I'm late to the game and this was 20 years ago but my absolute best spot for yellow perch in VA was putting in at Aylett and riding halfway down toward Walkerton. If you look on google maps for a spot called "rosespout", the river is right there off of W River Road. There's 2 90 degree turns in the river there (river is shaped like a letter "C" at that spot and each of those 2 90 degree corners used to be THE spot.

Bottom rig with nightcrawlers or jigging blade baits.