Phil and I had been planning a fishing trip with his boys for several months and after my last foray on the South Fork I knew that we'd be better served to ditch the canoes and find a place to wade and play. The confluence of the Rapidan and the Rappahanock was perfect. Phil, Gavin, Brody and I met and chowed-down at Harold and Cathys then made our way south to Fredericksburg and then Northwest to Richarsonville winding our way through back country roads until we arrived at the Fredericksburg right of way. The boys had played with fish before but had never been on a real fishing trip so I was anxious not to disappoint them. The water was beautiful and clear flowing at perfect mid-pool. We stepped in loaded with spinning rods and beetle-spins and a lone 6wt for me. We didn't have much luck in the Rapidan above the Confluence but as soon as the Rapidan joined the Rappahanock at and below the actual confluence the fishing picked up. Gavin and I learned to look for fast dark water that we learned was also deeper water and found if you made a decent cast into the fast dark water you stood a pretty good chance of a bite. Phil and Brody also began nailing them about 30m away. Phil at one point caught several in a row in a honey pool. I was actually the last one to land a bass and happily helped Gavin cast and quickly become a seasoned angler. Seeing new fisherman catch fish is one of lifes great joys. The smiles on their faces tell the story.
Gavin in foreground , the view is back up the Rapidan
A great smile from Gavin's first fish
Gavin Quickly learned how to take a hook out, and yes he kissed this fish
Phil and Brody survey dark water
12" at top, finger, bail ....ready and cast
Brody was intimidated by nothing
Fish-on for Brody
Happy fisherman
Father and son at the Honey-pool
Gavin, fish-on in the dark water
surveying the confluence
lunch
Gavin with a VERY solid smallie, this guy foought like a 1992 Tyson
Gavin learning the long rod, strips in a nice smallie
Gavin's largest smallie
A Great smile says it all -- the four of us will have another fishing adventure
In an effort to find a great place to take my friend and co-worker Phil and his two boys I decided to check out South River where it flows into the Rapidan just south of Madison, Va. Scott had fished this area years ago and got a bit twisted around on the river and roads but found it loaded with river chubs....and heck yes...river chub are fun to catch especially if you are just looking for action. As I pulled up to the bridge I Recon'd on Google maps I was disappointed by the lack of water in the south and didn't even wet a line. Maybe someday Scoot will show me where he hit all those fish. I turned around and decided to take a look at the Rapidan just east of where HWY 29 crosses it. I found a farm/right of way and jeeped down to the water. I was pleasantly pleased to see small but lovely water as I made my way down a short trail. After a few casts a was greeted with my first smallie of the day, a little feisty fellow. As I made my way up and down the river from the entry point I found more silt and less rock than I hoped and while there were and are fish here, id only give it about 60-minutes of fishing fun. I'm glad I hit this piece of water but don't think I'll be back.
We were rigged and ready by 0920 and couldn't wait to get in the water
After decades in prison for some Nancy Reagan drug violation Norman Brown was pardoned by President OBama and reflected, "Now I want to do the small things that just mean so much. Like look at trees." With good friends along, creaky knees and reminders of the fragility of life all around I slowed down and appreciated the trees, as I enjoyed my latest fishing adventure to the South Fork of the Shenandoah.
The Water was high, the center channel of the first rapid is usually more defined
gives a good idea about the river being full
The water was summer-warm, 5" higher than normal and discolored as we dipped into the rapids just downstream from Newport, VA. For James and I the flow quickly crested our knees and pressed our legs making the footing sketchy and threatening a dunk downstream. Paul made peace with the current more easily with his fishing tube and soon we were catching smallies in the shadow of pyramid rock.
No better lunch buffet on the River -- Dos Equis Amber for hydration of course
standard 9 inch smallmouths feel like bruisers as they fight in the heavy water
James: fish-on ~ smile-on
With an assortment of rods jutting at odd angles and a canoe-tube tether arrangement (not sure how I allowed Paul to talk me into that) we must have appeared an odd looking barge to the bald eagles marking our progress as we made our way through the lake portion to the second rapids where the fishing picks up.
