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

 

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  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

First Smallmouth of 2026 - March 22nd, 2026

 

 

I floated solo on the New for the first time after along winter layoff. The water was up just a touch and had some stain, typical for mid March. With the water getting above 50 degrees and the afternoon air at 80 degrees I figures some smallmouth had to move up, even if only for the afternoon. I started off fishing slow with Ned rig and tube jig, but he wind was blowing 10 to 20mph and shifting directions up and down river. I was not able to maintain boat control and finsesse fish int he higher flows and wind so I switched to a sqaure bill and started covering water. I soon started finding fish on very shallow, sunny, rocky banks that also had some wood near by. Several times I got strikes after banging the KVD 1.0 off of wood. I ended up catching 6, loosing two more, and missing one more. Not bad for a March afternoon. 

Total Fish = 6

Best 5 fish = 67.5"

Biggest Fish = 16.25"

Mintues Per Fish = 26.5

2026 Fish Catch Total = 9

Something For the Effort - March 11th, 2026

 

I made the loop from 219 in Lewisburg up to Marlinton, fished Knapps all the way down to 92 then fished Anthony all the way back to 219 in Lewisburg. I caught only 3, missed two and lost two. The weather was nice and the water was more low and clear than I would have like. There were way too many people out on the water for it to be a mid week day. After a long enjoyable day at least the first fish of 2026 are in the books. 

Total Fish = 3

Hours Fished = 3.25h

Minutes per Fish = 65

2026 Fish Catch Total = 3