James River 8/28-8/30 & Long Creek 8/29 PM

[kvo113]

Came down to TR for the weekend. Fished James River but also pulled boat out and drove down to dam Saturday night based on a post on this forum about James River being dead from  pt 11-15. Have been reading a lot on this forum so hoping to contribute a bit with this report, but we are amateurs so take it with a grain of salt.

 

8/28 PM - James River - 1 keeper LM @ 6pm, 3 non keepers , all on 3/8 PBJ jig

8/29 AM - James River - 2 small Kentuckys on shad colored spinner bait near point 12. Tried Jigs, top water, spinner baits, texas rig, crankbait.. no bites.

Decided to pull boat out and try down by dam

8/29 PM - Long creek - 2 nice SM (2-2.5 lbs) on black/blue jig in about 8-10 feet on flats in front of points. lost a couple other fish too. 

8/30 AM - James River - didn't head out until 9 because of storm, but ran into a guy who said they tore it up (6-8 keepers in an hour) before the storm rolled through on white spinner baits. We tried the white spinner baits and caught 4-5 from 9-noon but only 1 was keeper. Also tried PBJ, Black and blue jigs, and crank bait today but had no bites. 

 

Throughout weekend we tried spoons and jigs around docks but had no bites. Probably going to hit up one of the guides on our next trip, was hoping to do a lot better based on eric prey's video from this past week so either the fishing pattern changed or we aren't very good at fishing

[Fishin Hodge]

Many of the guides posts and videos sometimes make it sound easier than it is.  There is a very good bite in the James River of late, but if you miss it by even just a little you miss it almost completely.  For me the good bite has been early and spotty to say the least, but if it all lines up just right you can catch some nice fish up there.

Something I am figuring out more and more in life is that guides must make things as favorable as possible as fishing is their way of making a living.  Not calling any out here, because I quite frankly just don't know.

Lake Fork is an awesome example though.  Oh my how the guide posts make things sound fantastic, but when you get there the fishing is most generally tough.  Lake Fork is an amazing fishery and I have caught the biggest fish of my life there, but when I head down there no matter the optimism I see on the reports I know I am in for some tough fishing an a fairly decent shot at the fish of a lifetime.

Anyhow, thanks for the honest fishing report.  Hope you enjoyed your trip.

[Bill Babler]

I think Tough Nut to Crack that I posted last week, might be a little better representation of the fishing that is currently going on here on the Rock.

I try to make both my reports to the instate newspapers and on our fishing forums as accurate as possible.

Hope they are honest and trustworthy for everyone.

[Quillback]

The fishing is tough for sure.  Catching a few, especially if you only fish TR every once in a while, is not bad for this time of year.

[Champ188]

Hodge, you said a mouthful there regarding some guides. Every destination lake has some who seem to paint the picture a bit rosier than it really is.

Bill, you are not one of those. I would venture to say that in my years here on the forum, you have posted more reports of tough fishing than of how great it is. Thanks for all of the free info you share here.

[GNSfishing]

I'll agree that the Cape Fair area is tough right now but you can catch a few up in and close to the shore line brush with a 1/4 oz shakee head with a 6 inch green pumpkin finesse worm. Yesterday evening in 3 hrs we had 10 which 2 were around 3 lb keepers. So just have to get out and work the brushy points and pockets. 

[m&m]

Thank you for the report.  No one has great success each time out.  I agree with Champ that Bill's posts are honest and accurate.  Speaking of the Sunday morning storm, I planned on fishing early in the morning in the dam area but that lightening kept me away.  So I selected a couple of chores to do instead.  Hopefully next weekend I can get out in the dam area before the end of the season boaters.

 

Mike

[Hunter75]

agree with champ 100%, I usually check several reports and might to what some gides say, but I will take and use Bill's advice any day of the week.