The South River Delayed Harvest section is on fire, reports Kevin Little at South River Fly Shop in Waynesboro. The Early Smoky Sedge hatch has started off with a bang and water conditions are very good. Hot flies are Sheila sculpins, Kevin’s Caddis, Mini Intruders, Arlie’s Gnarlie Caddis, Frenchies and Conehead Twenty Inchers.
Mountain streams are fishing very well and caddis, says Kevin. Quill Gordons, Blue Quills and Red Quills are bringing the brookies to the top. Best patterns are Appalachian Hopper, Grizzly Wulffs, Au Sable Wulffs, Adams and Kevin’s Caddis.
The South River Fly Fishing Expo is coming up on the 23-24 of April and is shaping up to be a great weekend on the river. Classes by Greg Senyo, Will Turek and Pat Dorsey will be offered, along with open presentations and a wide variety of fly fishing vendors. Advance purchase tickets are available at southriverexpo.org along with class signups. Admission is only $12 at the gate and $10 in advance.
James River Lynchburg
Tom Reisdorf at Anglers Lane says that muskies in the James are feeding well in anticipation of the spring spawn. On the trout scene, brookies are getting active in the mountain streams and taking Quill Gordons. Tom also noted that the Jackson River browns and rainbows are waking up finally and eating streamers. The temperature in the 40s and the water is very clear. Tom suggests trying dry flies like Purple Haze, and steamers like Kreelex.
Recent Trout Stockings
Albemarle Co.: Mint Springs Lake (Middle) (3/5); Mint Springs Lake (Upper) (3/5)
Amherst Co.: Davis Mill Creek (3/9); Pedlar River (Upper)
Augusta Co.: Braley Pond (3/7)Hearthstone Lake (3/7)
Bath Co.: Jackson River (Hidden Valley) (3/9)
Botetourt Co.: Roaring Run (3/7)
Dickenson Co.: Cranesnest River (3/8); Pound River (Flannagan Dam) (3/8): Russell Fork River (Bartlick) (3/8): Russell Fork River (Haysi) (3/8)
Fauquier Co.: Thompson WMA Pond (3/8)
Frederick Co.: Clearbrook Lake (3/9); Hogue Creek (3/8); Wilkins Lake (3/9)
Greene Co.: South River (3/8); Swift Run (3/8)
Giles Co.: Big Stoney Creek (3/7); Wolf Creek (3/7)
Lee Co.: Martins Creek (3/9); North Fork Powell River (3/9)
Madison Co.: Hughes River (3/7); Rose River (3/7)
Montgomery Co.: Pandapas Pond (3/9); Poverty Creek (3/8); Toms Creek (3/8)
Roanoke Co.: Glade Creek (3/8); Tinker Creek (3/8)
Rockbridge Co.: Maury River (3/8); Mill Creek (3/8)
Rockingham Co.: German River (3/9); North Fork Shenandoah River (3/9); Silver Lake (3/8)
Smyth Co.: South Fork Holston River (Lower) (3/7)
Staunton (City of): Lake Tams (3/8)
Tazewell Co.: Lake Witten (3/8); Lincolnshire Lake (3/8)
Washington Co.: Big Tumbling Creek (3/5)
Wise Co.: Middle Fork Powell River (Appalachia) (3/9); South Fork Powell River (3/9)
Wythe Co.: Rural Retreat Lake Pond (3/5)
Potomac River
Warming this week!
Days are getting longer and the water is warming very slowly. Presentations must be slow. Slightly stained water will make things a bit tough this week. This week will be warmer, so grab a few spinning rods and head out, but wear a PFD.
The water temperature will start the week in the upper 30s, likely to warm to the mid 40s by the weekend. An early spring week is the forecast, into the 70s by mid-week and staying in the upper 60s into the weekend.
Start with Silver Buddy lures, 1/2-ounce silver on 10-pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line. Also try Mann’s Stingray grubs with 1/4-ounce heads on 6-pound test. Drop shot and shaky head will work too. Soak soft plastics in garlic flavor Jack’s Juice Bait Spray.
Fish will move a bit shallower on the steep drops. They might also get more active after a few days of warm up. Try tight wiggle cranks like the Lucky Craft Bevy Shad in gold patterns and even lipless cranks like the LV RTO 150 in red patterns. Water is warmest by the end of the week, try Lucky Craft Pointer 78 suspending jerkbaits. Look for clear areas or warm water discharge spots. Vary pauses. In stained water areas, go with Mann’s 3/8-ounce spinnerbaits with white skirts and gold willow and Colorado blades. Cast along drops and slowly retrieve maintaining contact with the bottom. Very slow retrieve!
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River. info@nationalbass.com
Chickahominy Lake
Capt. Art Conway out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the low 50’s in the lower main lake and the mid to high 50’s in the major creeks on Wednesday (3/9/2016).
Some blue cats and a few bullheads were still in channels and winter holes, but others had moved onto flats and into creeks. Cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was picking up as loose aggregates migrated into major creeks. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along drop-offs and in the backs of major creeks and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Malcolm Turnbull had 5 crappie and 1 gizzard shad. Charlie Fasano and Kyrie and Michael Jones had 3 crappie, 8 yellow perch, 8 white perch, and 2 blue cats. Pierre and Alexandre LaFrance had 8 crappie.
Lake Anna
Not many anglers were out last week, but with the weather breaking that will quickly change. Charley Taylor reports that the stripers are still being caught at Dike Three on bucktails and Sassy Shads. Catfish are biting well, with some 10-12 pounders being taken this past week, along with at least one good flathead. Lots of bass are being graphed in 10-40 feet of water. The water temperature throughout the lake is in the low 40’s and shows signs of warming later this week.
