Post Front Struggles - PM April 22nd, 2026

 I went back out after the rain front had pushed through trying to repeat what I had done in the morning. I had hoped the wind would lay down but that was not the case till well after 6pm. It just was not happening. This fish were not active. They seemed lazy and held tight to cover with the bright sun. 

Total Fish = 6

Biggest Fish = 12"

Best 5 fish = 53"

Minutes per fish = 22.5

2026 Fish Catch Totals = 116

Maiden Voyage of the X - AM, April 22nd, 2026

 I took the Coosa X out for it's first trip down the river. Morning started off right, calm, quiet, no wind. Fishing started slow but then I had a huge flurry of quality fluke bits between 9am and 10am. I landed a 19', a 16", two 15", and a 14" quickly. The 19" had another even bigger bass coming in trying to eat the fluke out of his mouth as he was being reeled in. The wind came dragging a small rain front in and it went from zero wind to 35mph almost instantly spoiling the remainder of the morning. New boat did well although it does not track as well as the HD, but is much more stable in rough water. 

Total Fish = 11

Biggest Fish = 19"

Best  5 Fish = 78.75"

Minutes per Fish = 9.5

2026 Fish Catch Total  = 110

Tax Day on the Greenbrier River - April 15th, 2026

 

Tax day is the day of the year when the USGS gauges tell us that the average water temp on both the Greenbrier and New River pass the 60 degreee mark. It is usally the day that fish begin to move shallow and chase some. Not full tilt but the begining of something grand. It can very from year to year but it is plus or minus a cold front when it starts to "happen". I floated the greenbrier today and it was not as productive as the feeding frenzy the evening before, but solid. I landed 22 in 4 hours of fishing, but did not find the size I did the day before. I fished very efficient yesterday and very sloppy today. I missed and lost at least 15 fish. I did have a run in with a titan class musky who followed my bait all the way to the boat and staired at me. He was a giant at least 45" long and thick as  tree stump. He seemed to have no fear of me. Really neat to see. The water is unually low for April. 

Total Fish = 22

Biggest Fish = 13"

Best Fish Fish = 61"

Minutes Per Fish = 10.9

2026 Fish Catch Total = 99

A Perfect Big Rock Evening - April 14th, 2026

 

 I fished solo afterwork for two hours on the G brier on an absolutely pefect weather eveing. I was just trying to get a gauge of what the fish where doing. I figured out pretty quick that they had moved up shallow and were chasing minnows at scale. I ended up going on a nice run that included both numbers and size all on a fluke. Today was the first double digit fluke day of  my season. 

Total fish = 17

Biggest Fish = 18.5"

Best Fish Fish = 78.5"

Minutes per Fish = 7

2026 Fish Catch Total =  75

Stolen Squarebill - April 12th, 2026

 

+

  Today was the first river float of the year for Brad and Colt. Strong southeast downriver winds made today a short float...3.5 miles in 2.25 hours. Water was stained and a little highger. I did manage to catch my first fluke bass of 2026 on a 6" chart fluke while missing one more, but really the water clarity was too stained for a jerkbait just yet.  I started throwing a 1.5 firetiger squre bill and catching some fish, but then I broke the bill on rock. After digging around in my box I found a 1.5 hard knock delta craw that I did not even know I had. After putting it on I immediately started catching fish. I caught four really quick and lost anther.. Some fish were middle river and some where on big boulder ledge edges. Then I hook about a 40" musky with it. He made one huge end over end jump and broke me off. My magic squre bill was gone. I looked through my box and put on a sexy shad but that was not working. I switched it out to green tomato craw and caugth a few more before the wind kicked up even more and blew us out of there. 

Total Fish = 9

Biggest Fish = 15"

Best 5 Fish = 68"

Minutes per Fish = 15

2026 Annual Fish Catch Total = 60

Sunshine and Trout with Bonus Smallmouths - April 8th, 2026

 

Fishing solo today on a peaceful, sunny day. The cold front and wind kept me from bass fishing, but some how someway I managed to catch two more bass today while trout fishing than I did while actually bass fishing last Saturday. Really good day to be out in nature and away from everyone and everything. I have no regrets. 

Total Fish = 14

Biggest Fish = 18.5'

Best 5 Fish = Unsure but around 75"

2026 Fish Catch Total = 51

**Miles hiked = 5.8.  Elevation gained going out 1.213 feet

Easter Weekend Musky - April 4th, 2026

 

Mike and I floated Narrows to above Shumate Falls on a day that should have been productive. Water was 60ish degrees, the air temps made it up into the 80's, and people were starting to catch some numbers in WV on the New in the days prior. But it was incredibly tough. The water was low, clear and falling. In 4.5 hours I caught one musky, had two smallmouth get off, and had one chase and that was it. Mike caught one on a fluke an missed a couple more. I can't remember the last time I fished that long and didn't catch a fish. The only fish I was even seeing were musky.  I saw one below the launch ramp in addition to the one I caught. All around tough day. Better days ahead for smallmouth fishing somewhere down the road. 

Low Water Troubles - April 1st, 2026

 

 Knapps and Anthony were as low as I have ever seen them. The fish were picked over, scarce, hard to find and spooky when you did.  managed to catch three after driving 200 miles round trip and fishing for 3 hours. Tough day. Should have spent the day chasing smallies instead. For the second week in a row there were an awful lot of people fishing for it to be a Wednesday. 

Total Fish = 3

Biggest fish = 14'

Minutes per fish  = 70

2026 Fish Catch Total = 36

Colt's Best Life - March 28th, 2026

 

 

A day Colt won't soon forget despite falling in 53 degree water with 39 degree air temps. At the end f the day I asked him if how he like it and he said, "I loved it".   Brad and I spend the day bird dogging him where to throw and catching a few on the side as well. 

Total Team Fish = ~ 50

My Fish total = 18

Biggest Fish  ~ 19"

Best 5 Fish ~ 75"

Minutes per Fish = 15 *includes guide time

2026 Fish Catch Total = 33 

Eastbound and Down River - March 25th, 2026

 

Easterly wind on the New river pushes you down the river, which in a kayak is much much better than an up wind river that stalls you out and prevents you from fishing effectively. 

I floated solo again on the New. Warm day about 65 degree with 53 degree water temps. Pretty steady and at times heavy wind from the East pushing me down the river. I got on a square bill bite early again. This time with bigger 1.5 and 2.0 size. Mad Tomato Craw was the best color until one broke me off and took my only one in that color. I should have replaced my line before now. Still a pretty solid day for March. I think my Coldwater = 60 degree strategy is changing. I used to sit in one spot dead sticking tubes forever and fighting hang up after hang-up. But that is so slow and really never fit my style. I think the play now is get a square bill and cover an obscene amount of water with it.  Could do the same typle thing with suspending jerk bait or slow rolled spinner bait. Looking for big bait but covering a lot of water to do it. Either way this tactic is 2 for 2 in March. 

Total Fish = 6

Biggest fish = 15"

Best 5 Fish = 68"

Minutes per fish = 37.5

2026 Fish Catch Total = 15