2 replies to this topic

[basspro48]

I recently went wading for smallmouth in the upper James River, since it's only rained once in almost 2 months, the river was very low. We started off fishing a current seam close to the bank and in 3 casts I caught 2 nice smallies. But after that we didn't get another bite. I caught the 2 smallies on a pumpkin/fleck yam. grub on a 1/8 oz. jighead, we tried just about everything else we had with us, cb's, tubes, craws, flukes, even little panfish jigs. Can someone please tell me what we did wrong?  

the conditions were: warm low water, cloudy and warm.

please help.

[Will]

Look for the smallmouth to be tucked on the backside of rocks and boulders where they can get out of the current. Also look for some big cracks or rocks that are close togethor for the fish to slide into. Also without the rain look for some deeper holes and fish them throughout the day.

[Madhouse27]

Good advice from Will. In addition to some of his pointers I would also be conscious of the different bottom textures found in the area that you fish. Sometimes the bronzebacks up here are partial to to one size gravel over another and can be extremely concentrated when they find something they like. You may also find they may have a preference regarding the amount of silt/sediment in a given area. I'd certainly hit any obvious structure and you may find them hanging more on wood than rock or vice versa. Lastly, the river I fish is fairly uniform in temperature. It took a little time for me to get over my usual pattern of trying to locate deeper water and thus the fish. Alot of the fish I caught this year were in tight below overhanging banks, trees and other debris right along the shore. You were obviously on to something working the bank. You might just have to go on a serious wading quest and hit a longer stretch of it. Choose a point a few miles up or down river and arrange to have someone pick you up at a set time.