Kayaking Shelvin To Hootentown

[yaknar]

I kayaked down the James on Friday. Started off with 49 degree temps, with the river dropping with the rain the day before. Had to get the neoprene wader back out. I fished for about 30 min. without getting even a bite, but then the fish got hungry. Seems like everytime I go I catch a cat. I had camera troubles on the way down. I think its time to buy a waterproof camera, anyone recommends any? Inexpensive. I had 2 fish break my line off, although I think one was a turtle because it was slowly moving upstream. I'm replacing my line today, going from 6lb to 8lb. I'll see if it makes a difference catching fish or fewer fish. Any thoughts if going from 6lb to 8lb will make a difference other than retrieving hung up lures? Caught one big beautiful smallmouth and a lot of smaller ones. And for myself this float takes me between 7 to 8 hours.

[npierceuark]

I carry two poles with me usually, one a small ultralight for small jigs, cranks etc with 6 lb line. Makes for casting those small lures a lot easier. and the other pole is a heavier spinning reel with 10 lb line. Probably a little overkill but you'll never lose a lure. I use that rod for heavier plastics and bigger lures. The james is dirty enough you don't have to worry about spooking them with the heavier line. I like having two different lures ready at all times and the varying line weights makes presenting a wide variety of lures a lot easier.

[Stoneroller]

i ditched the panfish/trout line for 20lb braid and haven't looked back since. Catch rates haven't gone down and I don't break off lures in fishes' mouths anymore. Sometimes it can make for an interesting recovery when you hang up where there is some current, as you can't just break off line when you want, but I'll take that trade off.

[Ham]

i ditched the panfish/trout line for 20lb braid and haven't looked back since. Catch rates haven't gone down and I don't break off lures in fishes' mouths anymore. Sometimes it can make for an interesting recovery when you hang up where there is some current, as you can't just break off line when you want, but I'll take that trade off.

Add some 8 or 10 lb leader to your braid for just that reason. I WANT a weak link in my system that I can break IF I need to do so.

I use a double uni or an Alberto knot for that connection.

Lol, yaknar and his neo's. We do have some cool mornings, but I'm not wearing waders in June.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Nice pics, thanks for sharing your info of the trip.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Add some 8 or 10 lb leader to your braid for just that reason. I WANT a weak link in my system that I can break IF I need to do so.

I use a double uni or an Alberto knot for that connection.

Lol, yaknar and his neo's. We do have some cool mornings, but I'm not wearing waders in June.

I agree.

[Stoneroller]

yeah i've been using 12# fluoro and it's been working pretty well. Uni to Uni is one of the best knots i've found for line to line connections.

[damselfly]

some friends and I are going to do this stretch in a couple of weeks.......my question....did you run into any obstacles or anything you had to drag over ???? pic's look good !

[RSBreth]

There's a couple of spots along that stretch that will get skinny if we don't get any rain, but the only real obstacle is the drop around the "island" just above the highway M bridge right before the confluence with the Finley. Depending on water levels the drop (stay on the right) flips inexperienced paddlers. Not a big deal, but something to watch for.

[yaknar]

Just wanted to say "THANKS" to the James River Basin Partnership and the more than 170 people that participated in the Rescue Cleanup on the James Saturday . They cleaned the stretch from Shelvin Rock to Jamesville. THANKS AGAIN!