Crescent Crew: WHFF
We hosted the Crescent Kayak's fishing pro, Drew Gregory, and some buddies for a few nights as they explored some of our home waters in search of post-spawn small mouths that'll run them down the river. We caught up with Drew to share a bit about their stay. "What's unique about this place is all the rivers and creeks are cutting through mountains," he shared, "you're cutting through a lot of bluffs and really cool scenery- a lot of remote wilderness. Normally you're going through a lot of cities or houses, but the scenery here is amazing to see."
Paddling Around
Kayak fishing is where Drew has made a name for himself, 2022 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year, and is a style of exploring that has taken his heart. He expressed how the freedom of total control is what has drawn him to the sport, the opportunity to move around on the stream however you see fit, go back and work certain spots a little longer, and the adventure of getting splashed by the rapids and being a little more connected to the river.
You get to spend as much time as you need to tactically pick apart certain sections of rivers that look especially fishy. It's the great balance of having the fineness of getting to the nooks and crannies of a well-worn river system where big fish know they can be protected and having the anchor system to post up on those sections.
Frankly, the guys got stuck with some lousy weather to start off their trip. As Drew put it, fishing a new river system with the trifecta- post front, high water, cold water- isn't quite what you're looking for, especially in unfamiliar territory. But the crew was pumped to pull out plenty of nice smallmouths and even a few musky. "They call them the fish of 10,000 casts," Drew recalled, referring to the musky, "but there, it takes much less. I caught one, my buddy caught one, and we had another three or four encounters where they followed the bait right up to us."
The Real Thing
Smallmouth fishing from a kayak is a real kick to be up close and personal with the water- it's hard-nosed, instinctive fishing. Folks relying on sonar or web recommendations will roll through these rivers with their head buried in a little screen, waiting for a red dot to tell them where to cast. It takes thousands of hours on the water or a seasoned guide to show you how to read a bank and spot a good little hiding spot for these smallies. In the end, experience will let you throw twenty or fifty fishable casts to an unfamiliar angler's one.
You're fishing for ambush predators, so where the sonar is picking up nothing but an unexpecting log, something worth just rolling over, there could be a tank sitting right there under it, just waiting to take down a top water plug, serving as a good reminder that being on the water is just as much about taking in the bluffs and rapids, scoping out the slow spots of water and trusting a spot that looks fishy more than Chat GPT or sonar.
Stay Awhile
The crew wrang out their raincoats and posted up in the lodge for several nights. Off the river, between bits of rain, they moseyed into Clifton Forge to get a bite to eat and take in some local tunes. "You just want to stay for months to explore all those rivers and creeks," Drew said, "truly an angler's paradise."
So come and give it a shot- bring your rig, rent a tent, splash around, and don't worry about falling in.
Check the guys out on Instagram and YouTube to see about their stay:
Drew Gregory
https://www.instagram.com/drewgregoryfishing/
John Dalton
https://www.instagram.com/creekfishingadventures/
Josh Sharp
https://www.instagram.com/j_sharp_bassnbeer/
SMALL MOUTH FISHING THE RIVERS OF VIRGINIA DAY 1
Published in Wesley Hodges Fly Fishing Newsletter
