The shad are on the bottom and the current is swift on the James River. In order to coax them up, local anglers are still using a ½ oz weight, but a better color selection for this part of the week would be pink/white or chartreuse/white. The same colors go well for the fly-fishing crowd, but getting down to the fish is a bit more involved. A sink tip will not do it at the moment. A full sink line over 300 grains is more likely to dredge them up, … Read More »

While not as hard pulling as a rockfish or as striking as a brook trout, crappie hold all of the characteristics to make them an excellent fly fishing species. My initial encounters with them were accidental; they would hit a popper intended for bluegill or a streamer when targeting bass. As I fished more, I noticed many occasions where I could see them schooled up eating but could not catch them. This drove me insane. I was

determined to learn how to catch these fish.

Early in the season, often in mid-February, … Read More »