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After recent reports of the James River and the fishkill problems, I had the opportunity to go and check it out myself this past weekend.
Sunday - started out on the river with my good buddies Duane and Mike. Duane was riding with me in the ODC, and Mike was yakking along with us in his Sit on top. It started off good with me missing a fish on a buzzbait and Duane landing a few on crankbaits. After that the bite all but stopped.
The rest of the day found all of Duane's and my fish coming on deadsticked soft plastics. The bite was light, and barely felt, and mostly just saw the line moving away unnaturally. The biggest fish for the day was about 15 or 16 inches. and there was only about 30 fish between the three of us averaging about 11 inches.
the water was low and clear, skies were overcast, but it was hot and muggy, with little to no breeze most of the day. We did have 4 musky encounters though. two musky about 30"ers follow our plastics to the boat on a fast retrieve. another musky bit off Duane almost as soon as the lure hit the water. The fourth musky encounter came within site of the takeout when another 30"er hit my buzzbait. I barely had it hooked and it didnt even know it until it was pretty close to the boat, at which point it turned to run and the hook pulled right out.
Monday, we headed a little farther up the James, but found the same conditions with a little more sunshine, just a hair more water in the river from the previous nites storms, and the fish were just barely more active. I got about 6 fish on buzzbaits, and the rest came on deadsticked plastics. I had a very nice smallie hit a LC pointer 100, but lost it soon after when the hooks pulled free. no musky encounters monday, though I did see a big "goldfish". I'm not sure if these are released pets or if they are a naturally occuring coloration in the carp, but it was neat to see this guy....picture attached.
sad to say, that the situation on the James appears to much like what we have been seeing on the Doah watershed. I can't say for sure, as i haven't seen all the symptons in my three trips down that way this year, but based on the numbers and sizes of fish that I'm seeing, we are looking at the same stuff.
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Sounds like a nice trip! Still using white?
Hopefully the mystery will get solved soon! I'm thinking of an AM float trip on July 4 on the 'doah.
Ernie
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Sounds like you had a great weekend. I didn’t know you had the patients for dead sticking plastics. I know it's not your first choice. I always find it hard to slow down after ripping buzz baits early on.
July 4th would probaly work for me and my pontoon if you need a pickup at the end of the float.
Jeff
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both Duane and I are run and gun fishers - but slowing down beats not catching fish at all. it helps to have somebody to talk to while you are waiting on the fish
if you need any help with shuttles or locations on that 4th trip, lemme know. i'll be working but can help out
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I think a July 4 float is a 90% done deal!
May put in at Locke and take out on Rt. 7 or we may do an Upper Potomac but I would like to hear from Jeff since he has done that on his jet boat.
I bet Curly will want in too.
Jeff- do you have a pontoon like Josh?
Ernie
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My pontoon is only a one seater, but plenty of room for coolers and equipment.
The reports are pretty good from the brunswick and lander area of the potomac. We could float from either spot to point of rocks depending on how far we want to go, 4 or 6.5 miles. There are other options on the potomac also. The water is to low and too much grass up there for the jet.
Jeff
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Jeff,
I am up for your suggestion.....the 4 miler sounds good due to time limitation.
I may have 1-2 more guys from a fly fishing club I belong to.
Let's talk!
Ernie
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