All of Virginia’s mountain streams are running full. While a mere trickle just a few weeks back, the small and mid-size mountain streams have plenty of water and the brookies are hungry.
Tommy Lawhorne at the South River Fly Shop in Waynesboro says they had “super high” water on the South River. “It was still running over 1500cfs on Monday, so it will be at least Wednesday or Thursday to be safe,” he said.
The Delayed Harvest Stretch on the South was stocked on Oct. 6. “We are getting real good reports already on the mountain streams on the west side of the Shenandoah National Park,” Tommy added. “There is lots of water but the streams are running clear and the brookies are still taking dry flies.”
Tommy singles out the St. Mary’s, Ramsey’s Draft, and the North River as top choices by week’s end.
Winter is an ideal time to learn how to tie flies and South River Fly Shop will be offering a Thursday evening Beginner Fly Tying class starting on the 22nd. There is still space available at $65,.00 per person, tools and materials provided. There is also a one-time 10% discount on the purchase of tools and materials when enrolled.
Call 22980 540.942.5566 or email at srflyshop@yahoo.com for more information.
James/New Rivers
Still way too high to fish. Virginia’s middle size rivers (upper Potomac, lower Rappahannock, Rivanna, Appomattox, etc.) may be fishable by weekend, barring any more rain.
Trout Stockings
The following streams and lakes have been stocked recently.
Alleghany Co.: Clifton Forge Reservoir (10/7); Augusta Co.: North River (Tail) (Delayed Harvest) (10/5;) South River (Delayed Harvest) (10/6); Bath Co.: Douthat Lake & Wilson Creek (Fee Area) (10/5); Bland Co.: Laurel Fork Creek (10/7), Wolf Creek (10/7): Botetourt Co.: North Creek (10/7); Carroll Co.: Crooked Creek (10/5), Little Reed Island Creek (10/5); Dickenson Co.: Cranesnest River (10/7), Pound River (Flannagan Dam) (10/7), Russell Fork River (Bartlick) (10/7), Russell Fork River (Haysi) (10/7); Floyd Co.: Burkes Fork (10/7), Little River (10/7); Henry Co.: Smith River (Lower) (10/6); Madison Co.: Hughes River (10/6), Rose River (10/6);
Page Co.; Hawksbill Creek (10/7); Patrick Co.: Dan River (Below Powerhouse) (10/6); Pulaski Co.: Peak Creek (10/6); Smyth Co.: South Fork Holston River (Buller Dam) (10/5), South Fork Holston River (Lower) (10/6); Washington Co.: Whitetop Laurel (Upper) (10/5), Whitetop Laurel (Lower) (10/5), Tennessee Laurel (10/5)
Potomac
Muddy and Messy
Last week’s storms have created tough fishing conditions. High muddy water and lots of debris in the river make fishing tough and a bit treacherous. Water temperatures have fallen quickly into the mid 60s. Cooler days but dry this week until Friday when there’s a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Daytime highs around 70 with overnight lows in the low 50s.
Conditions will improve toward the end of the week and the best bet for getting out this week will be to target hard cover. Docks, wood and seawalls are also going to hold fish. Lipless crankbaits, like Lucky Craft RTO on 12-pound test GAMMA Edge, worked around cover will entice fish out of cover. Also try these over grass remnants as water clears.
Pitch Mizmo tubes Texas rigged on 3/0 Mustad Mega Bite hooks and shaky head BarbWire heads and 5-inch green pumpkin Doodle worms into cover and work repeatedly. Mann’s Stone Jigs with craw trailers can also be pitched to hard cover. These tactics work even better under sunny skies.
This is also a good time to slow roll Mann’s Classic spinnerbaits. Tie to 14 pound test Edge. Slowly retrieve the gold Indiana/Colorado combo with a white skirt over the hard cover, bumping and fading a bit. Deflection is key. Effective in grass remnants as well. Run spinnerbaits under the surface just out of sight.
Deeper cranking with baits that run 4-6 feet to contact cover. Over
grass, try the Lucky Craft BDS4. For hard cover, crank a Lucky Craft LC 1.5. to run a bit deeper for shallow cover. Fish with 12-pound Edge.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Chickahominy Lake
Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the mid 60’s in the main lake on Wednesday (10/7/2015). The lake level was slightly less than a foot above the top of the dam and had been dropping since the weekend. The water was light brown and clear in the central lower lake.
Blue cats and a few bullheads were scattered throughout the lake and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Moderate numbers of crappie were in loose schools in the main lake on deeper flats and channel edges, usually at depths of 6 to 12 feet, and frequently in the neighborhood of wood cover. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Some small to medium yellow perch were scattered on main lake shoreline flats and on flats in creek mouths and were hitting live minnows and small jigs. Moderate numbers of bluegills and shellcrackers were scattered along shorelines, around cypress trees, and on weed flats just out from shorelines in the main lake. Bluegills and shellcrackers were hitting live crickets and worms, flies, and small tubes and jigs. Some bass and pickerel were on lily pad flats and along shorelines in lower reaches of major creeks and in shallow bays and some shorelines in the main lake, while other bass and a few pickerel were on deeper flats and channel edges in the main lake. Bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, and jigs, with some topwater action early on many days.
Lake Anna
While stained up lake, mid-lake is clear. Anna anglers are now looking for bass right on the shoreline as temperatures drop. Crappie are beginning to move in on deep-water docks. Stripers are becoming active throughout the day, especially in overcast conditions.