Rookie Learning To Fish In The James

[Chris Musick]

I've fished trout from roaring river and pond fish w worms. Any advice at all (in lingo I can understand) would be greatly appreciated. I've been Goin down to Delaware town mostly. Caught an accidental gar on a minnow and couple small goggle eyes on worms. I'm really interested in walleye and catfish as I've yet to ever catch either in a river.

[exiledguide]

I like to wade below Shelving Rock when the river level gets to 3 foot on the Boaz gauge look for the usual big rocks underwater root wads and logs in the water usual lures 4' worm 4''grubs on 1/32oz jigs with a 1/0 to # 2 hook small crankbait buzzbait and topwater. Learn to read the water and you can do well there

[RSBreth]

You will have to find spots to wade or float away from the access points. Sure, occasionally there will be some decent fish holding there sometimes, but in warm weather they get pounded hard. When they water gets low later in Summer there's more spots to wade but it's still a little slim. Buying borrowing or renting something to paddle around will get you better results than any tips about lures. The fish will hit almost anything when you get away from the "holes" that get hammered.

[Chris Musick]

Borrowed a kayak and am literally putting in right now. So we will see. Thanks!

[Chris Musick]

Apparently I dunno where the holes are and that water is SWIFT

[hambandit]

Where did you put in and take out Chris?

[Chris Musick]

Delaware....I paddled up stream then floated down stream just past the bridge then paddled back up. Didn't have anyone to pick me up or I would floated to shelvin rock

[Chris Musick]

I'm really want in to catch catfish....don't care where as long as its close to clever

[Wayne SW/MO]

I believe I would be setting in a lawn chair at the outlet on lake Springfield.

[riverhyker]

I have also fished from a lawn chair for cats and smallmouth at Shelvin Rock and other parts of the James River in the past. I would set up at the end of a riffle where I would be out of the way of canoes/kayaks and drift minnows down through the deeper areas under below those riffles under a small stick bobber. Then if I didn't get a bite on the drift down river I would work it back and sometimes pick up something coming back. (Have also done this with floating/diving hard baits).

Walmart used to sell a backpack fishing chair w/a pocket in it for a plano box/boxes. I would put that on my back and walk the rivers. If I got tired on the longer trips, especially walking back upstream against current, I would set up as above and fish/rest. It is a lot cooler when it gets hot than sitting on the bank...scenery is better too...

PS - If you are wading any distance they also sell a small, approximately 8" tall minnow bucket that I would tie to a belt loop with a stringer just long enough to reach the water.and let it float when wading through pools or thrown over my left shoulder (cast w/right hand) thru riffles.