Tearing them up

[Jacob McIntosh]

I've been catching lots of smallmouth  for the last two months ned rigs and jigs both with some orange on them we usually avarge about 4-5 15 plus inch fish averaging 2 pounds the best so far has been a 2 lbs 12 oz I'm hopeing for a 3 pounder if I do I'm getting a recreation made of it.  

[mzrealfish]

My 2 friends and I were down the last weekend in April.  Floated Hootentown down to Galena.  They were in 1 canoe.  I floated solo.   We caught about a dozen goggle eye on various lures. They caught some sunfish. 

 

We mostly caught smallmouth as a whole.  Between the 3 of us about 50 in 2 days.  

 

Firetiger swim baits took the prize on most and biggest.  Quite a few in the 2 lb category and not many under 1 lb.  

 

I used the firetiger, white spinner, Ned with hi def craws 😁, senkos and a couple of other craw lures.  I cast way more than most of my fishing buddies so I out caught them about 2:1.  If I had stuck with the swim bait it probably would have been a much more successful trip. 

 

I am headed back down Friday-Monday with another buddy.  Floating Tailwaters access to Galena.  Can’t wait to get there. 

[Dougie]

Only been out once as of late but did catch a few nice small jaw bronze beauties!

[Jacob McIntosh]

 Lot of good fish I run a jet boat we've been putting in at hooten and going dow so far we've fished down to horse creek but we've been doing best above mcalls

[mzrealfish]

We had a great time on the James!  1st 15 miles were loaded with hazards but it got more manicured once we were in waters “normal people” canoe.  

Fishing was slow day 1 and 2.  Quality over quantity.  Texas rig tubes were the 1st lures to work.  Then crankbaits took over.   Anything craw crank they were nailing.  We met some great people at the Finley.  We were out of ice as it was our 3rd day and lots of people were willing to donate ice to our 4 day trip.  A couple boats got paid very well for their surplus ice🤨.  

We caught 2, 4 lb largemouth, 3, 3 lb (ish) smallmouth and probably 2 dozen 2 lb smallmouth.   40 1 lb class mixed bass.  1 goggle eye, some beautiful sunfish, 1 sucker, and a 3 ft “gwar” as my Canadian buddy Josh called it.  

 

Catch of the trip went to Josh with the massive walleye on day 4!  I will definitely float this trip again. 

 

More photos coming. 

[mzrealfish]

looks like I hit max mb on photos.  I will add more later. 

[mzrealfish]

sorry I didn’t do better with the walleye pics

[Randy Moore]

nice trip for sure.  How far north of Galena do you recommend starting a float trip?  I've never done it but your results are very impressive.  Thanks for sharing.

[mzrealfish]

I think most put in at Hootentown.  21 miles back to Galena.  The canoe companies don’t like going above there unless you are just floating back to Hootentown.  

Kenny at highway y canoe shuttled us.  👍

[Jacob McIntosh]

Mzrealfish my goal is a 3 lb James river small mouth but 2 12 is as close as I've got