Mossy Creek Fly Shop Report
The James and Shenandoah Rivers
It’s here folks! April river smallmouth fishing has arrived! We are also in our peak spring trout season as well. Those who aren’t enjoying time up in the mountains chasing brook trout or fishing the spring creeks are out enjoying some of the best smallmouth bass fishing of the year.
High water this time of year can make fly fishing difficult, but it can consolidate large bass into calm spots behind boulders, islands, and ledges. Conventional anglers have an advantage with heavy jigs, tubes, and soft plastics fished with lead weights to penetrate the current quickly and get their baits on the bottom. Heavy spinnerbaits are used to fish transition water and seams to seek out big female bass waiting to move into spawning areas males have swept. So to be successful in periods of high water, be sure to have large, heavy flies like a size 1/0 or 2/0 Clawdads or Crittermite flies. These flies will get down quickly in the still spots between current and should hold before being dragged out of the strike zone. To seek out fish in diamond chop current and current seams near protected shoals where bass might spawn, a large baitfish fly like a Half and Half or Murdich Minnow are good options. These may need to be fished on an intermediate or type 3 sinking line on a short leader to get to the fish. Have plenty of 16-lb. and 12-lb. fluorocarbon tippet for these big fish.
We will be out on the Shenandoah and James Rivers as much as we can between our trout fishing trips. All of our guides are fully booked now into mid June. We are now booking our summer smallmouth trips June into October. Give us a call and get your trips on the books and enjoy some of the best smallmouth bass fishing you can find in the Mid-Atlantic.
Stocked Streams
We are in the peak of spring trout fishing. VDGIF will continue stocking local waterways for just over 1 month until the end of May. Water levels on a majority of your favorite streams and lakes are perfect right now for good fishing and safe wading.
Target the following Virginia-managed waters for the best action. Sugar Hollow Reservoir, Mint Springs, Pedlar River, Elkhorn Lake, Braley Pond, Sherando Lake, North River DH, South River DH, Spring Run, South River SRA, Douthat, Jackson River at Hidden Valley and Poor Farm, Back Creek DH, Bullpasture, Cowpasture, Hardware River DH, Rose River, Hughes River, Robinson River, Tye River, Hawksbill Creek, Maury River, Silver Lake, Hone Quarry, Briery Branch, Stony Creek, Mill Creek, and Passage Creek DH should keep you busy if you are in our area! Stock up on crystal buggers, golden retrievers, Kreelex, slump busters, and a variety of attractor nymph patterns in size 12-16 for these VA managed streams. Don’t forget your strike indicators and split shot!
Spring Creeks
Sulphurs are here, but pick your poison. Are you a dry fly or a streamer junkie?
The spring creeks are in picture-perfect shape. The grass is green, but not yet waist deep, the wildflowers are in bloom, the birds are chirping, and the last bit of winter is now a memory. We enjoyed fishing the caddis hatches all through March and we are now in the early days of the sulphur hatch. BWO’s and sulphurs are making their evening appearances between 6 pm and dark. Some days, the bugs only give you about 30-45 minutes of daylight, but you can really capitalize on that bite window. At times over the past 10 days, we have seen dozens of fish rising within just a hundred feet. Steadily rising fish haven’t been too picky, taking size 14 sulphur parachutes or size 18 BWO Comparaduns or Cripples. A size 14 black caddis on 5x tippet is still working, especially when skated across the channels before the hatch begins. Get ready to start seeing Tricos on calm warm mornings in just a few weeks!
For those that like to fish streamers, Near-Nuff sculpins are one of the best flies we fish in the month of April. Size 4-8 tan and olive Near-Nuff sculpins bounced along the bottom slowly and methodically is one of our most productive methods. Black, black and blue, brown, and olive Clawdads, conehead sculpins, and slump busters will also get deep enough to get weary fish to come out from the weed beds and undercuts to eat. Jigged nymphs, mop flies, psycho prince, nitro caddis, CK’s, San Juan’s, zebra midges, Darth Beatis, and buckskin caddis have all been producing some big fish at Mossy, Beaver, Spring Run, and Susie Q Farm. Although our guide service is fully booked now into June, Susie Q Farm does still have a few days open in May. Give us a call if you would like to reserve your day on this great one-mile stretch of spring creek.
Mountain Streams
Mossy Creek guide Wayne Paxton got out to Ramsey’s Draft recently and found brook trout all over the place and near perfect water levels.
We will dispense with the small talk and get straight to business. It is time to get off the couch and hit the mountain streams. Water levels are near perfect, bugs are hatching, and the brookies are hungry. Most days you can be productive fishing just about any attractor dry you enjoy fishing. Royal Wulff, red, green, yellow humpies, stimulators, elk hair caddis, mini hot Garcia’s, purple haze, and various colored parachute flies all in size 12-16. As we mentioned in our previous fishing report, fish your traditional Catskill style patterns in the turbulent rough water and your parachute patterns on the slicker and more calm water for the best presentation and drift. Subsurface we have been having great success on jigged prince, hare’s ear, and pheasant tails, psycho prince in blue, purple, and pink, green weenies, CK nymphs in yellow, olive, and black, Bloody Mary’s, guide’s choice hare’s ears, copper johns, and nitro caddis in size 14 and 16. Split shot, strike indicators, tippet, floatant, forceps – check these essential items before you head into the hills! Enjoy the great weather and fishing. We will be out everyday as long as the weather allows!
Lake Orange
Contributed by Darrell Kennedy of Anglers Landing (540.672.3997). The water temperature is in the mid 60’s and clear. The bass & crappie are in all phases of the spawn and are being caught on soft plastics and live bait. A few walleye have been caught on night crawlers and minnows. Some big bluegills have been caught on night crawlers as well.
Potomac River
Capt. Steve Chaconas
Best Fishing In a While!
Reports of the best fishing in over 5 years are taking place right now. Many contend the fish were always around, but muddy spring waters and low grass growth contributed to tough conditions over the past 5 years. That’s changed.
It will be an awesome week to fish as they move into spawning areas. Water temperature is getting into the upper 60s.
Bumper crops of milfoil have emerged and are holding large groups of fish. The easiest way to locate them is with a Lucky Craft LVR D-7 lipless crankbait. Colors vary, reds when the water has a bit of a stain or under cloudy skies. Otherwise, many colors will work. Line is key; beef up to 14-pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line. Also working are crawfish patterned chatter jigs. Use a matching craw trailer. Same line. Crawl these lures just over grass tops and pause.
Once a fish is caught, lower Power Pole Shallow Water Anchors and work the area with dark colored soft plastic stickworms either wacky or Texas rigged. Use a 1/8-ounce weight with 12-14 pound test Edge and make long casts in clear water and pitches to docks. Shake and sit. Watch line movement for bites. A soaking in Jacks’ Juice Bait Spray will encourage fish to hold on longer.
Also use heavy drop shot set-ups. Combining 20 pound test Torque braid with 12 pound Edge Leader is a great way to catch bedding bass. Make leaders about 14 inches. Use 1/8 to 3/16 BullShot weights.