James River Advice

[FooJet]

Thanks Brad Reams for the info.

I’m now leaning towards waiting for the river level to go up before fishing the James, especially since it’s a 2:45 hour drive for me.

[Brad Reams]

2 hours ago, FooJet said:

Thanks Brad Reams for the info.

I’m now leaning towards waiting for the river level to go up before fishing the James, especially since it’s a 2:45 hour drive for me.

welcome

I hope  a rise in water level will help the fish bite 

wasnt too good a month ago

[heavyduty]

8 hours ago, FooJet said:

I’m considering fishing the James for this first time this weekend.  Planning to put in at Watkins.

The water level at Cartersville reads 1’.   Will I be banging my boat on rocks and spending my time freeing my boat rather than on fishing?   Thoughts?

Watkins is slack water backed up by Bosher's Dam. Watkins down to the dam you'll be fine. Watkins up about 1/2 mile you will see a couple islands and ripples/rocks (end of slack water created by Bosher's Dam). You can get thru in a kayak or canoe, a jet maybe on plane but will have to be very careful.

[drakesndrum]

Floated the upper James yesterday from Howardsville to Hatton Ferry, low and slow was the word and low and slow it was.  Fishing was a little slow, although my buddy did catch a pretty 18.5" smallie.  Jet is out of the question, our yaks were bumping bottom A LOT.  Good luck!

[FooJet]

Thanks for the updates.

[Brad Reams]

On 10/12/2019 at 4:24 AM, drakesndrum said:

Floated the upper James yesterday from Howardsville to Hatton Ferry, low and slow was the word and low and slow it was.  Fishing was a little slow, although my buddy did catch a pretty 18.5" smallie.  Jet is out of the question, our yaks were bumping bottom A LOT.  Good luck!

how do you like that stretch of river? 

or is it similar to the section below Scottsville? 

I really like the section from Hardware to New Canton. 

 

[drakesndrum]

First time on it, but it was a nice float.  Could spend days there exploring all the structure. 

[Brad Reams]

1 hour ago, drakesndrum said:

First time on it, but it was a nice float.  Could spend days there exploring all the structure. 

nice I like the sound of that.  I think I'll need to give it a try myself 

[supersmittyc]

On 10/11/2019 at 8:09 PM, heavyduty said:

Watkins is slack water backed up by Bosher's Dam. Watkins down to the dam you'll be fine. Watkins up about 1/2 mile you will see a couple islands and ripples/rocks (end of slack water created by Bosher's Dam). You can get thru in a kayak or canoe, a jet maybe on plane but will have to be very careful.

Fishing between watkins and beaumont (rt. 522)is just about impossible in a boat. Dont waste your time trying to launch at beamont as the water is ankle deep for about a mile.  Have been spending a lot of time at watkins down to bosher dam.  Plan to drive up and launch from Cartersville soon...

[drakesndrum]

1 hour ago, Brad Reams said:

nice I like the sound of that.  I think I'll need to give it a try myself 

There are a couple of pretty good rapids in that stretch also, and with the low water they were a bit tricky to navigate.  My buddy flipped his yak, luckily we got all his stuff and he wasn't hurt.  I believe I stayed way to the left side going downstream and got through them both fairly easily, although my big ass did bump bottom several times. 

[Sam]

Let the drought end and the James go back to its correct level.

 

As stated above, Watkins Landing to the west is very difficult to transverse.

 

Watkins Landing to the east towards Bosher's Dam is easier to fish and has some good water.

 

If you have a buddy you can double up and do the following for some great fishing. By the numbers:

1. Drive to the Pony Pasture and drop one of the cars off in the parking lot.

2. Drive west along River Road  and go under the Huguenot River Bridge over the Historic James River and go to the right when the road dead ends, towards the river. You will see parking and aramp in Huguenot Flatwater. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=richmond james river parks&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS534US537&oq=richmond's+james+rive+parks&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.8263j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=37540093,-77482326,6008&tbm=lcl&rldimm=13530647582163216593&lqi=ChpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrc0ig6eSs1JWAgAhaLQoFcGFya3MQAxgAGAEYAhgDIhpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrcw&phdesc=cxP5MIvOeBE&ved=2ahUKEwjo36DL_qDlAhVnc98KHbeTDz8QvS4wAXoECAoQKg&rldoc=1&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1&rlst=f#rlfi=hd:;si:13530647582163216593,l,ChpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrc0ig6eSs1JWAgAhaLQoFcGFya3MQAxgAGAEYAhgDIhpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrcw,y,cxP5MIvOeBE;mv:[[37.6371057,-77.33521619999999],[37.5135913,-78.8976323]];tbs:lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1

2.  Unload your kayaks at Huguenot Flatwater ramp and go fishing either from Flatwater down to the Z-Dam where you porage across it on the northern bank and then down to the Pony Pasture where there are a lot of rocks or....head up river towards Bosher's' Dam and fish to and from Bosher's Dam to Flatwater or the Pony Pasture.

