Britt’s latest article is currently out in the 2011 In-Fisherman Bass Guide. The article is titled “Narrowing the Playing Field,” by Darl Black. You can check out the first couple of pages of the article by clicking here. This is an annual publication, and any of the major book stores should have it, or you can buy it here. I really enjoyed doing this article with Darl, and we are already beginning to work on another one. Pre-spawn is almost here and we’ll be certainly be narrowing the field here soon….14 days to be exact!!! Check out our fishing web page for more information on our guided trophy smallmouth trips on the New River.

The current issue (Nov 2010) of Bassmaster’s Magazine features Britt’s winter techniques for targeting big smallmouth in an article entitled “Fishing the Rise for Winter Smallmouth.”  Click here to check the article out. On a side note, Britt did this article about 18 months ago with writer Bruce Ingram. There were several pictures submitted that Bassmaster didn’t use including the 5lb 12oz, 23″ smallmouth mentioned in the article. Here’s a peak of that fish above. Hope you enjoy it!!

New River Outdoor Company lead guide Britt Stoudenmire is currently featured in the July/August edition of American Angler fly fishing magazine in newsstands now. The article, “Lazy Day Smallmouth” by Bruce Ingram, describes Britt’s dead drifting tactics for enticing big, summertime smallies on top water flies. The article also includes several of Britt’s top flies and has a couple of pictures.  To view the article online, click here (and go to page 38-39). For more information on summer fly fishing trips with NROC, please call us at 540-921-7438 or visit our website at http://www.newriveroutdoorco.com.

August and September is prime time for “bug” fishing on the New River for GIANT New River smallies on the fly. Please give NROC a call at 540-921-7438 for more information.

Photo courtesy of Darl Black

Leigh and I recently had the opportunity to host well-known outdoor writer Darl Black. He stayed at Walker Creek Retreat, and I took him out fishing on the New River for two days. I’ve fished with several other writers over the years and, as a guide, you never know quite what to expect with writers. I have to say, it was a pleasure fishing with Darl and his boat mate Dale Black. The banter started almost immediately between Darl and Dale over Dale’s preference to stick baits, especially pink ones, and I didn’t wait long to join in on the fun. Of course, if you are going to dish it out, you better be ready to take it, and I received my fair share in return. All three of us “flirted” with several nice fish on a variety of baits before Darl landed the first photo-worthy fish on an “ugly grub.” I was giving him such a hard time about the ugliness of his grub, he returned the favor with a nice one. Not long after, and after being snagged on a stump, Darl looked at Dale and I and asked if he was hung up or had a fish. Immediately, I knew he had a muskie, and it was a big one. Now, everyone knows how much I dislike muskies and how they tend to gravitate to my boat, but I have to be honest, I would have loved to have gotten this one in.

Photo Courtesy of Darl Black

We initially had good control of the 42″ beast, but he worked his way around to the front of the boat and pulled us into a shallow area with swift current and eventually broke us off on 8-lb test line. Not long after that, the bite picked up, and Dale landed the biggest fish of the trip, a solid 4-lb fish that was as fat as a tick. We finished the day with several more photo-worthy

Photo Courtesy of Darl Black

fish, and called it a day. The forecast did not look good for the second day of our trip, so I really didn’t expect we’d make it out. However, typical of the New River Valley weather forecasters, they were wrong and we had a very nice day on our hands so we hit the river for a short float. Darl stuck the big fish of the day, and we tried our best to get the fish to jump for pictures, and the above photo shows the nice fish trying to go airborne for us. Darl wanted a picture of us framed against a bank, fish jumping, and in shallow enough water he could stand and take all of this in. I think we did pretty well if you ask me and considering the conditions. Toward the end of our short float, I had Dale focusing on a mid-river eddy. He had missed this spot the day before, and another client had lost a big fish there very recently. This day, Dale was in the exact spot, when he set the hook and the big fish went airborne. I knew immediately it was the same fish we lost two days before. However, after two huge jumps and several energetic runs, it was not to be, as the big one eluded us again. I enjoyed my two days on the river with these guys, and make sure the check out Darl’s account of our trip over on his blog.

Britt is Ready for Spring!

About this time of year, I really start to get the cabin fever, and this year it may be at an “all-time” high! Our season officially starts on March 8th, and snow or no snow, cold or no cold, we’ll be hitting the river chasing those big, fat New River pre-spawners. That anticipation never grows old, but as each season wains, I am beginning to realize how much I truly enjoy having my anglers in camp. Whether it be “newbies” or “old-timers,” our clients are our friends, and to us, its like having friends in to visit. Take that friendship, throw in the big fish, and it is something Leigh and I genuinely look forward to…..especially when the winter has been long and cold. March 8th can’t get here soon enough for a lot of reasons in 2010!!!!

