NEW RIVER- Smallmouth Bass Fishing 5.7.2022

Springtime kayak fishing for smallmouth bass on the New river near Independence Virginia which weaves in and out of North Carolina and Virginia. Shallow diving squarebills were the deal. Jackson Kayaks. Lucky Craft. Anchor Wizard.

[@user-fy4cs2xf4k]

Good video, not much of a river fisherman. So I learned some, thanks. Also I watched a couple of your videos on lake Norman a few months ago because I was planning a trip there. Enjoyed them and didn't realize till I checked in to see this video that I think we went to same high school. If you went in Dobson in mid 80's. Name is Steve Simpson.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Hey, Steve. Yes, I remember you. Still in Surry County?

[@user-fy4cs2xf4k]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 yeah I'm in pilot mountain , do alot of fishing in small lakes and ponds, Salem lake, Thom a lex and others. Kayak , boat and bank , I like it all.

[@Sigma33IQ]

Bro you should be fishing a jig or finesse jig craw pattern and bluegill pattern squarebill. Black and blue flake Green pumpkin red flake. Not sexy shad it still worked but thats where you made your mistake.

[@alexmhcnc]

great video - looks like an awesome place to fish. One question - have you thought about increasing your drag? Seems like a lot of lost fish and not enough hook penetration. Just a thought. Tight lines

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

I dont know. With treble hooks you dont really "set" the hook, or at least i dont, and you need a rod with some flex at the tip. If i were fishing single hook id probably use a faster action rod and lose less. Im also using 8 lb test. I think my drag is about right with the light setup. When you watch the pros fishing drop shots on light spinning rods, you hear alot of drag on hook sets and reeling in. Easy to get overpowered. Just my thoughts on it. Thanks for checking it out. Where you located?

[@alexmhcnc]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 Hey I'm no expert, just fished with a guide last summer and he was teaching me how I typically don't use enough drag. I'm in Fuquay-Varina and fish all over but this year at $5 /gallon it's mostly fly fishing for carp in local lakes.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

@@alexmhcncI hear ya. If I were using 12lb line, id have tighter drag, 4lb line, looser. And so on.

[@BigBaitPosse]

Was this bridle creek to independance?

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Yes, bridal creek to New River Canoe & Campground.

[@dalefogle7060]

Try switching out the treble hooks with a size smaller

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Thought about that, but im just using something else now instead

[@dalefogle7060]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 I've switched out several that when I brought them the trebles were huge "more suited for largemouth" although the Susquehanna smallmouth a little bigger and meaner.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

@@dalefogle7060 ohh, ok. I thought you were referencing the Kvd's hooking the "lip". Are you saying hookup ratio would be better with smaller trebles? I would think the opposite, but you might be right.

[@dalefogle7060]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 I'm using old Mann's -1 & -4s and they have #4 or #6 trebles. I've also switched out some other brands like Rapalas & 6th Sense that had larger hooks to smaller and have had no problems. The Susky Smallmouth fight like no other and have had good luck with downsizing the hooks. May be worth the try. Also would help with the hooks getting fouled possibly.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

@@dalefogle7060 thx where you located?

[@Everydayfishing]

Looks like a fun day on the river! Love how feisty those river smallmouth are. Did you throw any soft plastics? Some of those places looked great for picking apart with a ned rig or a t-rigged crawfish.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Yes, always fun on the river! This section of the river has alot of small fish. In the spring, square bills have just consistently caught bigger fish. When it gets warmer, I go to neds and such. Theres TONS of timber under the surface here too and fishing something that consistently controls depth keeps you fishing more without snags.

[@mystoryhisglory9438]

You are only a few miles form some huge river smallies. There's a section In Galax va that has 3-5 pounders regularly! Nice video

[@redrooster5080]

What section of the river u talking about thx

[@davidcloyd1296]

What spinning reel is that? The drag sounds like a nice bicycle bell!

[@freedomfishintv5060]

Where do you put in and take out? We have land in landing NC and I’ve floated the south fork and north fork but have gone above the confluence

[@kirkshammett94]

Is there areas of the new river that I could take a pedal kayak and fish a section. Then pedal back up river?

[@theone031]

You'd be surprised at the big fish in the shallows. They can hide in only a few inches to feet of water.

[@battleboy2138]

I use a log chain now for an anchor, With the anchor wizard, what do you do when it gets hung?

[@jonathanm9793]

I saw a couple holes I'd like to drop my hellgrammite and craw into, looked fun man.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Always fun going down the river!

[@thepassionateangler4559]

What’s the name of the anchor system

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Anchor Wizard. If you get one, holler at me and ill give you a useful tip when releasing and retrieving to make it work the best.

[@laujkiatong]

Me and the family have a camping trip next month, so excited. And this video definitely didn't scratch the itch.

[@MusicCityAngler]

Dude your editing is awesome! Tell me your secret!?!

