James River Report

[motoman]

Thanks for the heads up on the white bass duckydoty and Lilley!!! A couple of buddies and I have been going out the last few days and catching limits each time. White sliders and purple swimming minnows on 1/8 oz. jig heads. Fished Asher's, Long's Camp and Blunk Hole. About 2/3 of the fish we cleaned were small females. Everyone needs to get out there before they're all gone! We're stepping out the door right now. Will let everyone know how we do!

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Yah, keep us posted fishhead. I LOVE reading these reports since I can't get on the water for a while.

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Last year this time we fished the Blunk Road area and had a blast!!!!!

[Jason Essary]

Had a good morning in that area this morning. seemed we could do no wrong. caught them in one spot and got closed in by boats, I hate when a boat moves in when they see you catching fish. Pulled in right in front of us as we were moving up the bank. So we moved and found them in anouther hole. After the boats didnt do so well and moved, we went back and fished it again, here came more boats.

All in all good day, still havent found the eyes yet.

[Bill Babler]

Dutch, Phil told me the fish they were keeping, at first they thought they were males because of their size, under 1 pound. Also, it is very unusual for sows to be up there this early in the year. I have fished with Phil for years and he turns 99% of all sows loose if he can reconize them. I doubt, that anyone has a better eye. He has caught and released litterly thousands of Whites, they are his pashion.

On another note, Table Rock is Full to the Gills with them. We are seeing just an early pitence of what is yet to come. There are 10's of millions in the Rock right now. We grafted them by the thousand and thousand last Fall and Early Winter. Most believe they are really working on the Shad.

I will tell you this, no one will miss a few whites, especially this early in the spawning season.

Please enjoy this bloom, and harvest a very renewable resource.

Good Luck Bill

[Dutch]

Bill that is also my passion. I fish a lot for them on several different lakes and Yeah well that is what they thought about Bull Shoals until 2002. I still say put the spawning females back.

To give you an example in March 2001 I caught 2800 whites bass on upper Bull Shoals. In march of 2002 I caught 500 and in March 2003 I caught 100. Then I quit going down there unitl last year when I had 3 weeks of good fish and then dinks. I haven't been this year.

[Phil Lilley]

What Bill said.

I thought we had a few sows. Couldn't believe it when I cleaned them.

It is a great idea to release sows for that reason but, dare I say it, I don't think it matters. What matters is the lake/river condition during the crucial period of the spawn.

If everyone did release 10% of the sows they catch, that would be plenty to replenish. But that's just my uneducated opinion.

[timr0123]

Hello all. I've never fished for whites on the James but would really like to give it a shot. I have been fishing for white's on the Spring River arm of Grand Lake above Twin Bridges for years. Would like some advise on where to put in. I have a 1620 Lowe which takes moderate shallow water OK. Thanks for any information.

[Dutch]

Phil, I was in no way taking a shot at you. I was just stating my opinion about pre spawn fish and know a lot of people would read your thread and my statement would have greater exposure here. I'm also opposed to people bed fishing for blacks.

[Phil Lilley]

Dutch- no offense taken. I didn't think you were taking any shots... I completely understand what you're saying and I agree.

Thanks!

[snakem]

Is that part of the james to shallow for my champion with a 200 h p motor.

[Fishhand]

Well we did it again! Three guys 45 fish in the livewell! We are truly blessed! But, I'm getting tired of cleaning all those fish. Had to buy an electric knife. I counted 'em this time. 26 females and 19 males. Those females are just so small I can't tell which is which.

I agree with you Babler, the Rock probably does have 10's of millions of white bass. Plenty for everyone to get out there and get 'em. This forum is great! I'm going again this weekend. The freezer is going to be full by the end of March!

Snakem you can run your 200hp clear up to Blunk Road if you want to...plenty of depth.

timr, most people use the access at Blunk Road. It's the closest spot to put in where the white bass are.