Feeling A Little Rusty - August 29th, 2012

After not having fished the River in awhile, Greg and I floated the New from 8 to 11am. We rounded up 39 smallies with Greg doing most of the heavy lifting with 26 fish. We had low clear water blue bird skies and zero other fishing pressure. The smallies we did catch where all in or very near moving water and oxygen. They wouldn't hit my favorite white so I switched over to black grape G-tails. Greg caught his fish by fishing brown soft plastics a little slower.

Late Summer Pond Bluegills - August 7th, 2012

I took my girls up the Wykle pond to do a little bluegill fishing before summer completely slips away. We used the traditional worms and a bobber approach and the girls caught several fish each before giving into playing with the worms, bugs, and grass. It was a nice afternoon diversion and the girls had fun.

Jack's New River Float Trip - August 1st, 2012

My cousin Jack and I floated for the point to the high school in Derrick's Jackson Big Tuna. We floated from 6 to 10am. The Tuna did great even in rougher water down at Tug creek. We rounded up 23 smallies and lost several more all on G-tails. It was a fun morning and I think Jack had a good time rounding up smallies and a couple big redeyes. I was really impressed with how well the Big Tuna fishes with 2 people in it. Jackson makes a heck of a yak.

South Branch Rising - July 27th, 2012

I fished the South Branch of the Potomac right on the Grant/Hardy County line under perfect conditions this morning from 6 to 9am. It was cool and overcast with water rising from storms that passed the night before. I fished in line spinners and rounded up 56 total fish. About 6 river gills and the rest were smallmouths save one fallfish. My best numbers day in a while for bass, but they were mostly little. I had 6 fish of good size betoween 1lbs and 2.5lbs. I didn't take a camera this day although, because my waterproof one died and I didn't want to fall while wading and loose either my phone or another camera. I have not been fish much as of late due to the heat and my lack of fishing. I have been shooting my bow, shooting skeet, and spending some time getting ready for hunting season in the coming months.

The Back Up Plan - July 9th, 2012

Little Bobby and I tried wading below the dam, but the extremely hot weather has the fish not biting very good. Five of the last seven days have been 90 degrees or hotter with two days in the 100 degree range. In 2 hours we only caught 2 fish each. So at 8:30 we went back to the house, hooked up to the bass boat and headed to the lake for some Gill fishing. We managed to catch about 30 each in a couple hours. The bulk of the descent sized gills came down close to the East Shore Campground.

Early Morning River Bassin- June 26th, 2012

 Greg and I floated the Coosa's from the dam to the High School at sunrise on a very hot day. The fishing was fairly slow. I ended up with 21 amd Greg had 24. Nothing big at all. Water levels are really coming down to summer levels. The fish seem a little reluctant to chase right now, due to the abundance of food and 84 degree water temps. Still yet 45 smallies isn't too bad. I took a flypole today with limited topwater success, but hey at least it's something a little differnt.

Big Girls and Bluegills - June 25th, 2012

Nathan and I took our oldest two girls out on the Stone for a little mid day gill fishing. The bite was tough and slow even for bluegills. We rounded up a little over a dozen or so. The girls had fun reeling in some fish, playin with the worms, going on a boat ride. The weather was warm and nice and the water temp was 83 degrees.

Early Saturday Morning Fog - June 6th, 2012

 Brad, Rick and I waded from the dam to the bottom of the arm early early this morning in the heavy fog. We all used white g-tails. Brad got 12, I got 7, and Rick 3. The bite was summertime slow. Despite being otn the water at 5:30am things were getting crowded by 6:30.

Greg's New Coosa - June 2nd, 2012

Greg and I floated from my house to the first takeout on an unusually cool afternoon. Fishing was tough we caught about 30 dinks between the 2 of us. Greg had his new Lowland Camo Jackson Coosa out on the river today,. it's a great looking yak. We had a good afternoon save the upriver wind and slow bite.

Memorial Day Bluegills - May 28th, 2012

Brad, Brian, and I did an early morning raid on the bluegills of Bluestone Lake. We fished from 6:30 to 10am then got the heck out of dodge before all the Memorial Day boat traffic flooded in. We used garden wigglers, Berkley Power Maggots, and Brad used a fly pole some as well. I ended up with 37 gills and a couple of small spots and a redeye. Brad got 70 gills and a couple spots. Brad did hook about a 2 pound bass on a flypole but after a struggle it broke him off. By the time we left the swimmers, skiers, and other fishing boats were really getting up there in numbers.

Sunday Morning Fog - May 27, 2012

This being a very warm weather Memorial Day weekend the rivers around Hinton have been loaded with people. On this Sunday morning Brad and I waded down the backside of the arm crazy early. We started at 6am and we were off the water before th fog got started off at 8am. We used spinners and white gitzit g-tails. We ened up with 20 smallies each in our short but very productive 2 hours. All of them were smaller fish between 6 and 14 inches but they sure are fun to catch. The best part is we got our fish and got out of dodge before the holiday weekend river crowd got outta hand.

High Water Float Trip - May 19, 2012

Brad, Greg and I floated from the Dam to the Highschool this morning. They were running 6 gates. The water was high and stained. Fishing was tough. Greg caught 12, Brad 13, and I got 17. The biggest being under or around 2lbs. Had we not stopped on an island or two our trip would have only taken 45 minutes in those high flow rates. CW Cabins shoals were serious buisness today, but we made it throught no prob. It was a perfect weather day for fishing. That afternoon Brad and I ran up Lake and Amy's pond before dark. I caught 10 and Brad caught 3 ten to twelve inch LMB's. I caught mine on a fluke and Brad's came off a G-tail. They didn't seem to want senko or a spinner for some reason.