3.  If you are in the Pony Pasture area, you can paddle to the southern bank and one guy holds the kayaks while the second guy walks out of the river and onto River Road. 

4.  Get car from Pony Pasture parking lot and drive along River Road to where your buddy is holding the kayaks and load them on your cars. Be ready to give finger to those people who yell at you for blocking the road.

5.  Go home with some fun memories.

 

The area between Flatwater and the Pony Pasture is one of the best kept secrets in Richmond fishing. If you want, you can catch your fill or bass and bluegills, etc. and use them for catfish bait at the Pony Pasture. Big catfish at the Pony Pasture and they are friendly.

 

Have fun; wear your PFD; always go with a friend when fishing the Historic James River; and let us know how you do and if the police show up when you are loading your kayaks back onto the car at the Pony Pasture. 

[Brad Reams]

3 hours ago, drakesndrum said:

There are a couple of pretty good rapids in that stretch also, and with the low water they were a bit tricky to navigate.  My buddy flipped his yak, luckily we got all his stuff and he wasn't hurt.  I believe I stayed way to the left side going downstream and got through them both fairly easily, although my big ass did bump bottom several times. 

understood.  

Last month had a few tricky spots Hardware down to 7 Islands.

 

yep SAM agreed! low flow conditions

We got to the ramp after dark!

not fun paddling in rapids almost blindly  

 

 

[drakesndrum]

Floated the Rivanna today, still very low and dirty after yesterday's rain.  Didn't think it was going to be as stained as it was, maybe 2' visibility.  Bite was tough, only hits I had came on the Whopper Plopper around wood.  Caught two, one 15-16" chunk and one dink.  Tried topwaters, flukes, swimbaits, cranks, jigs, tubes, wacky worms, etc.  Only thing they wanted was the plopper and really only the two I caught hit it hard.

[TnRiver46]

13 minutes ago, drakesndrum said:

Floated the Rivanna today, still very low and dirty after yesterday's rain.  Didn't think it was going to be as stained as it was, maybe 2' visibility.  Bite was tough, only hits I had came on the Whopper Plopper around wood.  Caught two, one 15-16" chunk and one dink.  Tried topwaters, flukes, swimbaits, cranks, jigs, tubes, wacky worms, etc.  Only thing they wanted was the plopper and really only the two I caught hit it hard.

Nice fish! Which size WP? 

[Brad Reams]

47 minutes ago, drakesndrum said:

Floated the Rivanna today, still very low and dirty after yesterday's rain.  Didn't think it was going to be as stained as it was, maybe 2' visibility.  Bite was tough, only hits I had came on the Whopper Plopper around wood.  Caught two, one 15-16" chunk and one dink.  Tried topwaters, flukes, swimbaits, cranks, jigs, tubes, wacky worms, etc.  Only thing they wanted was the plopper and really only the two I caught hit it hard.

nice report! my Plopper/Choppo luck has dried up, hasn't worked since early summer. 

I recommend trying NED rig for smallies. 

I'm a new believer in that lure. 

I switched to NED on my 2nd day of Sept float and it was a big difference in the # of bites.  

On 10/11/2019 at 1:49 PM, Brad Reams said:

They got some rain in the mountains, but the water hasn't made it down stream yet 

the green is normal 

red is very low 

yellow is below normal 

river conditions are Looking a lot better now 

[drakesndrum]

9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Nice fish! Which size WP? 

Plopper 90, have a 75 too but seem to have better luck on the 90.

 

As far as NEDs go, I've caught fish on them, but end up getting hung up more than anything.  I'll figure it out!

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, drakesndrum said:

Plopper 90, have a 75 too but seem to have better luck on the 90.

 

As far as NEDs go, I've caught fish on them, but end up getting hung up more than anything.  I'll figure it out!

Ok ive been chucking the 130

[Sam]

130 is great for the big ladies when the water is calm.

 

I agree with Drake to downsize your Whopper Plopper to a size 90.

 

After you have your five bass limit you then go to the 130 if you want to invest the time and effort to try to catch that one big one.

 

And yes, with an exposed hook your Ned Rig will get hung up on the bottom.  But that is the way it is fished.

 

Have fun.

[Brad Reams]

9 hours ago, drakesndrum said:

Plopper 90, have a 75 too but seem to have better luck on the 90.

 

As far as NEDs go, I've caught fish on them, but end up getting hung up more than anything.  I'll figure it out!

yeah I had that problem at first with NEDs.

I started using a half senko, then switched to a grub semi-texas rigged.  Not perfect, but I'll get it figured out also.  

the main thing I noticed is it falls straight down

5 hours ago, Sam said:

 

And yes, with an exposed hook your Ned Rig will get hung up on the bottom.  But that is the way it is fished.

 

yeah I think for lake fishing it's different. 

it was getting snagged way too much for me, so I improvised. 

I think they make them with weed guards also.

[FooJet]

On 10/16/2019 at 10:47 AM, Sam said:

Let the drought end and the James go back to its correct level.

