September is one of our favorite times of the year to be on the New and James Rivers fishing for smallmouth. Football is in the air, school is back in, and summer vacations are winding down. That means one thing; river traffic goes WAY down! Look for this September to feature some fabulous fishing as we have more water in our rivers than we have had since 2004. And big smallmouth and musky will be chomping hard! Th e bait has already moved to the banks, and both smallmouth and musky are starting to chase with all the cool weather we have been having. Break out the crankbaits and spinnerbaits early this year, they will be on them. If water clarity clears past 5-6 feet of visibility, look for the topwater bite to pick up.
Although a little later than normal, we are expecting the first half of September to bring the peak of our topwater fly-fishing season this year for smallmouth. And if you are feeling really adventurous, and can handle big rods and big baits/flies, grab your musky gear and hit the James and New Rivers in search of this elusive fish. In addition to the New and James Rivers, the Blue Ridge Mountains feature numerous warm and cold water fisheries and is a great place to start the fall season.
Britt Stoudenmire owns and operates New and James River Outdoor Co with his wife, Leigh providing guided smallmouth trips and cabin rentals on the New and James Rivers, and canoe, kayak, and raft rentals on the New River. He also co-owns and operates Southern Musky Outfitters and is co-host of The Life. Outdoors w/Britt & Leigh web show. 540-921-7438 www.newriveroutdoorco.com, www.thelifeoutdoors.com, www.southernmuskyoutfitters.com,
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