2012

It's been almost a year since my last post!?! Wasn't able to get on the river for much smallie fishing, really only my week of vacation at JRSP. Fishing wasn't as productive this year but still enjoyable.
New grandfather, Katie had her first child in August, Beckett Rhodes Howard.
I've placed my order for my new RiverPro DCC. Will go out to MO in April to pick it up and have KT show me the ropes. A whole lot more smallie fishing in my future for 2012!!!

Lake Anna 1/1/11

Fished Lake Anna with Tater on new year's day. Mid 50's, first time I think I've ever fished in the dead of winter. Not as bad as I thought. Together we caught 10 LM, mainly on senko's. Looking forward to warmer weather to get back on the river for smallies.

Lake Anna 10/9/10

Lake Anna today with Tater. On the water at daybreak, about 6:50am. Beautiful day, 50 this morning, 80 by 2pm. Tater caught 3 off some rip-rap leading out to a point, all were 12-13 inches. Around 2:15pm were skipping plastics under boat docks and I caught a 21b-2oz LM on a trout colored senko. Tough day fishing, enjoyed the time with Tater on the boat, left at 3pm to get back to Johnny's hockey game. They won 10-0, head down to Hampton to play the Prowl at 10am

Labor Day 2010

Went fishing with Tater on the James River at Dutch Gap. Went downstream and right to an area he calls the boat graveyard. Numerous boats and barges from decades ago are strewn around, mostly just timbers remain from their frames. We got there pretty early, river was very foggy, and we were fishing by 7am. Shad were jumping, schools of minnows rippling the surface; appeared to be a fish feeding frenzy! I started with a few casts using a white fluke with no luck. Put on a 6" lizard in green pumpkin magic and second cast landed a decent largemouth, around 2lbs. Within about 1 1/2 hrs, I had landed 5 largemouth, all keepers, and a catfish. We were wishing we had been in a tournament, definitely would have been in the money. By 9am the bite had quit. Fished a few more spots in the location then decided to move to some creeks off the Appomattox.....nothing except for a few dinks that Tater caught. Went back to the graveyard at almost high tide and I hooked up with another on the lizard, 2.3 pounds. Nothing else but a few nibbles so we packed it in for the day. Great day to be on the water!

8/21/10

     Pam, Tater, and I yakked the James from Scottsville to Hardware Saturday. Sunny day, fishing not as good as last Saturday when it was overcast. Fewer fish, smaller fish but we did manage a couple 17"-18". Met a guy named Robert Shue when he floated by on a toon. He pours his own plastics with a buddy, trying to start a bait company called Rock River Custom Tackle, out of Staunton, VA. Web page not up yet. Great guy, gave me 2 handfull's of soft plastics. I fished his 4" white fluke and my largest smallie blew up on it in some slack water near the bank. He also gave me some small grubs, frogs, senko's, couple of worms, other flukes, and a snake. All great looking plastics, will definitely call him when I need some more soft plastics.

Went thru my bag tackle box this afternoon. That thing was weighing a ton. Took out some stuff I haven't been using. I pretty much have my standard lures for the river but I keep others for pond fishing and others for larger bodies of water when I go with Tater.
Still looking for a jon jet. Will have to wait on the Riverpro until Johnny is squared away in college. Would like to find a 16', .100 hull with a jet tunnel. This will handle what I need to do for smallie fishing and can still be used when the river's are low. The Riverpro will double as a river and lake boat. I'm watching some forums and craigslist; hopefully this fall folks will be looking to get rid of some and not have to carry over the winter. Won't be fishing next weekend...Johnny's hockey season starts and he has his first tournament starting on Thursday. Will try and get out on some ponds this week, try those frogs and the snake Robert gave me.

8-14-10 Scottsville to Hardware

Pam and I floated the James today from Scottsville to Hardware. Overcast most of time, sun broke thru for just a few minutes a couple of times. Pam's first fish of the day, about 1/4 mile below Scottsville, was a CHUNK! Didn't have scales but it went at least 4lbs. I did measure it and it was just over 20" long. I didn't catch anything even close but between the 2 of us we caught about 20 fish. River is REALLY low but we still found a few deep holes. This would be an awesome float when the river level is normal. We were on the water at 8:10am and got to Hardware about 2:45pm.

Vacation July 2010 JRSP

Pics from this week...