 

As stated above, Watkins Landing to the west is very difficult to transverse.

 

Watkins Landing to the east towards Bosher's Dam is easier to fish and has some good water.

 

If you have a buddy you can double up and do the following for some great fishing. By the numbers:

1. Drive to the Pony Pasture and drop one of the cars off in the parking lot.

2. Drive west along River Road  and go under the Huguenot River Bridge over the Historic James River and go to the right when the road dead ends, towards the river. You will see parking and aramp in Huguenot Flatwater. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=richmond james river parks&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS534US537&oq=richmond's+james+rive+parks&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l3.8263j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=37540093,-77482326,6008&tbm=lcl&rldimm=13530647582163216593&lqi=ChpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrc0ig6eSs1JWAgAhaLQoFcGFya3MQAxgAGAEYAhgDIhpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrcw&phdesc=cxP5MIvOeBE&ved=2ahUKEwjo36DL_qDlAhVnc98KHbeTDz8QvS4wAXoECAoQKg&rldoc=1&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1&rlst=f#rlfi=hd:;si:13530647582163216593,l,ChpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrc0ig6eSs1JWAgAhaLQoFcGFya3MQAxgAGAEYAhgDIhpyaWNobW9uZCBqYW1lcyByaXZlciBwYXJrcw,y,cxP5MIvOeBE;mv:[[37.6371057,-77.33521619999999],[37.5135913,-78.8976323]];tbs:lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1

2.  Unload your kayaks at Huguenot Flatwater ramp and go fishing either from Flatwater down to the Z-Dam where you porage across it on the northern bank and then down to the Pony Pasture where there are a lot of rocks or....head up river towards Bosher's' Dam and fish to and from Bosher's Dam to Flatwater or the Pony Pasture.

3.  If you are in the Pony Pasture area, you can paddle to the southern bank and one guy holds the kayaks while the second guy walks out of the river and onto River Road. 

4.  Get car from Pony Pasture parking lot and drive along River Road to where your buddy is holding the kayaks and load them on your cars. Be ready to give finger to those people who yell at you for blocking the road.

5.  Go home with some fun memories.

 

The area between Flatwater and the Pony Pasture is one of the best kept secrets in Richmond fishing. If you want, you can catch your fill or bass and bluegills, etc. and use them for catfish bait at the Pony Pasture. Big catfish at the Pony Pasture and they are friendly.

 

Have fun; wear your PFD; always go with a friend when fishing the Historic James River; and let us know how you do and if the police show up when you are loading your kayaks back onto the car at the Pony Pasture. 

Sam, 

is the water level between Flatwater to Pony Pasture suitable for a boat?

how about from Bosher Dam to Flatwater?

[Sam]

5 hours ago, FooJet said:

Sam, 

is the water level between Flatwater to Pony Pasture suitable for a boat?

how about from Bosher Dam to Flatwater?

Yes, you could use a boat between Flatwater and the Pony Pasture but there is no ramp to launch and you probably will not be able to take the boat over the Z-Dam.

 

We use a raft. Just  float and throw white grubs and anything else you want.

 

Best bet is a kayak.

 

From Bosher Dam to Flatwater, once again launching is a problem but people do fish that area in kayaks.

 

In both cases check the river flow as getting down river is easy. Getting up river can be a challenge if the current is strong.

 

Have fun!

 

 

[FooJet]

17 hours ago, Sam said:

Yes, you could use a boat between Flatwater and the Pony Pasture but there is no ramp to launch and you probably will not be able to take the boat over the Z-Dam.

 

We use a raft. Just  float and throw white grubs and anything else you want.

 

Best bet is a kayak.

 

From Bosher Dam to Flatwater, once again launching is a problem but people do fish that area in kayaks.

 

In both cases check the river flow as getting down river is easy. Getting up river can be a challenge if the current is strong.

 

Have fun!

 

 

Thanks again Sam!

[Sam]

9 hours ago, FooJet said:

Thanks again Sam!

You can launch your kayak at Flatwater Park at the foot of the Huguenot Road Bridge's southside.

 

If you look at a map of Richmond you can find the park along the Historic James River directly south of the UR campus.

 

This is where the kayakers launch and you can go either to the east or the west.

 

Have fun and be safe.

[FooJet]

Tomorrow, I’m heading to fish the James for the first time.  Taking Sam’s advice, putting in at Watkin’s and fishing down to the city.

Any updates and advice on lure selection would be greatly appreciated.  

[Sam]

On 11/9/2019 at 6:41 PM, FooJet said:

Tomorrow, I’m heading to fish the James for the first time.  Taking Sam’s advice, putting in at Watkin’s and fishing down to the city.

Any updates and advice on lure selection would be greatly appreciated.  

You can head towards Richmond but you will be stopped by Bosher's Dam.

 

Right before the dam and to your left is Tuckahoe creek.  Fish it all the way to the back.

 

Be safe and let us know how you do.