Buggs Island
Some nice bass are being taken on point in 6-10 feet of water near rocks. Successful anglers are using crankbaits, spinnerbaits, plastic grubs, and Carolina-rigged lizards. Crappie fishing is excellent over brush piles and in the shallows. Slow trolling with small minnows in the back ends of coves is producing well. Striper action is slowing, but fish are still being caught off major creek points on cut shad, in 8-15 feet of water.
Little Creek Reservoir
Contributed by Parks Supervisor Robbie Belch. We had a small tourney this past weekend. They caught around 20 largemouth bass with the biggest weighing 4.35 lbs. We had around 21 members 12 boats attend all fish were released alive. One walleye was caught along with a few pickerel and a 14-inch citation yellow perch. Water temp is 48 and clarity is good.
Beaverdam Reservoir
Contributed by Park Supervisor Michelle Maynora-Hostinsky. The water temp this week has been between 48 to 53 degrees. The lake has been full of bass fishermen taking their boats out for the first time this year. Most have left disappointed. They’ve heard how lucky the winter fishermen have been, thought they’d have the same luck. You need to watch her habits to know her habits. The bass are deeper right now. The entire lake is on the move, preparing for spring. The water is full of potential meals. The yellow perch have taken over the warm, silent water to spawn, some areas of the lake are in post spawn and extremely active. The perch will bite on most anything this time of year from grubs to minnows. The crappie are schooled up and heading towards the mouth of the North side of the lake. It won’t be long until they move to the fishing pier.
Blackwater and Nottoway Rivers
Contributed by Riverkeeper Jeff Turner. On the Blackwater today at Franklin. The water is 46 degrees. I’ve seen a few shad caught, but not by me. I also saw a few white perch in the river. I have just started catching stripers upriver from Franklin on Blackwater.
Lake Gaston
Holly Grove Marina is open again. According to Craig Karpinski, the water is cloudy and in the upper 40s. Over winter, record-breaking cats were landed on the Carolina side. They were brought up by the same angler in consecutive weeks.
Upper New River
Contributed by Captain Forest Pressnell. The Upper New River is still above normal pool but finally in great shape with beautiful green water and a temp of 45 degrees. It will be warming this week. The walleye are on the move and staging for the spawn and will probably be spawning in the next 7 to 10 days. Muskie fishing is great and the girls are big and fat for their spawn coming up later this month or early April. Smallmouth time is just around the corner.
Top New River
Contributed by local guide Richie Hughes, owner of New River Trips LLC. newrivertrips@gmail.com. This week should be great for some early spring fishing on the “Top New”, Mouth of Wilson to Fries. We were out on a warm day last week and caught a few smallies on tubes and jigs. Also try crank and jerkbaits. Crawfish and baitfish flies for the fly rodder. It is also a great time for muskie and walleye. The New is flowing 150 to 200% of normal, so target whatever eddies and slow water you can find.
New, Clinch and Holston Rivers
Contributed by Tommy Cundiff of River Monster Guide Service. It appears that winter may finally be behind us. The coming week is calling for daytime temperatures in the upper 60s and nighttime lows in the lower 50s. This will begin to warm the water rapidly, which in turn will stir the smallmouth to their pre spawn activities. The water temperature is currently in the low to mid 40s.
North and South Forks Shenandoah River
Harry Murray says that the South Fork of the Shenandoah is too high to fish; but the north fork of the Shenandoah is dropping quickly.
Stocked and delayed harvest streams in the Valley are productive places to fish. Good areas are Big Stoney Creek, west of Edinburg, and Passage Creek, east of Edinburg. The water is 42, at normal level and clear.
Virginia Saltwater
Not much happening with closed seasons and cold water. Togs are biting for those who can get out of port and there are plenty of sea bass, but that season is closed. Rockfish are 15 to 20 miles offshore and probably won’t be available to anglers until the schools return to the bay later this month. Anglers prowling deeper waters are catching some blueline tilefish.
Nags Head
TW’s reported some good striper action at the Little Bridge to Manteo. Ron Musgrave caught his limit. One weighed in at 9.5-pounds. In the surf, it’s still slow, though Nick Walke of TW’s Tackle caught his first drum of the season. Jennette’s Pier reported dogfish and skates. The water temperature on Thursday was 49, so it’s going to happen soon.
Oregon Inlet
The blue water anglers fished Monday out of Oregon Inlet and filled their boxes with Yellowfin Tuna. The really good news was that some boats brought in Bluefin measuring between 65’ and 71’.
Hatteras Surf
Red Drum & Tackle reports:
On Wednesday, there were Puppy Drum and Dogsharks caught at the Point. Blowtoads were caught on the South side of the Point.
On Tuesday before 10 am, there was some Puppy Drum caught on the Point. That afternoon another group gave it a shot but caught nothing but a couple of Dog Sharks.
On Sunday, Daphne Bennink used a bottom rig and finger mullet and caught a 45-inch Red Drum at Ocracoke Island.
Hatteras Offshore
Hatteras Harbor reports:
On Wednesday, there were a few boats out – one was bottoming fishing and had a great catch of Triggerfish, Sea Bass, Silver Snapper and Vermillion Snapper. There were also some Bluefin caught to the east.
Some recent citations caught aboard The Good Times include: include: Mike Lacava of Akron, PA with a 5.5-lb. Trigger fish on board; Stephen Mink of Stewartstown, PA with a 6-lb. Sea Bass on; and Fred Lafever of Strasburg, PA with a 6-lb. Triggerfish.