PRE-SPAWN SMALLMOUTH & STRIPER RUN REPORT

Three months ago, the spring of 2025 seemed as if it would never arrive. Now that we're in the midst of it, it's cooking right along, and seems like it'll be over before we know it. The diversity of fishing opportunities that we have at our disposal in the Southeast is never more evident than it is in the spring, and it's keeping us plenty busy.

We started out the month of March on our smallmouth rivers, pursuing smallmouth bass as they transitioned from winter into pre-spawn feeding mode. March began with low, clear water across the region, which made fishing tough in cold water, but as the month came to an end, we saw increased precipitation that really leaned into the typical late-March/early-April streamer bite that we love so much. Thankfully, this higher water didn't force us to fish dirty water any, which is always a plus when fishing fly gear.

Top-producing flies ranged from small Finesse Swingin' Ds and 3.5" Rumpshakers in low water on smaller flows, to larger Swingin' D 2.0s, Polar Fiber Gamechangers, and Leggy Bois in bigger water. We also enjoyed a good jerkbait bite throughout the season with conventional anglers.

The New River kicked out some great days, this spring, and reminded us at times what the pre-spawn season is all about. There were days with good numbers of quality fish caught throughout the day, and there were days where we saw just a few bites. One day in particular (a tough, bluebird, cold front day with wicked wind and cold water) gave us just a handful of bites on flies, but each one was a 20+" fish. If you enjoy the hunt for trophy smallmouth, this is the best time of the year to look for quality bites. Unfortunately, this season saw a lot of heartbreak, too. I lost count of the number of giant fish that came unpinned over the course of my month-and-a-half-long pre-spawn season, but that's all part of it, and it usually results in stronger hooksets down the line.

We kicked off our striper run program in mid-April, after the smallmouth on some of our smaller systems had begun spawning, and just a week or so before the spawning kicked off on the New River.

Early warm weather and little precipitation on our striper fishery in late March and most of April led to rapidly warming water that put the run progression about a week and a half ahead of what I would consider normal. While the prime fishing generally begins in mid-April and lasts until early- to mid-May, reports suggest that the prime fishing began around the first of April, this year. Spawning also began about a week and a half ahead of schedule, and the fish didn't seem to stick around for their typical post-spawn feed after doing the deed.

We enjoyed great fishing throughout mid-April and into the last week, but things began to rapidly come to a close as the month ended. I ended up packing things up about a week earlier than I had planned to, as a result.

I want to extend a very serious and sincere thanks to everyone that made the trip out to fish with me during the striper run this inaugural year. It means the world to me to be able to introduce new programs into my business operations, with the end result of showing my clients incredible new opportunities, while being supported wholly.

Here's to hoping that next year gives us a little longer with the striped fish. It was good while it lasted! Now it's on to yet another highly variable, exciting, and short-lived window--periodical cicadas!

See ya'll out there!