I launched with several other guys from the Brunswick ramp just before 8:00 am. The other MKF members at the ramp were quite helpful in advising me what types of lures to use today. I fished two spinnerbaits (1/16-oz and 1/8 oz), a beetle spin with a 3" paddletail minnow, and a Texas rigged Senko.
I have little experience fishing in free-flowing rivers, and never did get comfortable with a fast drift in the current. I looked for places where the current was blocked by rocks or other structure and tucked in behind them. I found one 15-ft long rock ridge that allowed me to stay in one place for my last two hours. That is where I caught most of my fish.
I got the skunk off the boat quickly with a sunfish. A few minutes later I followed it with a smallmouth. Then I had a drought for the next hour. Once I found the rock ridge mentioned above, I stayed there the rest of the morning. I ended up catching 8 little smallies (<10") and 5 sunfish -- not bragworthy, but still fun for a tidewater fisherman. I caught all the sunfish and about half the bass on the 1/16-oz spinnerbait (Strike King Microking). The other half of the bass were caught on the Senko. I had a bunch of other hits on the Senko that did not stay hooked up. The bass tugged so hard on the Senkos that they tore up three Senko baits. The other two baits proved to be too heavy for the relative shallow water. They consistently caught grass and were not really effective where I was fishing.
While I was tucked up next to the ridge, the other guys drifted downstream. I stopped fishing about 11:30 and headed back to the Brunswick ramp. I phoned Dan Marino (Tom) , who told me the group was still drifting and would not be back for and hour and a half. I decided to head home. Many thanks to Tom for making the arrangements and to the other friendly members who helped me get rigged up at the ramp. I look forward to hearing reports from the other participants and seeing some photos. Here are some of my photos.
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I have little experience fishing in free-flowing rivers, and never did get comfortable with a fast drift in the current. I looked for places where the current was blocked by rocks or other structure and tucked in behind them. I found one 15-ft long rock ridge that allowed me to stay in one place for my last two hours. That is where I caught most of my fish.
I got the skunk off the boat quickly with a sunfish. A few minutes later I followed it with a smallmouth. Then I had a drought for the next hour. Once I found the rock ridge mentioned above, I stayed there the rest of the morning. I ended up catching 8 little smallies (<10") and 5 sunfish -- not bragworthy, but still fun for a tidewater fisherman. I caught all the sunfish and about half the bass on the 1/16-oz spinnerbait (Strike King Microking). The other half of the bass were caught on the Senko. I had a bunch of other hits on the Senko that did not stay hooked up. The bass tugged so hard on the Senkos that they tore up three Senko baits. The other two baits proved to be too heavy for the relative shallow water. They consistently caught grass and were not really effective where I was fishing.
While I was tucked up next to the ridge, the other guys drifted downstream. I stopped fishing about 11:30 and headed back to the Brunswick ramp. I phoned Dan Marino (Tom) , who told me the group was still drifting and would not be back for and hour and a half. I decided to head home. Many thanks to Tom for making the arrangements and to the other friendly members who helped me get rigged up at the ramp. I look forward to hearing reports from the other participants and seeing some photos. Here are some of my photos.
001.jpg 002.jpg 004.jpg 005.jpg 006.jpg
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