yaknar

I got out on the river this weekend. Finally it didn't rain the days before I went. The river level was down and where I like it, when you have to drag you kayak, and cloudy most of the float. I didn't catch anything big but I did start out by catching one before I even got in the kayak. Took pictures of a few of the different ones. I caught mostly smallmouth and goggle-eyes, released them all. The reel speed was one crank faster than a dead stop. And I have a new favorite lure, a suspending crankbait, I had never used one, suspending. The main reason for the post, is that there is a tree all the way across the river up-stream from Frazier Bridge. No problem getting around it. I haven't been down this stretch in a while so it may have been there for a while. Great day on the river.....can't wait to get out again.....

I was going to float down the river on Friday but the weathermen said storms on Friday morning, so trusting the weathermen, I took off Thursday instead. Rained Thursday morning, no rain Friday morning. But if you look at the river gauge, the rain did not make it down the river until Friday morning, 3 ft Thursday morning and 6 ft Friday morning. And I know I'm looking at height and not flow. For the first half of the float, fishing was somewhere below good and above poor so I'll call it fair, the second half I caught an occasional fish so poor. But I'm not a fish counter and sometimes it just takes that one fish that makes your day. Mine was a smallmouth in less than a foot of water. I cast a shallow crank as far as I could and the fish must have saw it coming. It took it as soon as it hit the water. I had a great time, trying to land the smallmouth, it keep trying to run and I had my drag set on light so I wouldn't loose it. It was all I needed to put a smile on my face the rest of the way down the river. I caught smallmouth, one cat, goggle eyes and pumpkinseeds. Lost a few lures, took a few picture and released them all.....great day on the river.....

A short report.... I was going to go fishing on Friday but then it rain on Thursday. By Saturday the river was going down, but rain was on it's way Saturday morning..... I went anyway. Rained on me most of the morning. I thought I was going smallmouth fishing but as you can see by the pictures I guess I went catfish fishing. I can't seem to catch a fish when it's raining, before or after yes, but not during. I've tried noisy baits, fishing slower but no luck. Maybe I should try topwater. I caught fish but the 2 biggest were catfish. The pictures are of two different cats. They maybe related, they live in the Ozarks, that why they look alike. I caught them both on a baby bass crankbait. The first one hit my lure and took off upstream while I was in the current going down stream. I let her run a little while I paddled, one handed towards the bank, where I bailed out, almost loosing my paddle, and fought the fish. I'm glad no one was around. It wasn't very graceful. Caught smallmouths, two cats, one crappie and pumpkinseeds. No goggle eyes. When I took out there were 10-12 canoes/kayaks waiting to put in. I couldn't get out very much and works the holes but still great day on the river. Took a few pictures and released them all to fight again.....

I got out on the river this weekend and had my best day yet, this year..The river is low enough I could get out of the kayak and fish. My day started out with a deer coming down to see what I was doing. And later I followed an eagle down the river. I don't have a camera that's good at long distance pictures, usually my fish are not that far away. My biggest fish was a cat that broke my 8 lb line. I guess I forgot how to play a fish. My largest bass threw my 99 cent e-bay lure, yes I buy lures on e-bay, did not replace the hooks, lesson learned. Caught smallmouth, perch, gogle-eyes and one walleye. My streak continues.....one walleye, per year, in the James for the last 5 years. He wasn't in one of the walleye holes but up one riffle, I guess one of the flood brought him up. The method was not cranking and stopping or ripping the bait through the water but to cast, over and over and over again to where I thought the fish where, with several different lures, over and over and over, until I think, the fish got pissed off and hit the lure. I think I'm going to have to start using colored line, yellow or tangerine, eyes getting weak, and if I never catch another fish or fewer fish I will know its the line. Took pictures of a few..released them all.......Great day on the river.....

So..... how was the tournament? I went to the facebook page and saw the winners but little else. How big was the biggest bass? How many anglers showed up? How many fish were caught? Do we get to see pictures? I saw a big walleye and lots of goggle eyes were caught, anything else strange? Any area held more bass the other? Lures? Payouts? Maybe I want to know to much.......

Johnsfolly thanks for the comment. And TroutRinger, you are correct. I can't wear hightops, bad ankle, and have not tried duct tape. So my answer to gravel in the shoe is...I wear two pair of socks. one regular pair and one wool pair, pushed around my shoe. When the wool sock gets wet it settles down on top of my shoes and stops gravel from getting in......in theory. Works for me.....