Slow Day on Bluestone Lake - May 18th, 2012

Greg and I fished Bluestone from 7am to 1pm with little success. I caught 2 keeper LMB's and Greg caught 2 keeper LMB's and a bluegill. The water was falling and stainded. The fished just didn't want to cooperate at all. We fished the pit, Bull Falls, the slide, and below Bertha. It was high skies and tough fishing. My Olympus camera is being sent off for repairs so the next couple post are gonna be lacking in the pic department.

Finesse Largemouths - May 15th, 2012

With the river up, muddy, and unfishable Greg and I took our yaks and headed for smaller stiller waters. The technique of the day was finesse tubes, shakey heads, and even small jigs. The fish would not chase but would hit small stationary baits. Almost all of our fish came while the lure was on the inital drop. In 5 hours of fishing I caught 16 and Greg caught 12. In those 28 we each had a 5 and a half pounder along with a couple 3's, and 4 or so 2's. We put together a five fish limit close to 20lbs. A little overcast and water stain help aid our efforts.

Hard Rain - May 14th, 2012

Greg and I floated from the Dam to the High School in the pouring rain. They were running about 4 gates and with all the feeder creeks dumping muddy water it only took from 9am till 12pm. The fishing wasn't as good as I would have thought today. I caught 12 and Greg caught 19. We had four fish or so over a pound. Greg lost a 4lbs+ fish below the Hinton Bridge. I don't know if the colder nights are taking their toll or what, but today was a step back for the spring river bite.

Two Rivers One Float Trip - May 10th,2012

Greg in his new Ocean Prowler Yak

Greenbrier Smallie

New River Smallie

Island Hopping with the Coosa

Greg and I floated from in front of my house on the Greenbrier down to where the Greenbrier and the New merge then on down to the first ranger station take out. We started at 9:30am and were down by 1pm. The bite on the Greenbrier was noticeably slower and the water was a little colder than in the New. As usual G-tails and tubes were the order the day. By 11am the wind blew hard enough that you couldn't float fish a tube effectively so G-tails become the ticket.  Today it seemed the smoke with chartreuse out fished white, maybe due to the stained water. We hit our best fishing below the Hinton bridge. It had the most ravenous bite and the biggest fish. Greg caught 27 and I landed 23 on our float. We caught a lot of 2lbs+ fish on the New River side. All of our fish were smallies, no redyes, LMB's or spots this time. Things on the river are heating up and pending weather in another week the fishing should be some of the best of the spring.

Will Power Walleyes - May 7th, 2012

Our crew got to the dock to meet Captain Steve at 6am only to retreat to a little greasy spoon for fishermen and wait out the lightning storm that was passing by. The storm finally left at around 8:30am but it left a lot of heavy rain and wind behind it for us to fish in, how thoughtful. It was noticeably colder, windier, and rougher than the day before. But the fish were biting and they were good quality fish. We fished heavy jigs pounding walleye spawning beds and managed to get 12 fish in the box that weighed a combined 38lbs. on this half day of fishing. Between the cold Canadian air, the driving rain, the waves, and the wind you had to really endure to outlast these fish to catch em. Once the wind pushed out the morning storm and the waves died down and the bite totally died. We called it quits around 1:30 so we could head back to WV. We caught a lot of  drum again today and by we I mean Chad. We also caught seveal white perch. This offshore walleye trip on Erie was a great time despite rough conditions and I will definitely be back. The size of this lake and the quality of this fishery are unimaginable until you've seen it for yourself, and after you see it you'll want to see it again. Thanks to Captain Steve of Fishy Business Charters for a great couple days. If he can put on you fish in these conditions I shutter to think what he could do with some descent weather and cooperative fish.



What wonderful weather for a little Drum fishing.




White Perch




Sharp Teeth of the Wall Eyed Pike





Chad with a Nice Walleye



The Drum King

Lake Erie Walleyes - May 6th, 2012

 Grandpa Craigo, Arnie, Chad, Jack, Pete and myself headed to Lake Erie for a couple days of walleye fishing. We fished with the trusted Captain Steve Connors owner of Fishy Business Charters out of Oregon Ohio. Arnie, Chad, Pete and Grandpa have used Captain Steve's charters many times before.Captain Steve was excellent. I would highly recommend him to anybody looking to book a charter on Erie for Walleye, Smallmouth, or Perch. I had a blast on my first trip to one of the Great Lakes. It's totally weird to me to be fishing for freshwater game fish in 3 to 5 foot waves on open water when all you can see is water and sky.  On a down note the weather was unforgiving with rain and driving wind for our 2 days on the lake, but Captain Steve still put us on some really good fish during our time there. Jack, who is only 10 years old, caught his first ever walleye. Way to go Jack. Besides walleye we also caught a lot of drum (especially long lining Chad), white perch, regular perch and even a few white bass and a hybrid or two. We left the dock at 6am and came back in around 3pm. We kept 30 walleyes that weighed 93lbs when we dropped them off to be processed.  The biggest fish of the day came from Pete and weighted around 6lbs. We used heavy hair jigs tipped with a night crawler and a trailing stringer hook. John Deere Greene, Purple and Chartreuse seemed to be the best colors.

Daybreak on Erie

Captain Steve's Island Hopper

Pete with the 1st Eye of the trip

Ground Pounding Jigs

Jack's 1st Walleye!

Grandpa and Jack on Erie

Fish in the Net

I CATCHED EM ALL!!!

The Lonely Perch. Later won in the Perch Lottery by Chad.