Rapidan River: Ford to Junction Pool -- so good

I was reminded this weekend that it's important to smell the roses along the way and today's outing to the Rapidan was one of those days when the roses smelled really good.

Today's starting point the Ford below Junction pool

As chilly, windy and dour as it was yesterday, today the wind was mild the late fall sun warmed your back and the November colors on the river were splendid.  Bryan and I met along 28 and arrived at Junction pool at 0830.   My favortite stream was running low so instead of heading upstream to my normal stomping grounds we parked at Junction pool and headed 13 minutes down the horsetrail to the ford. 

Bryan works one of the beautiful pools

Scott and I had only fished this section once together and I was curious to get back.   The larger pools in this section are worth the walk if you're just looking for beauty...and who isn't looking for beauty coming from
NOVA traffic jams.  We began fishing at 0900, the water was 48 degrees and chilly from the night, but as the sun rose it warmed the top layer and the bite improved. As Bryan and I leapfrog-fished we made some interesting observations.  

Does it get much prettier than this?

The fish were dispersed in the relatively low, cold water instead of stationing themselves in the more oxygenated runs as they do when the water is warmer and consequently holding less oxygen.  The trout, and there were alot of them visible today, rose slowly from the bottom and then slurped the dries at about 45 degree angle to the surface, there were very few aggressive side-strikes. 

Gin clear water let us see many of the trout we caught like this one for Bryan

This made it very hard to hook these brookies as more often than not we'd pull the fly from the trout's mouth rather than relying on the trout's 'turn' to help set the hook in its jaw.  This sort of slurp-take Bryan found reminiscent of PA trout hitting sulphurs...that same sort of very gentle strike.

I began fishing a dry-dropper tandem but after only catching one trout on the dropper I followed Bryan's lead and went with a solo dry.  Grey and purple parachute adams as well as #16 elk hair caddis all produced equally well. The key to catching today was patience and high-sticking to facilitate an unencumbered drift in the deeper still water.  If you could keep your fly dragless -- the brookies, large or small would eventually slurp. In keeping with the best of days I caught my biggest brookie an 11-12 incher in the upper part of Junction Pool with my last cast of the day.  My total to hand today was 19 and I suspect Bryan caught about the same.  A great day on the water.   Fritz, Jacob, Scott and James I wish you had been here too.

Typical small brookie for today

Camouflaged in the fall leaves

Bryan with a nice broookie in gorgeous pool

OK -- so this one was small but I needed a picture!

#16 Elk Hair Caddis was a winner today