I got the kayak out on Friday.It lightly rained on me all the way down the river. The current keep me moving so I couldn't get out and fish the way I would have liked. Start 862fps - stop 1100fps. Total float time was 4 hr instead of 7 hr. But I was finally able to take off the waders and fish the way you were meant to float...tshirt, shorts and tennis shoes. I threw cranks and softswim baits. All the fish I caught was on deep diving cranks. Caught smallmouths, two nice ones, one crappie, one cat and two gars but not one goggle-eye. The gars didn't make it into my kayak, so no pictures, and took my lures, BPS must of put them in the river so I would have to buy more lures. I enjoyed my time on the river, hoping for low water next time.... Took a few pictures and released them all

Saw this on the internet today. Think of all the money it will save me, not having to buy fishing lures....

Kayaked down the James the weekend. It always seems to me that the floods fill in more holes than they dig out. Its like if you were in your living room watching TV, got up to get a drink from the kitchen and when you came back someone rearranged all the furniture. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. Back to my report. The river was up a little and moving but I probably caught my weight in goggle eyes, a few smallmouths and one really nice smallmouth. Caught them all on crankbaits, on the pause. The big one deep in a hole with a deep diver.. When I took out there were 8 kayaks waiting to put in. Seems like everyone has kayaks now days.Took pictures of a few and released them all. Great day to be out on the river

I saw this on the internet. I don't know if it has been posted here before. Just something to make you smile on a cold rainy day....

Floated down the the river for the last time this year and kissed a couple fish good bye.Thought I would take a couple pictures of the trees changing but the reds haven't made it out yet. Had a nice float, the river is the lowest it has been all year. I caught 3 whites, that has never happened to me before, all on grubs and 2 suckers on crankbaits. I didn't catch anything big but enough to keep it interesting. Floated to Shelvin Rock and pulled up a lot of leaves on the crankbaits. Everyone keep posting so I have something to read. Took pictures of a few, posted too many and released them all to catch next year.....

smbasser, I got out on the river Friday. I was going to post a report but wow, after seeing your fish, I think I'll just say "way to go".....

These are new to me lures. Made by Bandit, they have a different color on either side. I guess they have been out for awhile. Has anyone else seen or used these? I thought it's clever but I know "color doesn't matter.....except when it does."

My streak continues ...one walleye, a year, in the James, for the last 4 years. Before that I had never caught one. I got out Monday and kayaked down the river. I caught smallmouths and goggle eyes, and took pictures but I could not post their pictures in the same post with this beautiful walleye. I have 3 walleye holes on the river. These are places where I caught a walleye before so when I get to them I slow down and in my mind I fish them a little different. When I got to this hole, I was standing in waist deep water and thought I hooked a branch under the water but then I saw the line move and the fight was on. After I landed her and started to take the lure out both treble hook had a point broken off. The rest of the day I didn't have to catch another fish but I did and also caught a nice white. Since I dont catch many of them, she also gets her picture posted. All fish were released to fight again.......Another great day on the river.

For those of you that shop Tackle Warehouse, there is a promotional code, coupon, that saves you $5 off your purchase. No minimum purchase but you still have to pay shipping..... It worked for me.....FHABAQ214.

I put in at Nelson Mill Bridge. I don't park my truck there, my wife drops me off.... you just have to pull your kayak through a couple patches of poison ivy, then under the bridge there's about a ten foot drop off. And did I mention the snakes and gators.....

I've been out twice since my last post but with the river up and rolling... I caught fish but not a lot and nothing big. Two Saturdays ago I went, when that pop up storm, popped up. It probably rained and the wind blew harder on me than anytime I been in a kayak on the river. I didn't know if it was better waving my aluminum paddle in the air or hide under the trees on the bank and getting hit by falling limbs.... I got out Friday and floated to Delaware. And I did get the waders out because I'm a woose and it was cold. There is a tree across the river down from Nelson Mill bridge. I tried a lot for lures but the one I caught the most on was a crankbait that dives 12ft. When I took out a Delaware the were no cars or trucks in the lot. River is still to fast and high for me but I think its the new normal. Had a great time on the river. Took pictures of a few and released them all...

Mofloatjunkie, thanks for the pictures and the report. I think the river has been " flowing very well" all year long. Nice cat..Did you know what it was when you first hooked it?

Way to go Dougie, thanks for the pictures and report. I'm hoping it will be my turn at the end of this week but.....

Dougie, sorry about the auto correct on your name....Dougie

Doggie, thanks for the pictures . I'll be interested in hearing your report, be safe.

I guess by now everyone has seen this article in the Spfd News Leader, but for those who haven't here's a link ........ http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/outdoors/2015/07/15/river-art-graffiti/30209231/ Cairns ? Do these really bother anyone?

Slab Slinger, if you notice the pictures I post you never see any lures so ... the only thing left I can say 1/8 oz to 3/8 oz

I saw this on the internet, hadn't seen it before and it made me laugh......thought you might enjoy it......Fish Fingers.......

Slab slinger, I have 3 go to crankbaits a Rapala, a KVD, and a Savage Gear.