Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Andrew and I stayed on the water until about 1pm. We went up river, fished along one island and caught a few fish right off the bat. Andrew was catching them on a Cicada lure like crazy. I caught one on a walking bait. I started throwing a shallow crank and caught a smallie followed by two LARGE pumpkinseeds. Then we went up to the end of the island and got out to stretch our legs. We fished from the shallows and caught a bunch of undersized smallmouth that were chasing baitfish. Andrew used a fluke to catch a bunch. I was trying to stay down at the bottom by using a Yamamoto Flapping Hog on a shakey head jig. We tinkered around that island a while and ended up catching a few and then floating back down the Virginia side of the island. We started pitching and casting soft plastics into the fallen timber in the shade and caught 3 or 4 fish in like 2 minutes. We did a few passes down that side of the island and ended up getting snagged a lot and picking off fish here and there. Then we started heading back to the ramp and Andrew caught 2 or 3 smallmouths between the islands and the ramp out in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere.

Andrew lost a sandal to the muck at the boat ramp.

We both ended up with double digit fish, mostly small. Andrew had a smallmouth that went almost a lb and I managed a largemouth that was 2lb+ out of the timber along the island.

Fish were caught on topwaters, crankbaits, soft plastics, and jigs.

I put my dad's boat in right when everyone else was taking off.  I motored to Goose Creek and fished the first 150yds.    I fished the tree that I always fish in Goose Creek.  I found it on the fourth of July Float last year and have caught fish their every time that I fish Goose Creek.  I caught two lmb.  The first was a lb and the second was just shy of 2lbs.  I then caught a few smallies in that tree and on my float out of the Creek.  I then hit a few spots on the way to my next "float" and caught a few smallies.  My next "float" was down Seldens Creek(I think that's the name), which is the stretch on the VA side from the second island up from Algonkian.  I floated all the way to the ramp.  I caught a few smallies, then I switched from a wacky worm, which I was using pretty much the whole day, to a panther martin.  I then caught a ton of bluegill and little smallies.  I then motored to my dad to get the gas card so I could get more gas for the boat(almost gone) and then headed in. 

The biggest fish was the lmb that was just shy of 2lbs.  I had only two lmb.  I had a bunch of bluegill (good size ones too) and lots of tiny smallies.  My biggest smallie was 12.5".

I was glad to finally match some faces and names, this Pacemaker site is a great little fraternity. You guys and these excursions are the reason I just HAD to have a kayak. I'd sit here on the other side of the beltway wishing I could be a part of your floats. I've been able to join up on the last two trips and I didn't know anything legal could be this much fun.

    Started off yesterday by following Ernie. I fell behind a little when I saw some branches sticking out of the water short of the downstream island.  Threw an old propeller surface plug and had a blowup on my first cast. Threw back and managed to hook up with a shorty on the next try. By this time Ernie was working the tip of the island from the MD side, so I chose to fish the other side where there was some shore grass out into the water. The bottom was gravel and only about 12 - 18" deep, but there was plenty of bait around. I had two blow ups on the surface lure, hooking one, then switched to a gulp curly tail grub on ultra lite. The grub was exactly what they wanted, and I hooked up on nearly every cast. I stopped counting at 15 landed. Over the rest of the morning I landed 10 or 12 more smallies and a lone long eared sunfish. Ernie continued down river and I decided I didn't want to paddle a long way against the river, so I hung around the island. I found a few little pockets of fish coming up the VA side of the island, mostly where there were minnows skipping along the surface. After a little breeze started to come up I moved back closer to the ramp. Finally ended up fishing below the upper island where Patrick and Steve started off. After landing a few more I decided I'd better get off the river while the ramp wasn't crowded.

    I was glad to meet all of you and I love catching those smallmouths. When's the next trip?

Pacemaker wrote:

June 19 in the PM.....perhaps Lander to POR

I hope you mean July

Here is a photo of the sun rise we all saw



Ernie's set up very nice.



Ernie in action

jumping jasper wrote:

Pacemaker wrote:

June 19 in the PM.....perhaps Lander to POR

I hope you mean July

Fixed....thanks!

I caught 8 bass, 1 on a fake minnow, and the rest were on a wacky worm.  I caught all of them by the tree that's in the middle of the river.(near the boat ramp)  My dad caught 3 on flukes.  It was really fun, thanks for organizing it!

Great outting! I'll try and post pictures as soon as I figure out how to get them off my new phone. 

Ernie, Simon wasn't there, but Jeremy was.

I will be missing the next float (i'll be in vegas) but hope to make the one after that! I love how smallies fight!

Osprey wrote:

I didn't know anything legal could be this much fun.

Now I know why you say this....thanks for the seat pad!

CozUF2001 wrote:

Thanks for the organization, canoe, paddles, and lifevests. Next time do you wanna supply the drinks, tackle, and fishing tips Ernie?! haha

I always have extra water on my yak......and I have tons of tackle that I don't use.....but I am not sure if I am the guy you want to be asking about tips!

One of the places that I used to fish back in the mid 80's is now a gravel bed! There used to be a few nice holes there where I often plucked out a nice fish or two. Being a river, it changes constantly. As an example, there used to be a little island behind the island that is directly right of the ramp.....it is not there anymore.

As promised, here are a few pics...notice my bro-in-law is not in any of them....hehe

Lunker of the Day - 15in - 1lb 5oz


Some other smaller fish...

Looks like a lot of fun!

launch fee was $2 for kayaks and canoes if i recall correctly. I think it was $5 for other boats??? You just have to fill out a little form

Last edited by Dominion Dan (Jul-07-09 8:19PM)