The great outdoors, whether it be on bikes, kayaks, ATV’s, going fishing, hiking or whatever gets you outside, are just beyond your front door. Most people these days are looking for something to get them away from their normal and are looking for an adventure or a ride. Many set out to take on whatever route, trail or waterway they feel will be their escape from the mundane, especially now as the heat and humidity have driven most indoors.
People are finding a way to beat the heat and the boredom and still stay safe in the process. One of the local trails to enjoy is Route 30 that runs through Lilly’s Fork and Jim Young along the Clay County and Nicholas County line. This is a route littered with obstacles that can test mental and physical endurance to the limits. This road was initially used by people who settled in this area years ago as well as by logging companies and mining companies that have ceased operations, for the most part.
It is roughly a 14 mile stretch that begins in Nicholas County and snakes through the hills ending in Dundon in Clay County. Many use it for ATV riding as well as biking, which is a physically demanding sport and a great way to get fit if you want to lose a few pounds. The Elk River provides many opportunities for kayaking that are as exhilarating as any other waterway in the state.
If you’re anything like me, though, you love the challenge of looking for the bucket mouth bass in rivers especially the Elk. The Elk meanders through the mountains with plenty of bends, deep water and shoals. There is enough cover for fish to hide and for you, the fisherman, to hunt, and one of the best ways to get to them is in a fishing kayak or john boat. With the heat index running high enough to melt the worms in your tackle box, lake fishing gets a bit sluggish, so you turn to the one place that doesn’t seem to change – rivers.
On rivers, the swifter water allows for more oxygen than still water lakes; in fact, the water is a bit cooler, as well, so bass will stay more active if you know the places to look for them. Science shows that in rivers bass do not take great journeys and tend to stay on their porch in their own neck of the woods.
When the sun is high, bass like the 10 to 15 feet levels which is still a shallow depth for fish. River bass love the current making them creatures of habit and a lot easier to find. I will share some tips and tricks that have helped me get on top of some good bass. Number one for me is to find an outside bend in the river that has fallen trees or stumps. This is a perfect place for bass to hide out, watch the food go by and grab what they want. The current in the river also eats away at the banks creating hideouts, which in turn creates breaks in the current.
Breaks in a current are where bass like to camp out, especially if that break is a treetop with current moving through it. Retrieving a spinner bait real slow is a good tactic, but the method that I have the most success is the tried-and-true pig and jig. Texas rigging a tasty plastic worm just under the treetop is also a good choice. I have found that a side creek or tributary is also a perfect place for big river bass. When the river rises, bass tend to go up the side creek and stack up in a deep pocket of water before the river goes back to normal and they return to the main river.
Not all bass behave this way, but there are many that do. If you time your trip right as the water comes down, sneak up into some of the creeks and into deep pockets, and you might just find a cache of bass. Otherwise, many bass seem to hang around the deepest part of the river below the feeder creek. Again, one of the best strategies for me is a jig and pig, either swimming or jumped off the bottom. Carolina Rigs are also a good choice for the situation. So, don’t overlook tributaries, no matter how big or small.
To get the best possible outcome from your fishing on the river, you must understand current and how it relates to bass. Man made structures like bridges and drainpipes on the Elk River are great places to fish, especially drainpipes or spill ways after a rain. An overflowing stream brings plenteous good food to the bass table and sometimes sparks a feeding frenzy. If you’re skilled enough to get to a feeding frenzy, the best place to fish is downstream of the main boil because larger fish will feed off the scraps.
When it’s over, cast out that Carolina Rig with a threeor four-foot leader and a small worm, and sit back and reel them in. The Elk River can be a bit finicky and doesn’t like giving up its bigger fish, but knowing some good tips will turn the tide in your favor. It doesn’t take a tackle box the size of a toolbox either. Bass on the Elk are not picky eaters; whatever floats by that looks good they will eat, especially if it’s crawdad or worm related. So, get out and beat the heat, find you a nice shady outside bend with some cover and start reeling them in.