Paul, happy in his tube, got to lots of water
James throws a nice loop back toward some neighbors
Paul loves the right side pocket water just down from these cliffs
We weren't alone on the river, but the Doah has broad shoulders and is loaded with smallies so there's room for everyone and once in awhile we either paused or pushed through other anglers. I really enjoy fishing with Paul and James as the wonder of a strike, hook-up and fight transports them both back to childhood wonderment. I think they like catching fish as much as I do (well almost).
A Medalist 1496 from my Grandfather Jack Livingston
An upstream vista shows the pockets and runs of the middle section
James surveys a flow
We were catching smallies at a decent, steady rate in the rapids and on the shoulders of the flows. Paul was also employing his tried and true, flip, sink and wait technique and began nailing bronzebacks in the pools and eddies off the main flow. Curse me for fly fishing heresy, but the most effective "fly" was a 2" smoke-sparkle tube bait on a 1/32oz jig head, with this rig (even while appreciating the trees, eagles and grandeur of this river) we caught just over 200 smallies. This smoke sparkle-rig was outperforming my tried and true golden retriever on the order of 2:1! I need to remember that in order to make actual fly-rod casts with a 1/32 jig head-rig I need to use 6wt line or better to account for its weight, my Access 5wt, while great for streamers, was just a bit light for my smallie-slaying redneckery.
Paul fish-on, one of many for him in this rapids stretch at the bottom of the float
nice smallie in the fast water for brings out a great smile for Paul
We moved down the river fishing within catch-admiring distance of one another and each had points where we caught a half dozen fish in 10 casts followed by slow portions that we quickly pushed through.
We slowed down when we hit the rapids in the final 3/4 mile of the float and we were all glad to have saved some time to savor this last section which we frequently gloss over at the end of this float. The smallies were thick as thieves in the shallow but broad rapids and there were several points where we were three abreast across the river all fish-on at the same time. It was amazing. Paul and James both caught several +13" hefty smallies and Paul took the largest fish of the day from a seemingly non-descript, but very productive center flow. I had a devil of a time fishing downstream in this section, the water-sodden canoe tethered to my belt kept pulling we towards the next shoal and interfered exasperatingly with downstream casts but I still caught my fair share + a few for Scott, Fritz, Jacob, Bryan, Henry and my new philosophical mentor Norman Brown.
How many mores times do I have walk out of the hard-flowing Connecticut River wondering how the proverbial big one got away again before I crack the code on this wonder of a trout stream?
It doesn't seem to matter the fish type...
Big brown -- I've lost him two years ago
Big salmon -- Lost him too last year
Big brookie -- Day 1 of this year's trip
Big rainbow -- Day two of the trip
... and that's not counting the big salmon & rainbow my brother Marc last as well. This river has some monsters if you dare to wade where few dare to venture.
Hooking them is one thing. On the other hand, landing them is an entirely different ballgame.
I only wish I had more time to spend in New Hampshire's north country. Pittsburg is the state's northernmost city, barely 8 miles from the Canadian border. I dare to say there are more moose in the town than people. The area represents everything a fly fisherman could ever hope for -- rugged wilderness, wild rivers, energized trout & landlocked salmon, and miles of water to explore in most directions where dirt roads splinter off the main road.
The fishing is always terrific - this year was no exception. We caught fish on dries (caddis and stimulators), nymphs (copper johns and pheasant tails) and streamers (golden retriever).
The accommodations are welcoming at the Buckrub Pub and Cabins -- nothing... nothing beats a couple of frosty Buckrub Brown Ales after a day on the river.
Enjoy the videos and pics.
We fished further downstream this trip to get away from the crowds by the main entrances. I believe there are bigger fish down there, but the water runs harder, deeper and landing these guys is no easy task.
But what other river can you land a Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Landlocked Salmon on the same day?
Brook Trout
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Landlocked Salmon
You have to work the river to find the runs, holes and rifles where the fish are holding... but the rewards provide some terrific battles with big fish in fast water on light tippet with tiny hooks. Landing the fish is always gratifying; but even losing the battle leaves one thankful for the opportunity to do battle.
