Mountain Valley Spring Sunshine - March 19th, 2025

Greg and I fished 4.75 hours and caught 8 fish each at Mountain Valley on the first day of Spring.Yoga pants Ned with chartreuse heads were the order of the day. 

Total team fish = 16

Total Fish = 8

Biggest Fish = 12”

Biggest 5 = 57”

Minutes per fish = 35.6

March Claytor - March 14th, 2025

Greg and I caught 5 between the two us on a breezy Saturday on Claytor with 52 degree water. I caught two off of a MegaBass 110 before I lost in on a wood lay down. Two more we caught came off of square bills and one off of a Ned crawl.

Make the First One Count - March 13th, 2025

The two Greg’s and I fished Bluestone at 1306 ams stain. Harper caught a catfish and two bass, Nahodil caught a spot and I caught one lone large mouth. My first bass of 2025 weighed in at 5lbs. 8oz.

Glade Creek Trout - February 26th, 2025

First time out in the water after what amounts to a brutal last few months was a success. Greg and I managed 10 total trout and I got to see some water that even though I drive over it everyday  I had never fished it before. A lot of fishing pressure, higher than normal flows and some water stain favored drifting eggs over my preferred spinner baits. 

2024 Year In Review

2024 Fishing Stats 

Total Days Fishing  = 64 days 

Total Hours Fished  = 234.75 hours 

Average Length of Time on Water per Outing= 3.67hrs

Total Fish Caught  = 1,080

Average Fish Per Outing  = 16.87

Fish Per Hours = 4.6

Minutes per Fish = 13.04

Biggest Bass = Two 20" plus Smallies on back to back casts on Bluestone in March on KVD 1.5 Sexy Shad. 

Biggest Fish  = Claytor Striper

Most Memorable Fish = Brad's Smith Mountain Striper

Highlights = Catching > 100 bass on Greenbrier in May, Smith Mountain Trip, Cranberry River Retreat trip, catching > 100 in 4.25 hours on New River in September, Bluestone Striper, flood that lasted all of October from hurricane run off. 

Fish Catch Total Since 1/2008 = 11,623

Goals for 2025

1. Catch 1,100 fish 

2. Catch 5 bass over 20”

3. Do some fly fishing 

4. Fish some remote places

5. Fish some sections of The New I have yet to see 

6. Take a coupe trips up to Northern part of state to fish 

After the Flood - October 7th, 2024

First time back out on the water in last two weeks due to hurricane Heleine run offs. New River still bombed out and likely to stay that way. Greenbrier fished tough due to falling water levels and high pressure high skies. I did manage to catch 15 but had to work to find them, nothing big, had one nice one chase. The window to harass river smallies is shrinking. 

Total Fish = 15

Biggest Fish = 13”

Best 5 Fish = 57”

Miles Floated = 3.25

 Minutes per Fish = 11

Annual Fish Total = 1080 

Perfect September Morning- September 24th, 2024

Greg and I caught a cloudy, cool but not cold morning, with no wind and stable water. Greg landed 56 and I caught 64. We had some nicer fish mixed in. Deep structure ledges, some push water and middle seams continue to flat out produce, I had a musky take  the bass had hooked and my fluke all in one quick swipe. 

Total Fish = 65 

Total Team Fish = 121 

Biggest Fish = 17” 

Best 5 Fish = 70” 

Minutes Per Fish = 3.51 

2024 Fish Total = 1065

To put this last week into perspective. I have boated 285 bass in my last four trips down the river from September 18th through the 24th. I am gonna go ahead and put in for vacation for this week, next year. 

100 Fish to Reach 1,000 - September 23rd, 2024

Going into today I needed 99 fish to reach the 1,000 fish mark for 2024. I thought if I could get 50 today and 50 tomorrow I might make it this week the way they have been bitting. When I started it was hot and windy and the bite was slow, I found a few in a deep push water ledge set. Then clouds and rain started moving in and the fish went crazy. I ended up catching 100 bass in 4.25 hours. Once I caught 99 I had to get to triple digits. This has to be the fastest I have ever got to 100. I caught a couple nicer fish and lost one that was 3 or so pounds. 

Total Fish = 100 

Biggest Fish = 16” 

Best 5 Fish = 67.5”

Minutes per Fish = 2.55 (new record) 

Colt’s New River Adventure - September 22nd, 2024

On the first official day of fall Colt, Brad, and I flat out of on the fish despite 85 degree temperatures, bright sun, and wind. Colt caught 20, Brad 29, and I caught 65. Lots of fish coming from middle seam ledges and push water in bunches. All fish caught on flukes and g tails. Chartreuse outperformed white or mix. At total of 114 combined fish in 3.5 miles over 3.5 hours is some of 2024’s finest fishing. My 2024 fish count is up to 901. I hope to push it over a grand before we are done. 

Total Fish = 65 

Biggest Fish = 15.5”

Best 5 Fish = 68”

Minted per fish = a sizzling 3.23

September Selloff - September 18th, 2024

Finally a day with clouds, no wind, and stable weather. Fishing on the New was the best I have seen since June. I caught 57 and Greg caught 39 for a 2 man total of 96 fish over 4.5 hours. No bigs but fun catching number. Lots of fish on plopper and rest in fluke. 

Total Fish = 57

Biggest Fish = 13”

Best Five Fish = 60”

Minutes per Fish = 4.6 

Clearwater Aquarium - September 14th, 2024

Clean clear water and bright high skies  made for some interesting sites but tough fishing this Friday. Numbers and size are down up to this point this fall, but still catching some fish. 

Total Fisk = 10 

Biggest Fish = 12”

Best Five Fish = 54”

Minutes per Fish = 25.5