The river was in good shape. Still high enough water level to get through with no real hassle. No dragging the canoe over the rocks. It’s still very clean as far as debris or plant growth. Nice conditions. It was raining before I even got in the water. But you know, sometimes you can get some pretty good results fishing in the rain. So I was game. Sure enough, first cast got a bluegill with a #3 Mepps spinner (gold blade). I started catching bluegill darn near everywhere I felt like casting. Size ran the whole range from small up to eight inches. Couple of smallmouth mixed in. For fun, I switched off to a Rebel Crickhopper crankbait (the small size, in the grasshopper color). Tossing it out and just twitching it on the top or pulling it underwater a little bit. The bluegill were tearing it up, especially when I tossed under overhanging trees. Funny thing though, some nice smallmouth started hitting it as well. Problem was the Crickhopper has really small hooks, so I was only landing about one out of three of the bass. The others would just shake the hooks loose. Since the smallmouth were hitting it right on the top, I switched over to Zoom Super Flukes (green pumpkin). Game on! I started catching smallmouth like crazy. Just toss the Fluke in slack water and whamo! Most of the time they either hit it soon as it hit the water or right after it sank. Bass after bass on the Fluke and lots of bluegill on the hopper near the banks. The smallmouth were all in the ten to twelve inch range, except for a few dinks (as usual) and one fourteen incher. One bluegill was nine inches. I was really enjoying the fishing for a couple of hours. It was such hot fishing, and it’s hardly ever that good in the morning. Then it started to really pour down. Drenching. It was hard to fish in that kind of rain. At one point I had to stop on some rocks and bail some of the water out of my canoe ‘cause my tackle box was floating around. But the biggest aggravation was that the fish just completely stopped biting. The rain settled down after awhile, and eventually quit. But the bite was gone. After about an hour and a couple of bluegill, I gave up and started paddling down to Front Royal Canoe Co.’s landing. I fished a few spots here and there on the way and caught a couple more smallmouth and bluegills on the way, but the bite was pretty much gone. I talked to a couple of guys fishing a little ways down from Karo Landing and they said the same thing had happened to them. Good fishing in the morning, then the heavy rain just killed it. So let’s just say it was an unusual day of fishing. I was very surprised at how good it was during the light rain in the morning. Catching all those bass topwater with the Flukes was some really fine fishing. But I was also surprised at how the heavy rain just turned it off. Oh well, I still had a good time because the morning fishing was so good. Fishing is a funny sport at times. So many variables can make a difference, especially when it comes to the weather. You have to take the good with the bad and sometimes you get both on the same day. It’s all fun. That said, make some time to get out on the South Fork. Summer fishing is pretty steady, more good days than bad for sure. Pretty safe bet you’ll have a good time. Beats the heck out of nine to five every time. Good luck with your fishing. Ed T, Front Royal Canoe.
Lake Anna
Anna bass are through spawning and they are hungry. During the latest Tuesday Night Tournament out of Anna Point, Preston Cox and Larry Wollersheim combined to bring in the largest 5-fish limit ever weighed in a Tuesday Night event. The total bag went 23.54 pounds with a 7.12 large fish. The Sunday Morning Bass Series had Bill Deeds fishing solo, yet claiming first place and big fish at 12.93 and 5.19 pounds respectively.
Crappie are deep. Stripers are in a summer pattern, topwater early, live bait or trolling in mid-day.
James River Scottsville
Chris Wilkes at James River Runners says it’s been slow going until recently. Tons of small bronzebacks are grabbing anything on topwater and a few better fish (1 to 3 pounds) are eating topwater lures as well. Grubs and Flukes are also catching some larger fish.
Chris says that brokenback lures and buzzbaits are drawing attention on the top. Baits that make a racket are bringing the fish up, generally as soon as they hit the water, but it seems worth trying anything in the tackle box as they don’t seem too picky with the warmer water temps.
