Semper on the Fly: Devils Ditch ~ Conway ~ Staunton: Mtn Streams at their best

Colorful SNP Brookie

Mission Accomplished: Scott w Brookie on the Ditch

On his way to NH to fish opening day with his family Scott stopped in NOVA for a chance to fish our favorite SNP mountain streams. We arrived at the upper Conway and parked by the 667 ford and walked 12 minutes down 667 until we hit remote Devils Ditch Run. Scott had his 1wt Orvis Superfine, he had to dust it off as its not stout enough to ward off the snakes and gators in Florida, he rigged up with a #16 Parachute adams trailed by a pheasant tail nymph. I started off with my 2wt and an elk hair caddis followed by the hares-ear nymph. Scott had not been to the ditch before and it was only my third time to so both shared the anticipation of new water.

Both the Ditch & Staunton are tough sledding!

The fishing was very slow and the wind was whipping to start the day but Scott was able to bring to hand a colorful brookie after some hard prospecting. Devil's Ditch is tight-quarter, high gradient fishing, so know what your getting yourself into if you ever make the ditch part of your plans. We fished up the ditch for 2 hours then walked down the hunters trail that parallels the southern bank of the river until we hit the Conway just below the Devils Ditch Hunters Access.

If you've ever been to this section of the Conway you'll agree that these deep holes are some of the least accessible, most beautiful pools in the SNP. From there fished up the Conway toward our parking spot until 1300. We would have fished longer but the fishing was still very slow and and we decided that we would change streams and hope our luck would change with it. We drove to the Staunton River and I think the abundant mayfly hatch had more to do with our increased catch-rate than luck...either way the Staunton was awesome.

Matt Stalking a pool on the Staunton

In the first two pools of the Staunton we had more action than the earlier 4 hours of fishing. Scott had not been to the Staunton before so I was very happy that the bite was on. The Staunton is not for the timid. It's a higher gradient, steeper scramble then the aptly named Devils Ditch. The river has varied character, dominated by falls, plunge pools, and fractured boulder and timber strewn runs. I often count my catch but didn't on the Staunton, but it wouldn't surprise me if I caught 25 and Scott caught 30 during on 3 hard but rewarding hours on this gem of a feeder into our beloved Rapidan.