rc51sport
Well-known member
Last week my wife asked if I would drive her up to VA (4hr trip) to spend the weekend with her grandmother while she was near. I jumped on Google maps, found a river, told her yes. HA.
We wouldn't be headed near the higher elevations so I figured my best bet was smallmouth fishing. Only thing was, I've never been smallmouth fishing and the only one I've ever caught was about 6" and over 20yrs ago with spin tackle. I started doing some research, found a nice quiet spot to fish for river smallies then ran to the store for some new flies. Bought some streamers and poppers. Last weekend was the first time I've ever caught a fish on a streamer so I haven't had much practice.
We left NC Thursday night and got a hotel for the night in VA. I woke up after 3.5hrs of sleep and snuck out to head to the river. I found an access spot within a cool little park that I just had to explore while I was there. This park had a lot of civil war battle markers and trenches dug and used by both sides.
Trenches (hard to make out)
Finally made it to the water
Started out catching a bunch of these guys on a small foam beetle
Then some sunfish
I was there for smallmouth so I tied on a popper. Saw a couple that acted interested at first but just swung their tails instead. I decided to change it up to a white beadhead bugger, this was the ticket!
I waded farther upstream and started finding the bass.
I was getting a nice even mix of sunfish and smallies
We wouldn't be headed near the higher elevations so I figured my best bet was smallmouth fishing. Only thing was, I've never been smallmouth fishing and the only one I've ever caught was about 6" and over 20yrs ago with spin tackle. I started doing some research, found a nice quiet spot to fish for river smallies then ran to the store for some new flies. Bought some streamers and poppers. Last weekend was the first time I've ever caught a fish on a streamer so I haven't had much practice.
We left NC Thursday night and got a hotel for the night in VA. I woke up after 3.5hrs of sleep and snuck out to head to the river. I found an access spot within a cool little park that I just had to explore while I was there. This park had a lot of civil war battle markers and trenches dug and used by both sides.
Trenches (hard to make out)
Finally made it to the water
Started out catching a bunch of these guys on a small foam beetle
Then some sunfish
I was there for smallmouth so I tied on a popper. Saw a couple that acted interested at first but just swung their tails instead. I decided to change it up to a white beadhead bugger, this was the ticket!
I waded farther upstream and started finding the bass.
I was getting a nice even mix of sunfish and smallies