Moncove on Memorial Day- May 28th, 2018

Brad and hit Moncove since the river was bombed out due to flash flooding. We only fished three hours. We quit early due to holiday weekend crowds and wind picking up. First couple hours were productive with a Ned rig. I ended up with 8 and Brad had 4 all between 12 and 14”. 

Total Fish Caught = 8

Best 5 Fish = 63.25”

Biggest Fish = 13.75”

Minutes per fish = 9.7”

Miles Floated = single access 

Holiday Weekend Runthrough - May 26th, 2018

High water running 6 gates on a holiday weekend. Jarod and I floated from the dam to first takeout. It was hard to find a place to fish the current was so strong. We managed our fish from small holes of pocket water with Ned rigs and Hula grubs. We stared at 6:15 and where done by 9:15. Just a quick run through before the holiday rush. 

Miles Floated = 9.5

Total Fish Caught = 14

Biggest Fish = 13.0” 

Best Five Fish= 62.5”

Minutes per Fish = 12.8

WVKA Summersville- April 19th, 2018

Due to high water the first WVKA tournament of the season was a lake only event on Summersville Lake. Everything else in the state has remained umfishable with all of our severe storms. We had 68 compete today. I had never fished Summersville Lake before and was really struck by it’s beauty and scale. It has to be one of the prettiest places in the state. I stayed with Harper and we fished as partners in the team event for the day. After some debate we decided to put in at the marina and stay in the no wake McKee’s Creek. At the start of the day I found a point, used my sonar to find the drop and started working a Ned rig. I caught a couple 10” smallies and a walleye then decided to switch to a fluke while the low light conditions existed. Then the fluke bite took off. I caught three 14’s then switched back to a Ned and got a 16”. I still had the one 10.5” and I never could cull him despite trying for the next 4 hours. I had a big smaller chase it all the way out to the boat and had a huge largemouth swing and miss my fluke. I ended up with 70.5” in 10th place out of 68 and in thd money. Harper had 63.5” and we finished 4 out of 30 some teams also in the money. Micheal Waid the SCKBA 2017 rookie of the year won the event with 77” fishing out of battle run right behind his camp. I was one big fish way from a win. Last September I won this event on the Gauley by 3” with 69.25”. This May there were 10 Anglers in the 70’s on the lake alone. I enjoyed fishing the clear water of Summersville more than I thought I would. This lake fished hot right now and made a great venue when everything else was muddy and high. 

Total Fish Caught = 14

Best 5 Fish = 70.5”

Biggest Fish = 16.0”

Minutes per fish = 33.2

Finish 10th out of 68 winning $40

Team finish = 4th of 30

Hard Stop - May 12th, 2018

On a beach weather kind of day Greg, Brad I floated Shanklins to Cedar. I caught a few smell fish early on a fluke before the fog burned off and lost one quality fish to a short strike. Greg had two big fish chase and struggled the find size. Neither Greg nor I upgraded our online standings today. Brad did manage a 16” fish. Total we landed less than 35 fish as a group in a four hour float. At 10:30am the fog and shade left and the bite come to a complete stop. 

Miles Floated = 6.5

Fish Caught = 12

Biggest Fish = 11.75”

Best 5 Fish = 55”

Minutes per Fish = 20.2

Collateral Damage- May 11th, 2018

 Jerod, Tanner Lilly, Scoby, David Poe, and myself floated Shanklins to Cedar. We did not to start until 9:00am or so and it was hot and bright. I could not get fish to chase at all. They would hit a Ned rig in pocket water adjacent to Eddie’s. My big fish of the day was 16.0”. Scoby lost a phone and I managed to loose a pole on a hang up Ned Rig in swift current. Thd river reached up and just took my pole and reel to the bottom. Despite having a rod floater their current shoved it down to not be seen again. 

Miles Floated = 6.5

Total Fish Caught = 13

Biggest Fish = 16.0

Best Five Fish = 66.75”

Minutes per Fish = 27.6

May Winds on Moncove - May 10th, 2018

The Ned rig worked again on Moncove and even came up with three upgrades. No wind early then at 8:30 it picked up. I managed to get down in behind a point the dam and find some fish. I ended up with 10, 3 of which were upgrades. 

Fish Total = 10

Biggest Fish = 15.75

Biggest 5 =  70.25

Greenbrier River Shootout - May 5th, 2018

We had 42 Anglers compete in today’s SCKBA Greenbrier River Shootout. I floated Pence Springs to Talcott with Greg, Harper and Jared. I started off with a Ned Rig. After catching a quick but small limit I changed to a fluke. The fish where chasing and hitting the fluke the best I have seen since October. I picked up a 16.5” and a 13.5” off a hula grub. Later on in the day a storm came on and cost us our last hour. I ended up catching .25” less than I did when I won this event last July. Today however I had only enough for 6th. Beth Rapp fished below the house and had a strong showing taking top Female angler and finishing 3rd overall.  

Miles Floated = 6.5

Fish Caught = 42

Biggest Fish = 16.5”

Best Five Fish = 67.5”

Finish = 6th out is 42 Anglers

Minutes per fish = 7.14

Winter Gloves to Summer Gloves- May 1st, 2018

Jerry came down from Mason county and floated the New River with me on this day. We started off at Griffith Creek in 35 degree air temps and finished 8 hours later at Talcott with 80 degree temps. The fish would not chase minus one fluke taking bass. They were hitting a Ned rig pretty good in pocket water next to current deeper than 3 feet. Jerry had the big fish of the day on a Ned Rig below RT 3 at 18.75”. 

Miles Floated = 8

Fish Caught =26

Biggest Fish = 13.0

Best Five Fish = 62.5”

Minutes per Fish = 18.4