Jeff with Big New River Smallmouth

March 2009 – We’ve had some great days on the river the last several years, no doubt. It’s been awhile since I recorded some of those stories, but here is one from this past year that certainly deserves being told. Jeff and John are good clients of mine from the Northern Virginia area who like to target big fish. In March of 2008, we encountered some rather rough weather on our early-spring trip, and I was eager to get them back on track when they made the trek back to the New in ’09. We were in the middle of a two-week stint of rainy, cold weather with very little wind and stable water conditions. I’ll take that, NO WIND, any day in the spring! Add in the stability factor, and you have a recipe for big fish. We started the day catching big fish, even doubling on 20″-ers at one point, and the “Big Fish” bite lasted the ENTIRE day. Those that have fished with me know that I measure every big fish we bring in the boat, almost to the point of being anal with it, and I only take pics of 20″+ fish in the spring. I will have to admit that at the end of the day, I had to revisit the camera to count the number of citation fish we landed when Jeff asked me “How many did we catch?” Jeff and John set the bar this day in March landing nine smallmouth 20″ or larger. What an incredible day on an incredible river!!

Kayaking and Fishing the New River

Hi Britt and Leigh, I just wanted to let you know that our visit was one of the best annual fishing trips we have ever had.  David and I have been friends for almost 50 years now and we always try to do a fishing trip once a year and a ski trip once a year.  Andrew was a great guy and it was a tough day but we had a great time.  The Creekside was great!  I would like to reserve one of the cabins for a week next year.  I need to coordinate with David as to what week.  I may reserve both of the lower cabins.  I will be back in touch soon. Thanks again for a great trip, AWESOME shuttle service (man is that nice not to have to shuttle), super accommodations.  Attached a couple of pictures, one of David after running his first larger rapids in the tarpon 120.  David was feeling very alive…..Go Hokies!

Tommy with another BIG New River Smallmouth

January 2009 – 2009 was an incredible year for New River Smallmouth Adventures’ clients as we topped 150 client citations (20″ or larger). Ten of those topped the scales at 5 lbs or larger, and the largest fish of the season is pictured above….you guess the length and weight. And yes, it is as big as it looks and Tommy is a big guy (hope he doesn’t mind me saying that). Visit our website for more information and pics of our guided New River fishing trips.

Brad with EXTRA LONG New River Smallmouth

January 2008 – 2008 was a great year as New River Smallmouth Adventures’ clients totaled nearly 120 citation smallmouth (20″ or larger). Seven of those fish tipped the scales at 5 lbs or larger, and the largest fish of the season measured in at 24″. Visit our website for more information and pics of our guided New River fishing trips.

Chris with BIG New River Smallmouth

January 2007 – 2007 was an incredible season for New River Smallmouth Adventures as our  clients totaled nearly 150 citation smallmouth (20″ or larger) with 16 of those going 5 lbs or larger. Our biggest smallmouth of the season weighed in at a hefty 6lb 7oz. Visit our website for more information and pics of our guided New River fishing trips.

Alex with topwater citation smallmouth

July 2006 – Summer is definitely a good time to throw topwater baits; however, some days the fish are just not looking up and will not hit them with any consistency. That was just the case this past July when Alex and Bob fished with me. We were catching fish on a variety baits, and a couple of our better fish had come on topwater, but they were definitely not on it. Bob was doing really well on plastics, when Alex picked up his topwater lure and began chunking it all over the place. I let him throw for about 10 minutes or so and then asked him, “Are you gonna keep throwing that in the turbulent water?” Alex repsonded, ” I wasn’t really thinking about it.” We then start targeting soft pockets with the topwater lure while all the time Bob is picking up nice fish on his plastics. I told Alex that if he caught something, it would probably be a “big fish” since the average-sized fish had shown no interest in the big 3/8oz topwater plug. Alex agreed, and commented he’d rather throw it for the “big one.” We were working a very shallow ledge when Alex made a perfect cast on the downstream side into the soft pocket. Immediately, the fish engulfed his bait and the fight was on. We manuevered the fish through the shallow ledge and boated him; a solid 21.5″/4lb 4oz summer smallmouth for Alex. Alex definitely threw the crap out of that lure, and he had mentally prepared himself for the long drought of no fish in anticipation of catching a quality fish. It paid off for him!!! Visit our website for more information and pics of our guided New River fishing trips.

Charlie with Citation New River Smallmouth

June 2006 – As the water warms, a smallmouth’s metabolism will speed up causing them to have to eat more and more food to maintain their body weight. Although the “big fish” will not weigh quite as much as they do in the spring or fall, they still have to eat, and we DO catch them in the summer months with good regularity. Charlie, Stew, Earnie and their friends are good clients of mine and fish with me several times each year. We have had some great trips over the last two seasons, but I could tell Charlie was a little reluctant about his June trip this year. The water was low, clear, and warm. These conditions did not stop us as we had a very good two days. Charlie led the way with seven fish between 17″ and 21.5″ including a 20″-er and a 21.5″-er that weighed in at a heavy 4lb 10oz. During the second day of the trip, we were catching them on a variety of soft plastics; however, the STIK-O seemed to be working best; especially for Stew. After Stew caught several fish on it, Charlie asked me if he could have one of those STIK-O’s. I told Charlie he needed to stick with his bait just a little longer; but in reality, I was just messing with him. After about five minutes and five more fish for Stew, I rigged Charlie a STIK-O. On his first cast with it he hooked and landed the 21.5″-er pictured above, the biggest of his six citations he has caught with us over the last two seasons. The moral to the story is fish when you can; the catching will come…..and the biggest ones may come when you least expect it!!! Visit our website for more information and pics of our guided New River fishing trips.