James River
Published: Updated:
James River Fishing Reports
Filter by
Sort by
Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
TheKurrent
Bronze Ambassador
3/23/25
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Hard Swimbaits
Structure
Shad
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
59°
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Stumps
Forage
Bluegill
The first stop of the 2022 Bassmaster Northern Opens was on the James River. I didn't have the best finish but caught a TON of fish. I was averaging 20-30 bites a day but mostly connecting with the smaller bucks that were protecting their beds. I would flip a Z-Man Bangstick and ZinkerZ to docks and trees where the fish would potentially be bedding to catch my fish. I would also mix a Jackhammer with a Razor Shad on it, to target the bigger prespawners. This worked both days of the tournament catching my 3 biggest fish and also was a big player in practice before the water really warmed up for those fish to spawn. If you want to learn more about how this tournament went and see the fish catches check out my YouTube channel, Grae Buck Fishing. Here is the recap- https://youtu.be/jWEX9f0dBH0
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Structure Jigs
Structure
Brush Piles
Forage
Bluegill
Just got back from the James. Got 6th out of 225 in bassmaster opens. The fish where pushing up sallow. Hard cover was the deal. The females where staging on wood close to little deeper holes. Falling tide and high tide where the best times. Had to fish slow with Outkast 3/8 cage.
Sufix 832 Braid 50lb / Low-Vis Green / 150 Yards
Out of Stock
Daiwa Tatula SV Casting Reel - EOL Right / 7.3:1
Out of Stock
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Structure Jigs
Structure
Docks
Forage
Crawfish
Cumberland pro lures pig jig with a rage craw on the back. Pitch around dock pilings and wood and wait.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Swim Jigs
Structure
Laydowns
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
70°
Fish were located along laydowns down the shoreline
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Spinnerbaits
Structure
Laydowns
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
67°
Fish were caught early in the day on outgoing tide in 1-3 ft water
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Swim Jigs
Structure
Rock Pile
Forage
Crawfish
Water Temperature
64°
James river smallmouth club had our second tournament of the year and we were so fortunate to bring home 1st place with the second highest weight in club history . Everyone had a great day of fishing. We found fish at the top and bottom of the islands
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Ned Rigs
Structure
Reeds
Forage
Bluegill
Water Temperature
71°
Found quite a few bedding fish in about 3 feet of water at low tide halfway back creek arms. Looked for submerged reeds and vegitation with cypress trees and clay flats or gravel that set up for the perfect area to make a bed. Using livescope in perspective mode, we made many casts along the lines of beds with a Hula Stick cut in half ned rigged. Got about 1 fish every half hour or so. Very long process but paid off in the end.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Standing Timber
Forage
Bluegill
Water Temperature
72°
James river was a tough fishery, especially being as it was my first time fishing a tidal fishery. We struggle early on but found a good bite on a mud flat with flooded cypress trees around noon when the tide started moving in. I was able to see them on mega 360 sitting in front of the trees, as well as on megalive landscape mode. We also found a very good bedding area behind a dock. With a large boat rail and some gravel.
