I just wanted to say hello to everyone because I just signed up on this board. I have a 16' cc Key Largo and fish alot. I have spent most of the winter from Harbor park to the ditch and had a pretty good luck "most" of the time. lol Anyways I have tomorrow off and i'm going to take my nephew out and I have never fished the James but I am thinking about going over by the Jrb since the weather looks good tomorrow. I hear the croakers are starting to bite and I also heard about a decent catfish bite in that area ( not the big blues just good size ones ). I live in Great Bridge and was wondering what the best place to launch around the Jrb or surrounding areas would be. I would take shrimp and squid for croakers but i'm not sure what would be the best for cats. I always used chicken livers or cut bait. Any help would be greatly appreciated and I will glady post my results. Thanks Dan

Welcome to the board, Dan. I can't help you with any of your questions because I primarily fish out in the bay but I'm sure someone will help you out. Good luck and let us know how you do.

Pete

[quote=71Whaler,Mar 22 2007, 02:12 PM][quote=danny c,Mar 22 2007, 12:54 PM]I just wanted to say hello to everyone because I just signed up on this board. I have a 16' cc Key Largo and fish alot. I have spent most of the winter from Harbor park to the ditch and had a pretty good luck "most" of the time. lol Anyways I have tomorrow off and i'm going to take my nephew out and I have never fished the James but I am thinking about going over by the Jrb since the weather looks good tomorrow. I hear the croakers are starting to bite and I also heard about a decent catfish bite in that area ( not the big blues just good size ones ). I live in Great Bridge and was wondering what the best place to launch around the Jrb or surrounding areas would be. I would take shrimp and squid for croakers but i'm not sure what would be the best for cats. I always used chicken livers or cut bait. Any help would be greatly appreciated and I will glady post my results. Thanks Dan
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Welcome to the board, Dan. I can't help you with any of your questions because I primarily fish out in the bay but I'm sure someone will help you out. Good luck and let us know how you do.

Pete

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Newport new side of JRB at Hunington Park, 1st left at light, not that aware of any others but shore they are out there,good luck cant help with bait, thanks

Welcome.

Catfish will eat anything. Cut bait, like herring or shad, usually works the best for me though.

Thanks for the welcome guys. I think I may just try putting in at the ramp at huntington beach I believe thats what it's called. The acct. lady at work told me that was the one on the other side of the Jrb.

Welcome to the board Dan!! Best of luck tomorrow...its gonna be a pretty day!!!

I have the EXACT same boat Dan. Welcome to the boards, you'll LOVE it here!
Cherlynn

Welcome to the site Dan. I live up here in NN. Hunting park is a great ramp this time of year as there isn't alot of pressure.

Watch yourself coming out/in as it can get shallow in a couple of spots.

Once you get in good water, bear to the right as you come out of the ramp and look for the sticks (not sure why they are there). They are shallow areas that my wife and I fished early last year and caught several croakers.

Additionally, if you plunk around the power towers and bridge pilings you can have some luck as well.

Be sure to give a post on how you did as I am itching to catch something (On a line Jeff)

Welcome to the board Danny. Be careful, that side of the river can be bumpy on a strong southerly breeze. Good luck and tight lines!

Thanks everyone ! It was a bit windy yesterday so I went to the ditch and trolled a bit and notta. Then I went in the ditch and tried shrimp annd kept catching small stripers and I mean small ! Lol Then pulled the boat and went to Bobs fishin hole and only caught a few small cats and a couple of white perch. I am going to take my brother in law and his brother out in a couple of hours but i'm really not sure where to go put in ? I like hearing the reports of trout and croaker showing up though . How's the James in a NE 5-10 ?

Danny, I'd fish Rudee Inlet if I were you. I've heard of good catches of trout and puppy drum there recently. Owls Creek ramp is free and you can start fishing right there. Cast jigs with Gulp baits up to the grass lines rocks and docks and you'll be suprised what you can catch. Lynnhaven would be a second choice. All good water for that 16 footer. Good luck and tight lines!

Sorry it took awhile to get back on here but I knocked my computer over saturday afternoon and its dead ! I wished I would have read this Marlin Maniac and went to Owls but my brother in laws brother showed up with a temp. fresh water license so we went to north landing > Notta and then over to west neck to fish the river ( see how close to Owls I was !! ) lol anyways sorry about the fresh water report or lets say sorry fresh water report because all we caught over there was a few white perch and a few small cats. I have the boat with me at work today and will probably try somewhere this afternoon if the south winds don't get too bad. Thanks again everyone and hey Cherlynn how do you like your boat ? Mine has a 50hp but it would be nicer with the 70 and its a wet ride for sure. I got nailed in the elizabeth headed to the hot ditch one morning in feb. by the wake of a tug pushing a barge and it was about 30 degrees outside and still fished all day but I was freezing ! If I get out today I will report.