James/Shenandoah Mossy Creek reports: We are certain to catch a few more smallmouth this year while in pursuit of musky and carp, but our main focus is back on trout fishing. There are a few warm days in the weeks ahead and the smallmouth are always willing to eat a well-presented crayfish or baitfish pattern fished slow and deep this time of year. Being successful on smallmouth through late … [Read more...]

It took a little cold snap and receding water levels - then the Chickahominy River caught fire. Mike Johncox at Riverside Camp in Lanexa says the crappie and the stripers are hungry and are finding their way into fish coolers. “We broke the ice with both crappie and striped action this past week,” Mike said. “Gary and Shirley Belk caught 50 crappie on Friday and 21 more on Saturday. They also … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]

It’s a no-go for the James, the New and Shenandoah rivers this weekend. In fact, the coming weekend may not be an ideal time to fish any river or stream in Virginia. With early week and late week dowpours, many streams are out of their banks and dangerous to negotiate. That’s the bad news. The good news, however, is twofold. First, all the mountain streams that were perilously low, are no longer … [Read more...]

Big Browns on the South   Tommy Lawhorne of South River Fly Shop in Waynesboro went on an electro-shocking expedition with the Game Department biologists and said they shocked up a 25-inch brown trout. Tommy said the fish was as fat as a non-Tom Brady football and in perfect condition. Tommy estimated the fish at 7 to 9 years of age, indicating good survival conditions throughout the … [Read more...]

Virginia’s dove season is now underway, having opened on Saturday September 5, but many doves were unaware that their presence had been requested and were in parts unknown. Two weeks before the season, there were doves everywhere, perched on telephone lines and dead branches. Then they seemingly disappeared. A recent cooling trend, however, should begin to shuffle migratory birds from the north … [Read more...]

Mossy Creek Fly Shop Report The James and Shenandoah Rivers   Our guide crew has been out daily, fishing the James and Shenandoah Rivers for smallmouth. The topwater bite is as good as it has been all season long! As water levels continue to drop and temps warm up, the smallmouth bass will be actively cruising and looking for big bugs falling in the river off the trees and … [Read more...]

Doing battle with a smallmouth bass on a fly rod is one of the most exciting events in the outdoor world. And it’s not easy. First you have to lure the bass into striking, and then you have to have almost perfect timing to set the hook and drive the barb home. Throughout the battle you must keep constant pressure as the fish leaps 4, 5 or 6 times. To land even a 14-inch smallmouth on a fly rod is … [Read more...]