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  1. #1
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    Anyone else fish the James like Ike?

    Sounds like a weird question but in his recap of his winning the open he said on the last day he fished a total of 6 creeks off the main river within about a 10 mile stretch. Said he would go way back about as far as he could go at low tide and caught them well. Also said they had to have a hard bottom. I'm just trying to wrap my head around examples of this. I might be more inclined to go in with a kayak or canoe rather than my bass boat, he bent a prop shaft doing this, but it's still interesting, to me anyway. I wonder if he was up in the likes of Powell, Herring, Queens, Wards creeks or the like?

    Here's a link to his wrap up if anyone is interested. Curious what you all that fish the James more think.

    Kevin | 2000 Champion 19​1 | 2000 Yamaha OX66 200hp

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    #2
    He was making long cast lol

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    #3
    I've been about as far back as one can go into Herring Creek and there's really no hard bottom in that creek, but it does have a lot good lay downs though. In regards to finding a hard bottom, there is a stretch on the main river that's a few miles south of Deep Bottom that has a lot of rock, but that's all that I know since I primarily fish the Chickahominy. Then again, there's are allegations that Ike left his boat and fished over a dam as well and I'm not sure which creek that would be.
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    #4
    I thought I heard him saying during the tournament he was fishing north of Osbourne landing?

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    #5
    People can fish across that damn and not get out of boat, it is a private pond though not saying thats were he was at

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    #6
    I hadn't heard anything about that. This coming off the interwebs or something? No idea what you all are talking about with a dam or pond.
    Kevin | 2000 Champion 19​1 | 2000 Yamaha OX66 200hp

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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by booter View Post
    there's are allegations that Ike left his boat and fished over a dam as well and I'm not sure which creek that would be.
    And this folks is how false rumors begin!!! He didn't leave his boat... come on.

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    #8
    There was a discussion about this in the lounge I believe, with a lot of the rumors of coming from this FB post: https://www.facebook.com/jason.houch...90586907640784

    The only people that know is Ike and his co anglers for all 3 days. In all reality, nobody would've cared if he hadn't won the open. Ike had a consistent 3 days with an 15lb average which is descent. Again, I have no idea where this spot is since I rarely fish the James.
    2018 Bass Cat Lynx w/Suzuki 250SS.

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    #9
    Can't say I have a lot of respect for the people in that thread and in the Lounge thread starting things with the " I heard this and that" and "It's going around that such and such did this" - I frankly hate that BS, and that's what it is, BS. Nothing more than old codgers gossiping. If it is more than that, then come out with it like a real man. And that has nothing to do with Ike or any particular fisherman, it's more about having a pair and proving you aren't just making up or spreading BS accusations.

    I just try to learn what I can about fishing the James or the Chick. I haven't really fished either, to afraid to take my boat out there. If I hadn't just restored the thing to better than new, I might not care so much. I need to get an aluminum shit kicker or something maybe. But in any case, I realize it could be a good an challenging place to fish and am just trying to learn for people. Like him or not, I personally think Ike is a pretty straight shooter, and he does post a lot of helpful stuff, so since he explained some about how he fished it, I thought I'd try and learn from it.
    Kevin | 2000 Champion 19​1 | 2000 Yamaha OX66 200hp

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    #10
    Best advice someone told me when I first started fishing the Chick was to idle around at low tide and observe everything since you can see the mud flats easier and everything else. The one place I'd be careful is around Buzzard Bay, it looks deceving, but it's nothing more than a big mud flat and you must run on plane if you ever want to fish the few pockets back there and Black Stump Creek.

    As far running tide, if you like at the tide charts and where the tide stations are at on the Chick, there's about an hour difference between when the river is at low tide at Gordons Creek and the dam. If Gordons Creek is at low tide say at noon, it will be low tide at the dam around 1255 ish, and the same is for high tide. In my opinion, if you try this on the Chick, you'll mostly be hitting the mouths of feeder creeks because you won't have time to fish the length of the whole creek and move on in a timely manner. With that said, the bigger and better quality of fish have been found on the main rivers near the ledges of pad/grass lines with 8 to 12 feet of water, especially this time of year.
    2018 Bass Cat Lynx w/Suzuki 250SS.

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    #11
    TY sir. I had heard that about Buzzard Bay, glad to have the confirmation of it. I'm excited to get out there and explore it. Will probably trailer to Chickahominy Riverfront Part to put in rather than run from Hopewell. Any other places to consider for access coming from Chesterfield?
    Kevin | 2000 Champion 19​1 | 2000 Yamaha OX66 200hp

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    #12
    I believe some people put in at Rivers Rest Marina or Rock a Hock campground that come from the Richmond area. Another area to be careful are the dog legs on Gordons creek and don't try to cut the corners as well. But if you want to try Ike's pattern, Diasconds Creek is probably your best bet that has a lot of wood and goes back pretty far. Another good creek with a lot of wood is Morris Creek, but there is a mud flat near the back of it you have to be careful off and you need to enter it perpendicular to the main river to the boat dock at the mouth since there's a flat near the entrance of it as well. However, I haven't had good luck in there this year compared to last year either.
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    #13
    Excellent info, really appreciate it. It's amazing what you can see from satellite imagery some times. That entrance to Morris for example, becomes real clear why you want to go in toward that boat dock to the south. The mud flat at the back is harder to figure out but I think I see the area, where it widens out a lot. Appreciate it!
    Kevin | 2000 Champion 19​1 | 2000 Yamaha OX66 200hp

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    #14
    good chick advice...be careful, never cut the corners, especially entering or leaving ANY creek!

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    #15
    Morris Creek.jpg

    The red circle in the attached file is where you need to be careful and recommend that you use trolling motor only, especially at low tide.
    2018 Bass Cat Lynx w/Suzuki 250SS.

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    #16
    Kinda looks like in that lower yellow circle you need to be to the right of that island looking area, and also kind of staying right in the upper yellow area too.
    Kevin | 2000 Champion 19​1 | 2000 Yamaha OX66 200hp

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    #17
    Could the dam they are talking about be falling creek? Think it is rocky bottom in there up towards the little dam.
    Semper Fi

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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by 1bluemcm View Post
    Nothing more than old codgers gossiping.
    While I understand and agree with your frustration with the lounge, I'm pretty sure gossiping is not exclusive to those of us in the 4th quarter of life.
    There was a time that I didn't fish but I cannot remember it.


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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by jrbdad View Post
    Could the dam they are talking about be falling creek? Think it is rocky bottom in there up towards the little dam.
    I found what they are talking about. Pull up Google Maps or Google Earth and look to the east of Turkey Island. The dam is small but partly visible at full zoom at:

    37°21'40.4"N 77°14'43.6"W

    On Google Earth if you go back to the imagery from 3/2017 when the leaves are off, you can see it better.
    Kevin | 2000 Champion 19​1 | 2000 Yamaha OX66 200hp