Potomac Report
Water temperature is dropping into the low 60s and grass is still healthy but diminishing. Fish are eating. Keep on the move. A beautiful fall week ahead. Highs close to 70 everyday with overnight lows in the mid to upper 40s. Some sun with wind picking up on Thursday and Friday.
Tides will be high in the morning. Start with deeper running lures to reach grass. Lucky Craft 1.5 cranks go about 3 feet. Touch grass and snap. Try grass edges at any tide, but with high water work the tops of grass. Creek mouth points or main river edges near channels are a good place to start.
Run Shad patterned Lucky Craft LVR D-7 lipless cranks over grass, catching it and snapping free. Run across grass points and edges. Try floating jerkbaits on 10-12 Edge fluorocarbon and make long casts. Jerk, jerk, jerk, pause.
Keep it moving. When in grass, snap upward.
As tides fall, use double willow white skirted spinnerbaits during diminished light. Burn over grass. Also try white chatterjigs with white Mann’s HardNose Reel N Shad trailers.
As tides drop, crank Mann’s Baby 1-Minus on 12-pound test GAMMA Edge fluorocarbon line over grass and along grass edges. Find slightly stained water. The last two hours of falling tides are best for all presentations but lower tides are good for buzzbaits. Remove skirts and replace with Mann’s HardNose Reel N Shad. Use 40-pound test GAMMA braided line and a 7-foot rod for long casts. For moving baits, go to faster Quantum EXO 7:1 casting reels.
Capt. Steve Chaconas is a guide on the Potomac River.
Trout Report
Water levels are great on the South River and the local Shenandoah National Park streams, reports Tommy Lawhorne at South River Fly Shop. Lots of big fish are being caught on the Delayed Harvest area. Crystal Buggers, Electric Caddis, Tan Poopah’s, Psycho Prince, Rainbow larva, Squirmy Worms, and egg patterns are all catching hefty Rainbows. Try 3-4″ streamers in olive, black, and tan to get the Browns moving. Another 24-inch plus brown trout was caught yesterday morning early. The park streams are on fire with large attractor dries and nymphs. Bright colors like chartreuse and yellow are a go-to for fall brookie flies.
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.
Recent Trout Stockings
Albemarle Co.: Sugar Hollow Reservoir (10/8)
Alleghany Co.: Clifton Forge Reservoir (10/7)
Augusta Co.: North River (Tail) (Delayed Harvest) (10/5);South River (Delayed Harvest) (10/6)
Bath Co.: Back Creek (10/8), Bullpasture River (10/9), Douthat Lake & Wilson Creek (Fee Area) (10/9)
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)
Fauquier Co.: Thompson WMA Pond (10/8)
Floyd Co.: Burkes Fork (10/7), Little River (10/7)
Fluvanna Co.: Hardware River (Delayed Harvest) (10/9)
Frederick Co.: Clearbrook Lake (10/9), Wilkins Lake (10/9)
Grayson Co.: Elk Creek (10/9)
Henry Co.: Smith River (Lower) (10/6)
Highland Co.: Bullpasture River (10/9)
Lee Co.: Martins Creek (10/8), North Fork Powell River (10/8)
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)
Scott Co.: Bark Camp Lake (10/9), Stock Creek (10/9)
Shenandoah Co.: Stony Creek (10/8)
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)
Wythe Co.: Cripple Creek (Ravens) (10/8), Rural Retreat Lake Pond (10/9)
Major Rivers
The James, New and Shenandoah offered poor conditions last weekend, but the prospects for the upcoming week are very good as the water returns to near-normal levels. Smallmouth are taking advantage to fatten up before cold weather.
Major Lakes
Anna, Buggs, Gaston and Smith Mountain are all in excellent shape and are returning to normal levels after a long dry spell. Bass are shallow, crappie are coming shallow and stripers are busting bait early and late in the day. Some nice catfish are biting at Buggs Island. Crappie, too.