By Tyler Brinks |
he fifth stop of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit will visit the James River in Virginia June 16-19 . It ’ s a famed river with plenty of historical significance both for Americans in general and for the sport of bass fishing in particular . It ’ s also sometimes referred to as the “ founding river ” because the first English colony , Jamestown , was formed on the banks of the river in 1607 .
The James has hosted the Forrest Wood Cup ( won by David Dudley in 2003 ), and three Bassmaster Classics – won by bass fishing legends
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Guido Hibdon , Hank Parker and Rick Clunn – over 30 years ago .
There ’ s no shortage of lore when it comes to the James , and recent tournament results show a healthy fishery with some of the best fishing in the history of the river .
The State of the James
For years , the James River was a popular tournament destination known for challenging fishing . That ’ s all changed in recent years , and the river is as healthy as it ’ s ever been . The fish are getting bigger , too , thanks to the
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stocking of Florida-strain largemouth .
“ The river has come a long way in the last 10 years ,” said Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit pro Cody Pike , who lives about 30 minutes away in Powhatan , Virginia . “ They ’ ve stocked Florida-strain bass every couple years since then , and the fish have gotten way bigger . It used to be that 15 pounds would win every event and now 17 pounds won ’ t even get you a check in most single-day events . There are now 8- , 9- and 10-pound fish and the real potential for a 30- pound bag .”
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