Chickahominy River
Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the mid 80’s in the main lake on Friday (6/19/2015). The lake level was about even with the top of the dam. The water was moderately brown and moderately cloudy in the lower lake.
Blue cats were scattered throughout the lake and creeks and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Moderate numbers of crappie were in loose schools in the main lake on deeper flats and channel edges, usually at depths of 6 to 12 feet. A few crappie were scattered singly or in small schools on shallow to mid-depth cypress knees, wood cover, and shoreline weed beds in the main lake and in mouths of major creeks. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Some small to medium yellow perch were scattered in some creeks and on main lake shoreline flats and were hitting live minnows and small jigs. A few nice bluegill were scattered and in small aggregates near shorelines in some areas near mouths in major creeks and in the main lake and were hitting live crickets and worms, flies, and small tubes and jigs. Some bass and pickerel were on lily pad flats and along shorelines in lower reaches of major creeks and in shallow bays and some shorelines in the main lake and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, and jigs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Mickey Cleveland had 17 bluegill, 18 crappie, and 1 yellow perch.
Lake Orange
Contributed by Darrell Kennedy of Angler’s Landing (540-672-3997). The water is clear with temperatures in the upper 80’s with excellent summer time fishing. Largemouth bass are schooling up and chasing bait, providing some excellent top water action. Crappie are in deeper water, 10-15 ft., along with the walleye. Catfishing has picked up in the mid-lake area.
Potomac River
The Pros are here!
This week the FLW Tour visits the Potomac River! Early morning low tides a will be good for topwater bites as fish are coming off post spawn.
Water is still around 85 degrees, grass is growing and water is
clearing. Looks like 90s all week with overnight lows in the low to mid 70s.
Begin the day with hollow frogs like the Mann’s Goliath on 65-pound GAMMA Torque braid. A constant twitch without advancing the bait will bring fish out of low tide grass. As the tide comes in, stay with the frog or try walkers like Lucky Craft Gunfish. As the tide rises, pull lures over the grass. Mann’s Baby 1-Minus on 12-14 pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line will come over grass and bump wood cover. Vary retrieval speed! Last week we caught them burning the bait. Same goes for Classic spinnerbaits, like the Indiana/Colorado tandem with a white skirt. Use spinnerbaits with clouds or chop.
Swim ¼-ounce Mann’s Stone jigs with craw trailers on 16-pound Edge line. Crawl and snap from grass. Also try a lift and drop presentation. Try 3 color patterns, white, black/blue, and crawfish. With the highest tides, Lucky Craft BDS 4 cranks worked down to the grass and ripped free will trigger strikes. Use a medium heavy KVD cranking rod with 16-pound EDGE. Shad patterns are working.
Keep a Texas rigged Mizmo tube tied on too. River Craw is a green pumpkin with orange flash tails. Pitch to grass with a pegged 3/16-ounce weight with a 3/0 Mustad Mega bite hook on 16-pound Edge.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Middle James
Says local angler Doug Reynolds, the smallmouth fishing has still been a little slow on the middle river. River temperatures in the mid to upper 80s will drive the smallmouth deep during the day to get away from the heat. Top water baits, spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits should still be productive in the morning and early evenings. During the day, changing over to soft plastics and fishing the deeper holes for the cooler water can be productive. Changing where you fish in the water column is one of the secrets to staying on the fish as the conditions change during the day. Also, smallies will feed at night during periods of high heat so throwing top water baits at night can be productive as well. Most fish being caught during the day have been in the 10 to 14 inch size range. Current conditions at Cartersville at the time of post were, Flow 3110, Gauge 2.12, Water Temp 84, Turbidity 18. You can find all the current river and fishing information at http://www.jamesriversmallmouth.comwebsite.
