fishing opportunities for smallmouth bass. According to the department, some of the best largemouth fishing in this system is found in tidal tributaries from the Appomattox River down to Upper Chippokes Creek, as tributaries below this area are likely to be impacted by spikes in salinity. Fishing for largemouth bass in the mainstem James is best above Hopewell, according to the department. The department says striped bass fishing in Virginia waters has been excellent in recent years following restoration efforts by the Department of Wildlife Resources, as well as other state and federal agencies. During the fall season, striper fishing on the James is best downstream of the I-295 bridge, with stripers also found in many of the larger tidal tributary creeks, according to the department. As water temperatures cool late in the season, typically in mid-December, the department says the best locations for striper fishing are further downstream at the James River Bridge or the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge-Tunnel. Other species Common carps (Photo by Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket via Getty Images) A sunfish (Photo by Michael Bahlo/picture alliance via Getty Images) According to the department, white perch can also be caught in good numbers throughout the river using plastic grubs, beetle spins or grass shrimp. Sunfish can also be found in the tidal James, with pockets of hand-sized bluegill able to be located in the backwater areas off the mainstem and in tidal creeks, according to the department. Common carp are also abundant from Hog Island upstream to Richmond. According to the department, carp typically reach 10 pounds in the James, and anglers occasionally take carp up to 30 pounds. For more information about fishing regulations for specific fish species found in the James River, visit the Department of Wildlife Resources' website.