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Not really a secret but could give you some tips. Email me and Ill give you my number. Love to help you out. [e-mail]

[@stanreedy2686]

your rod is to stiff why losing them

[@marcusgoins7049]

You need to come on down to the north and south forks of holston River awesome smallie fishing. Making a trip to Lil Pigeon myself soon.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Yes, Its on my list. This section of the new is the closest half decent SM fishery for me so its why I go there. Good luck on the Little Pigeon.

[@marcusgoins7049]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 where are you from if you don't mind me asking?

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

@@marcusgoins7049 Winstin-Salem nc

[@CREEKFISHING423]

Love the Holston. I live above John Sevier and fish it regularly. Caught some and seen some monsters come out of it!

[@kirkshammett94]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 I live in king just outside Winston Salem. Hit me up if u ever wanna float together!

[@CREEKFISHING423]

I fished the New in WV for over 20 years. I love and miss that river, but I'm addicted to South Holston now 😉 Great video! New subscriber.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Thx!! Sub'd you as well. Ive never fished the Holston. Im looking at the area around Asheville Hwy near Knoxville just b/c it looks like I can go a pretty good distance and paddle back up/down by myself without a second vehicle. None of my friends fish much if at all and are not going to drive 4hrs to go. So logistics fishing solo on rivers is always an issue and has probably kept me from doing more stretches. What do you think of that area?

[@CREEKFISHING423]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 I don't know much about that area, but my friend Josh Sharp should be able to help you out there. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKivf4qpj8ior8U

[@baileywagner4576]

Who do you use for a shuttle on the New?

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

I take the shuttle from New River Canoe & Campground just outside of Independence Virgina. They take you 5 miles up or 10 miles up. I always do the 10 mile b/c the upper 5 is much better fishing. If I have 2 vehicles I put in at the 10 mile which is Bridle Creek Bridge on Cox's Chapel Rd and take out at Farmers Fish Camp. Both have public parking.

[@fancypicker]

Nice video. I know that area well and fished it for smallmouth as a kid. My aunt owned the house right before the bridge on the left side before you get to the New River campground on the right. My parents used to own the plot on the left side right where the bridge column is built. Virginia made them sell the land to the state to build the new bridge. My grandfather owned the land where the campground is now and grew corn on it. I spent lots of summers there on that stretch of the river.

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Nice story. I started going there around '78 as a kid when we lived just west of Elkin off 21. Nice channel too..you've got some impressive view numbers on some of your vids.

[@fancypicker]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 Sounds like you know my stomping grounds well. I live not too far off of 21 near Stone Mountain state park. Thanks! I just do youtube for something to do. LOL

[@Gf-fo4yj]

Nice video

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Thank you!

[@benjamingossett6859]

Switch round bend with ewg hooks and they will stay pinned

[@collieer]

What do you smallmouth yakkers throw in summer? Smaller jigs and neds? Do moving baits still work

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Yes. More neds than jigs as these fish here are not the biggest. Depends on the river/lake depth and the geographic location. Deep lakes, in this area like S. Holston or Cherokee Id probably find deep clear water and drop shot. Im in the south and this particular stretch of river is mostly wide and shallow. they arent active past 930am when its hot and if i go, I slow it down.

[@battleboy2138]

Is this stretch of river too small for a 13' raft boat? I have to put in and get out on ramps

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

I would say it is. Alot of its pretty shallow.

[@chasejohnsonoutdoors5372]

What rod and reels are you using in this vid

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Funny you ask, they are not my favorite rod and reels and ones Im not worried about losing if something happens on the river. One is a Fishing 13 Defy combo [which I kinda hated] and the other was a Penn fierce reel that wasnt a bad reel on a Sakana rod that was sold exclusively through Gander before they liquidated and wasnt a bad rod either. Theyre both gone now after flipping on a class III two weeks ago that I shouldnt have gone down but...my buddy did so, I did. The Fishing 13 rod and reel was garbage IMO

[@fourwheelerjock]

Looks into the 6Th Sense Cranks

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

All their squarebills run too deep for this river. Very few brands make them shallow enough without staying hung up Thanks tho

[@fourwheelerjock]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 how deep you looking for? They got ones that run 3' max and then other that run 3-5' max

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

@@fourwheelerjock Hmm, I checked theirs out and found nothing running under 5'. Yea 2-3' max or youre limited how many places to throw without it being a headache. I have found others that work fine, I just bought a shit load of KVDs last year that im stuck with and trying to "use up". Thanks

[@fourwheelerjock]

@@jamesbernabefishing8532 Ok, so the 6TH sense crush 50 does 2-5 feet along with the crush 75x The 6th sense crush 25x does 2-4ft The 6th sense curved finest does 1-3FT And the 6th sense munch 40 does 2-4FT

[@jamesbernabefishing8532]

Ok, im seeing some like the Curve Finness on there website that arent coming up in BPS, TD, etc. Im loaded up now on other brands beside Strike King/KVD and will try the 6th sense out when i run out. Thx