Hit the river for the afternoon. With a 75 degree day, water temps rose sharply from 49 to 56 degrees today. That spike let the smallies put the feed bag on. I landed 10 fish in 5 hours of fishing that were between 16 and 20 inches long. The last was a 12 inch dink that nailed a crankbait. All other fish came on green pumpkin Mizmo tubes.

I lost a half dozen fish today, more than all my other trips this year combined.   One came off on a double head shake without ever beening seen, but it felt the heaviest. I lost a jumping citation sized smallie right at the boat. He didn't like my Boga grip and jumped over it.

The big gal of the day was this 20 inch 4lb 9oz pig. My partner landed a 20.75 inch blimp of a fish, but released it without a photo. He caught it while talking to his wife who was on the bank.

If I was smart I would go fishing again tomorrow. Unfortunately chores will keep me stupid.

Nice Bassmanpete! I was on the upper James on Saterday caught 3 small ones and that was it nothing like the one you caught are you fishing on the New?

Come on up sometime, Chad. I wanna see you stand in your Ride 135 on moving water!

I have done it at HRBT, that is moving but flat.

Goby, I use a Tarpon 100 or Tarpon 120 in the rivers. Which one I take depends on how long the float will be, and what kind of rapids it contains. Both Tarpons do rapids ok, though the 100 works better for tighter turns. The 120 really shines on a long 8+ mile trip and in low water, as it floats higher than the 100, and is much faster. I carry about the same amount of gear in either boat.

Chad, if a camping trip over Memorial Day weekend works out fishing wise, I may have a place in between us to do a smallie trip! Amazing where you can find smallies if you dig a little.