Size and Numbers - June 14th, 2025

A near perfect Saturday morning float. Brad, Colt, and I landed some better quality fish but also collectively boated 136 fish. The water had dropped some since earlier in the week and the fish were spread out more towards deeper fall lines. They had been super shallow on the brown parts of the fall line and now they are sliding into the green, typical of Summer one pattern coming out of post spawn conditions. As an added bonus I broke my own personal annual fish catch total today that was set at 1,111 in 2011. 

Team Fish = 131 

My Fish Total = 73

Biggest Fish = 17.5” 

Best 5 Fish = 77.5”

Minutes per Fish = 3.69

2025 Fish Total = 1,117 

Virginia Prime - June 11th, 2025

Mike and caught New River Virginia at close to its best, We boated a collective 87 fish in 5.5 hours including a 20.5”, 19.5”, 19.75” and several 14” pluses. Really solid day. Only saw one other boat and it was a guide boat of fly fishermen. Great day on the water. As an added bonus I caught my 1,000 fish of the year, by far the earliest in the year I have ever reached that marker, 

Team Fish = 87 

My Trip Fish = 67 

Biggest Fish = 20.5”

Best 5 Fish = 85.74”

Minutes per Fish = 4.92

Six Day Fish Total = 419

2025 Fish Total =  1,044

Early Morning Window - June 10th, 2025

Greg and did a daylight run on what is my fifth day in a row on the river. The bite was great from 6 to 9am, once the fog burned off and the sun got strong it slowed way day. Greg did his damage with a swim bait and I did mine with a fluke. 

Team Fish = 118

My Fish Total = 57

Biggest Fish = 14”

Best 5 Fisj = 64”

Minutes per Fish = 3.94

5 Day Fish Total = 352 

2025 Fish Total = 977

Rolling On - June 9th, 2025

Jacob and I floated from daylight until 11am. The shallow rock and grass line bite stayed great. I tried getting fish to bite a buzz bait but it just didn’t quite have the magic that the fluke did. I am giving up on finding anything that works at the level that it does when applied properly. I did manage to find some size today with four fish over 15”. 

Team Fish = 104 

My Fish Total = 63

Biggest Fish = 17.25”

Best Five Fish = 74”

Minutes per Fish = 3.33

2025 Fish Total = 920

Last Four Days Fish Total = 295 

Endless Smallies - June 8th, 2025?

The shallow water smallmouth bite was as good as I have ever seen it. Brad, Colt, and I battled the rain on this Sunday afternoon float. I fished the river in the opposite pattern that I usually do and it was productive as the other side. I did manage some better quality fish relative to the Friday and Saturday floats. 

Team Fish = 141 

My Fish Total = 68 

Biggest Fish = 17”

Best Five Fish = 72”

Minutes per Fish = 3.08 

Weekend Fish Catch Total = 232 

2025 Fish Total = 857

Century Plus - June 7th, 2025

Jacob and I battled on and off again rain over five hours on the New. The fluke bite was not producing hawgs but was definitely showing out with numbers. Anywhere there was shallow grass there were bunches of smallmouth feeding on crawfish. Jacob caught 49 and I caught 104. My first time over the century mark for the year. 

Team Fish = 153

My fish Total = 104

Biggest Fish = 13.75”

Best 5 Fish = 63” 

Minutes per Fish = 2.88

2025 Fish Total = 789

Skirting the Storm - June 6th, 2025

Saw a row of storms coming in on my way home from work. Knee rhe barometer pressure was falling hard. Went solo and the fish were in a total frenzy to get fed up before the storm. I landed 60 after work before dark. I caught the biggest in one eyed Maggie my year old Magdraft and the body got shook off. Sad day. 

Total Fish = 60 

Biggest Fish = 15”

Best 5 Fish = 71”

Minutes per Fish = 2.85 

2025 Total Fish = 685

Training Day - June 5th, 2025

After massive rain and cold fronts I finally got a day to take Jacob out on the river. We did 10 miles from Eagle Branch to Talcott. We started at 6:00 sharp and the first 3 hours were really great. I think we collectively caught 90 in that time and went on to catch 127 total before wrapping up at noon. Lots of small fish but nice to be back out at it after the long layoff. 

Team Fish = 127

My Fish Total = 76

Biggest Fish 13.5”

Best 5 Fish = 62.5”

Miles Floated = 10

Minutes per Fish = 4.93

2025 Fish Total = 625