Jamesville 05.13.16

[Ryan Walker]

God always gives us what we need. Not always what we want.. Took a trip to the James but started in the Finley above the confluence. Fished down to the shoal on the James below the confluence. Took a good fall caused by a tree branch that was unwilling to yield to my authority. This unexpected gravity assisted landing caused me to slow down, and pay attention to my surroundings. Man the river has changed. When it's ready, I'll post some video to illustrate this. Personally, I think it has changed for the better. The big piles of gravel that were stacked downstream of the Jamesville bridge are further downstream, and more dispersed, creating some very interesting pocket water. The cuts in the limestone on that stretch below the confluence are still there, but partially filled with gravel,creating a nice deep pocket above the shoal. 
I started with a sculpzilla in Olive, size 8, stripped through the deeper runs, and picked up a couple of good fish. The first good fish I caught had a half digested, 4 inch slick in his mouth and a another in his throat ( with a full belly to match), so I switched to a clouser, added a split shot, and started swinging it through the deeper runs. Picked up a couple of more good smalljaws and a big goggle eye before it was time to go. The fish in the picture picked up the clouser mid-swing, in the slick water below the Jamesville bridge, and was really, really strong. 

Flow was ~200CFS and the water temp, in my estimation, was low 60's. 

These fish are too special to keep, let them go and let them grow...

 

[bassfisher]

Nice

[Flysmallie]

Second pic is awesome.