James at Lynchburg
Angler’s Lane in Forest says that fishing on the James and its tributaries has been excellent in June. Fish are hitting Olive Crystal Buggers, Clawdads, and CK Baitfish. Mountain tributaries holding native brook trout have been fantastic for last six weeks, with Stimulators and Green Monsters leading the way. Fish are hitting dry flies very aggressively. The Jackson River has yielded some solid fly-fishing lately as well on Sparkle Purple Haze dries and Rubber Leg Prince Nymphs. For more info. stop by Anglers Lane in Forest or call (434) 385-0200.
Lake Gaston
Holly Grove Marina’s Ron Karpinski notes that largemouth fishing has slowed to a crawl due to the intense heat. Some bass anglers are getting lucky early and late with top waters and spinners. Crappie fishing is “mediocre” with minnows the best bet. Cats are biting well, with an 80-pound, 52-inch lunker coming in a few days ago. Bream are slow to bite, but may take minnows. The water is 88 degrees and clear.
Smith Mountain Lake
Contributed by local guide Captain Travis Patsell of Cats N ‘ Stripers Fishing Charters (540) 580-3487 Water temperature is 81 degrees. With the temps rising, most people are cooling off in the lake rather than fishing, and I agree.
Stripers: A lot of the fish will head up to middle ways up both river arms before the temps get too hot and push them back down lake. Look for stripers to be active in 15 to 35 feet, even over water deep as 90 ft. Main and secondary points will hold fish as well as looking into creeks and large coves as well. Live bait fished in all methods will produce. Basically put out an entire Golden Corral buffet of baits. Long free lines and light lines on planers and floats will cover a spread of water. Down lines will produce and flat lines fished from the stern will produce too. Alewives are the normal summer time striper bait, gizzard shad can also be effective.
During the day, artificials have a slow effect. Dropped flukes on a jig head into a school may get hooked up quickly. But the schools are moving fast when they can be located. Most of the fish are still in singles to small groups.
June is spawning catfish time. If you’re having slow luck, just give it a few days. It will improve. Look for cats in 25 feet or less during low light hours. Live and cut bait will be productive. Also, raw shrimp can be an excellent channel cat bait, especially for 2- to 8-pound cats.
As the water temperatures rise, the bass continue to migrate to their deep-water summer homes. Locating deep rock and brush piles around main lake points and docks are two great places to find bass this time of year. The baits to use are 10-inch worms rigged either Texas or Carolina rigged, football jigs, and drop shots. A Shaky Head will also work around the boat docks as well.
The schooling top water bite will also begin to pick up as well. Walking baits and poppers will catch fish when you find them schooling on bait. This bite will be more prevalent in the lower end of the lake due to the clear water.
The top water night bite is still going on but has not been nearly as strong as the spring bite. Most anglers have switched to dragging Texas rigged worms and jigs in deep brush piles to get bites. Good luck!!
Region 3: Southwest
Lower New River: Big Z’s, (540) 639-1651. John Zienius says that smallmouth anglers are succeeding in quantity, but failing in size. He hasn’t seen a big bass in a long time. If you want to change that, try 3 in. Senkos and tubes in brown or green pumpkin, early and late. Muskie fishing is excellent; you are almost guaranteed an encounter. Many who have come seeking smallmouth have been surprised by the big fish. They will go for “anything you throw”. Big inline spinners are particularly recommended. The water is low, clear and in the low 70s.
New River
Shawn Hash of Tangent Outfitters says the smallmouth bite is good, but the fish coming in tend to be on the small side. Soft plastics are the way to go. Muskie are also biting well. Try downsized cranks and inline spinners. It’s a great time to go fishing. The water is high green, at a good level and in the low 70s.
New, Clinch and Holston Rivers
Tommy Cundiff of River Monster Guide Service says that fishing on the New has been consistently good. Annual drawdowns by AEP have caused some clarity issues and have affected the fishing at times, but the bass are hitting well. “We have been catching them on soft plastics, in the form of jigs and swimbaits. The jerk bait bite has slowed a bit and the top water bite that I so anxiously await each summer has yet to fully come to fruition. It will be here very soon, and then look out!”