Before the Rains - May 20th, 2026

 

Relative to last Saturday the water had dropped back to normal "spring" drought levels and cleared up some. The stain was gona and visiblilty was back to 5+ feet or more. The lowered water levels pulled them almost entirely off the shallow rocking banks and out to deep structure and middle seams out in the middle of the river or on deeper ledges. Many fish we in push water right above the shoals and often in wolf packs of 5 or more bass activley feeding ahead of the incoming rain front. 9 of next 10 days forecasted have significant rains. Flukes did really well most of the day. After catching 50 I swtiched over to a fly pole an caugth 5 on a fly pole. It was a stuggle but I am slowly getting better at it. There is something magical about a fly pole when everything lines up and it works out righ. As Tony the barber said,"If you catch a fish on a fly pole you have done something". 

Total Fish = 63

Biggest Fish = 16.25"

Best 5 Fish = 68.5"

Minutes per Fish = 5.0

2026 Annual Fish Catch Total = 563

2026 Minutes per Fish so far = 9.2

2026 Miles Floated =  94.89

Cold Press - May 16th, 2026

 

Jarod, Brad, and I floated the New on a colder than avearge mid May morning after a series of colder than average May nights. In fact one night it the last few days got down to 37 degrees. The water had come up some and gotten some stain rendering the fluke less effective than it had been due to reduced visiblity. I ended up throwing and catching some fish in the flukes place on a 3/8oz. spinnerbait and a squarebill. The fish were sort of a grind and size was harder to find than previous weeks had been. The pressure this weekend all around is starting to ramp up ahead of next weeks holiday weekend that acts as the unoffical start to summer fishing season for many. 

Total Fish = 21

Biggest Fish = 14"

Best 5 Fish = 62.25"

Minutes Per Fish = 10

2026 Annual Fish Catch Total = 500

2026 Miles Floated = 89.89  

Mid Afternoon Short Trip - May 13th PM, 2026

 

After the monring on the New, lunch, and a nap I went back out ont the Greenbrier between rain showers for an couple hours. The rain had just stopped and for a couple hours it was calm before sun came back out and wind kicked back up. I lost a couple nicer fish in the 16 to 18" range but did manage to pick up 19 in 2.25 hours between storms. 

Total Fish = 19

Biggest Fish = 14.25"

Best 5 Fish =  62.5"

Minutes per Fish = 7.1

2026 Fish Catch Total = 479

2026 Miles Floated = 85.67

Cool May Morning - May 13th, 2026

 

Cool, cloudy, monring on the New River gave way to good numbers and fast action but not a lot of size. Fish are starting to spread out to deep structure and middle seams now, getting away from banks and pocket water. That maybe the result of the drought or it could be the cooler temps combined with low water. This has been the driest spring I can remember. We have had no high water events since Feburary. The cloud cover made the day really nice. 

    Total Fish = 53

    Biggest Fish = 14.25"

    Best 5 Fish =  66"

Minutes Per Fish =   4.8

2026 Total Fish Catch Total = 460

2026 Miles Floated = 83.43

2026 Hours Fished = 76.0 hours

2026 Minutes per Fish = 9.9            

Brad's Birthday Musky & Backcountry Smallmouth - May 8th, 2026

 

 

For the last several years Brad and I have been taking off on his birthday and doing a long float trip. May the 8th has given us some of the best days of the year in the past with lots of big fish and even a few hundred fish plus days in years past. Today was no disappointment. We floated from 12.8 miles over 8.5 hours today in low clear water conditions from Glynn Lynn to lower Shanklin's.  The day started off could in the low 40's and warmed to mid 70's. Water was just about as low as I have ever seen it for any time of year but especially for spring when normal flows are healthy. The spring drought persists. The day held a lot of big memories....me catching two 19" smallmouth one on the VA side and one on the WV side, Brad catching a 10.6lbs 37' musky and the fight and struggle that it took to land that fish, me hooking a 13" smallmouth and having a big musky come try to eat it in that clear water I I was landing it. There are so many good memories from this section of river over the last 30 years for me. Memories I am so thankful for. The kind of memories I never want to forget. 

Total Fish = 53

Biggest fish = 19.75"

Best 5 Fish = 82"

Minutes Per Fish = 9.6

Miles Floated = 12.8

2026 Annual Fish Catch Total = 403

2026 Miles Floated = 78.9 

Rainy Solo Wednesday - May 6th, 2026

 

I fished solo in the drizzling rain on the Greenbrier. Today was the thrid day in a row that I had fished this same section. The fish ate really well last couple days and today despite the falling barometer, cloud cover, and rising water the fish seemed sluggish. Less likely to chase and less agressive when they did hit. I even tried working a Ned rig at one point, but that wanted that less than they wanted a fluke. I still managed to catch 27, but there were a lot of short fish in that bunch and not as many quality fish. 

Total Fish = 27

Biggest Fish = 15"

Best 5 Fish = 65.25"

Minutes Per Fish = 9.0

2026 Annual Fish Catch Total = 350

2026 Miles Floated = 66.1

Greenbrier Evening - May 5th, 2026

 

I went back out on the Greenbrier after work to fish the last two hours of daylight, trying to recapture the previous afternoons double 20" craziness. The fishing while not as good as the previous day was still pretty great. I landed 18" and two 15" bass pretty quickly. The fish seemed to be deeper and relating more to deep structure than the previous day.  I had more follow and not take it than the previous day. That maybe the result of pressure I had applied in last 24 hours or just maybe the feed was slowing down ahead of incoming rain/cold front. 

Total Fish = 30

Biggest Fish = 18" 

Best 5 Fish = 73"

Minutes per Fish = 5.0

2026 Fish Catch Total = 323

2026 Miles Floated = 61.07