Shenandoah Valley 19-22 March

I had the opportunity to spend a week in Harrisonburg while Carole was working on an Alternative Spring Break program at James Madison University.  Having not spent much time in this area, my first stop was Mossy Creek Fly Fishing.  I talked a bit with the owner Colby who was exceedingly knowledgeable and friendly.  On Monday, I picked up some tying materials and planned to tie some Kreelex flies while staying in the hotel. 

On Tuesday, I headed out to Beaver Creek, but all the stream passes were logged out by the time I got there.  I decided to give Mossy Creek a shot for a couple of hours as I had never fished there before.  Air temp: high 30s, water temp 45 degrees, winds howling above 25 mph.  I had my dogs Allie & Jumper with me so I planned to fish for only a couple of hours while leaving them in the truck.. Casting was a challenge throughout... I had one hookup and one follow, but nothing brought to hand.  I'd like to give that water another shot someday when I have a bit more time. 

On Wednesday, Orvis hosted a Trout School at Rose River Farms.  Allie & Jumper again accompanied me for the ride, and enjoyed running around the fields before taking up residence back in the truck while I went to work.

 I would be guiding 3 gentlemen on the river today. I guided for Brian H,. Gerry B., and Charles W. --- and we had a terrific day on the water.
Air temp:40s, sunny, water temp: 46.  In the morning, we worked on dead drift nymphing techniques and everyone got into several nice rainbows. The hot fly for the morning was a size 14 Green Weeny -- don't laugh at the name, just enjoy the results!  I tied up a dozen of these flies a couple of days earlier and was happy that I did. 
In the afternoon, we fished a different stretch of water and worked on down and across streamer presentations.  Again, the group all successfully got the hot hand and were able to hook into some beautiful trout -- both rainbows in the 14-17 inch range, and brookies in the 11-12 inch range.  The best flies were #10 Olive Woolly Buggers, white woolly buggers also enticed a few aggressive rainbows.
All told, everyone in group caught, landed and safely released more than 10 trout apiece. 
At the end of the day, I grabbed my rod and headed down to fish for about 30 minutes.  The bite was still on.....

  On Thursday, I headed out to fish Beaver Creek.  It was bitterly cold.  Wind chill was in the mid-teens. 
While rigging up to start the day, I could not find my 4-wt reel & line.  My default option was my 7'6" 1-wt Superfine.  I knew if I caught a fish here that my rod would be put to the maximum test... and it soon was. 
Using a Kreelex fly that I tied a few days earlier, I drifted the fly down a sweeping run, then stripped out another 20 feet of line and allowed the fly to drift all the way through the hole.  At the end of the drift -- BAM the rod didn't literally double over -- it fully doubled over and then some.  Landing a feisty 16inch rainbow in fast current with a 1-wt full flex rod is a challenge.  But a fun challenge.  As I reached back for my net to land the fish, I found my 4wt-reel safely lodged in the webbing! I snapped a quick pic and safely released the fish back in the river.

 As the wind continued picking up and the rod guides continued to ice over, I decided to call it a day and head back to warm up.
On Friday, I tied a bunch of Clousers and Mickey Finns before picking up Carole and heading home.
Harrisonburg is a terrific area.... I could see taking up residence there some day.

Rapidan River Brookies 3-11-13

I've been fighting off some flu bugs and other viruses for about a week and Monday I woke to a clear head and sound body so what better to do on a day off than head up to the Rapidan and see what the brookies are up to.  The weather conditions as follows:  partly cloudy; air temp - 50; water temp 42.
Matt couldn't make the trip today so the trip was a solo effort.  The recent rains and snow meltoff made the road a bit dicey.  I spun the rear tires of my Ranger and headed up & down the switchback dirt road.

 

Today I fished the section from the Junction Pool to the first bridge.... about a 1.75 mile trek upstream.  I parked at the bridge and hiked back down to the Junction Pool to start fishing there.  The water level was higher than I've ever seen it -- good news for spring fishing.  I rigged my 7'6" Orvis Superfine  with a #14 Parachute Adams followed by a #18 Copper John.  When Matt & I fished the river last month, the fish were all small ones -- 6" or less.  Today I hoped to find some bigger ones.... and I did.  Although not a "lights out" day, I caught and released 10 brookies in the 7-11 inch range.  Six  caught on the Adams, 2 on the Copper John & 2 more on a #20 Zebra Midge.

I played around a bit with my waterproof camera and snapped these pics of the trout underwater.  I still have a ways to go on underwater camera ops.

I expect the fishing to heat up as the water temp inches up to 50 degrees and beyond.
See you on the river.  Tight lines! scott

Project Healing Waters 3-1-13

The Quantico & Belvoir Chapters of Project Healing Waters partnered for a wounded warriors flyfishing trip to Harmons Cabins on the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac in the mountains of West Virginia this past weekend.  I had the privilege of attending and lending a hand as a guide and also got to wet a line as well and fish this amazing stream.  The water was chilly -- 38 degrees, a little high, and a little faster than normal.  It snowed both days on the water.

More than 40 warriors and volunteer guides held court on the river and despite the tough environmental conditions, fish were brought to hand by nearly everyone attending the event.  PHW chapter coordinators Marty Laksbergs and Bob Gartner did one heck of a job in putting all the moving pieces together to make the event a huge success.  If anyone is not fully aware of the Project Healing Waters program -- Google it and learn what a terrific organization this outfit truly is and how it supports warriors nationwide.

I had the chance to guide for and fish alongside with my father-in-law Hans Svane -- and Air Force vet who served from 1967-1971.  Over two days we threw nearly every fly in the box at these trout -- sculpins, woolly buggers, nymphs, copper johns, midges.  We'd get a bump or short strike now and then, but the fish were few and far between.  On Day 1 -- Hans caught a 20 inch fallfish that I found out is a really huge fallfish!  Most fallfish fall in the 6-9 inch range.  This was the granddaddy apparently.

On Day 2, weather conditions were still a challenge, but reports were coming in from other warriors who were picking up some rainbows on san juan worms, copper johns and midges.
Matt joined us for the morning fishing, but having driven some 7-8 hours the previous night after attending a funeral in Upstate New York, he was pretty bushed.
We fished fast water, slow pools and everything in between trying to crack the code.  In between trying to keep our feet and hands functional, we had a few hits now and then, but that was all.

Finally later in the afternoon, I switched to a big sculpin and hooked a feisty rainbow. We packed it in for the day at that point.
After the group dinner that evening, Marty & Bob handed out raffle prizes to all the warriors that included a few fly rods & reels, nets, fly boxes and other gadgets.  What a great organization!









I headed back to Virginia Saturday night, but Hans fished Sunday morning with volunteer guide Drew Patterson from the Trout Unlimited Chapter in Winchester, VA.  Drew bunked in the same cabin as us and he's a genuine high quality guy.  What I couldn't do in two days, Drew did in just a few hours. He put Hans onto a nice rainbow before everyone packed it in for the day.  Thanks Drew.  Thanks Hans for coming out, and again kudos to Marty Laksbergs and Bob Gartner for putting the event together.