I'm gettin' a kayak for Christmas, so the James will become a major part of where I fish, not just where I work.

Just wanted to share some things that I have learned about catching smallies right under dams, and also see what others have to say.

Wading under a dam is so fun! Live minnows on a split-shot rig work well. It's surprising that fish will hit a lure or bait that is in some RAGING water, but they do. Keeping a semi-taught line allows you to stay with the lure.

When it comes to artificials, tubes, grubs, and small swimbaits also work. No matter what, the lure will be thrown around, so there's no working the lure on the bottom, unless you're fishing an eddy or a calmer section of the dam. The best lure I have ever found is a Baby Rage Craw on a split-shot. It's absolutely deadly.

When it comes to lure size, while bigger lures usually equal bigger fish, that doesn't really apply here (at least for me). One day two Summer's ago, my friend Mike Ostrander and I were fishing at a dam that will remain unnamed. He caught an 18 incher on the smallest minnow we had, while I caught a 17 3/4" on the biggest one. 

I like to throw 3/8 oz. SK Football jigs with a Baby Craw trailer on a 6'10 MHXF casting rod with 12 lb.co-poly. All my lighter stuff is either thrown on a 6'10 MLXF or a 7' MF spinning rod.

So what do you guys like to do and use?

One of my favorite river smallie lures was a rebel teeny wee or wee crawdad crank.also a shad rap JSR 4 or 5 in variuos crawdad patterns.

That Baby Craw split shot rig is spot on. Also try an Eeliminator on the same rig. Other than that, football jigs with a Rage Craw or Baby Craw trailer are all I need for river smallies.

We like to get into Mike's raft and fish the _____- Dam.

Have you tried the Wright Company's little one-inch white grubs? One of Mike's favorites.

Please have a buddy with you when you wade under or around those three dams. Very dangerous and you could be knocked off your feet and hit your head on rocks and be floating down to the city in a few seconds.

We need you to grow up and pay lots of F.I.C.A. when you get a job.  ;D   ;D   ;D