Fly Fishing

jeremy · Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:11 pm Post subject: Virginia Trout Fly Fishing

hi .. i just booked flights and rented a car for a business conference in virginia next week .... i am staying here http://www.thehomestead.com/ ... i will have time to fly fish for an afternoon and morning ... i was doing some research and it looks as though there is some decent fly fishing opportunity ... and since it is a bit south .. things are in full swing in terms of hatches and dry flies etc.. .... anyone familiar with this area? i saw VAtrout as a username online .. and figured i would post the question .. if anyone knows some stuff on this area of VA and what to expect .. flies to bring etc.. let me know.. thanks.

Matt1515 · Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:02 pm Post subject: Va.

Hey man, I know there are some good rivers but I personally can tell you more of what to fish than where to fish. I have a few buddies I'll ask and get back to you on the river locations. In north west NC yesterday, I saw as many bugs on the water as I can really remember. Everything from caddis to BWO's to tiny black stone flies. The funny thing is that because the water is still pretty cold, the fish were a little tricky on the top water but killing the nymphs. What I had the most success on was an orange stimulator as an indicator and a size 18-20 nymph. I mainly used PT's, hare's ears, and prince's. Early in the day they weren't biting anything but midge pupa on 8x tippet. As soon as it warmed up, bwo parachutes, EHC, and small adams all worked. In my opinion, leave the emergers and large flies at home. No need for them. I caught a 28" rainbow on the pupa/ stimulator combo. If you're going to do the wild streams, I tried the "yellerhammer" that is featured in the latest fly fisherman magazine. It worked great. Never used one until I read about it, but I will be again. I wish I had something out of the ordinary to tell you, but this time of the year is pretty easy fishing in the south. It's during the summer when it gets tricky. They get caught several times and see all their buddies being pulled out of the streams one by one that is gets tough.

jeremy · Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:21 pm Post subject: matt

matt thanks man .. good info .. and gets me pumped up .. i was kinda expecting people to say, " still early, water is cold . fishing is tough" ... but virginia is significantly further south .. and with warm temps .. i am hearing from you and some others that its actually PRIME TIME! and mayflies are coming off like crazy and all the stuff you were saying .... so, needless to say, i was pleasently surprised ... thanks for the response ... i will bring some of those flies .. will be fun to fish some dry flies ... .... let me know if you find out any more info ... appreciate it ... thanks.

ps. i will plan on the go to setup being dry stimy with small dropper if nothing is happening on surface and then if stuff goes off .. i will have bwo's, hendriksons, caddis and all the regular artilery close by....

twocan · Newbie Joined: Dec 03, 2006 Posts: 17

Don't forget your green weenie

Jesse · Newbie Joined: Jul 30, 2006 Posts: 20

Jeremy... What Matt said..
At this time I always had some sulphers on hand 14-18 and BWO's 16-smallest I could see. For a nymph, I fished some sz 18 black bead headed things with a collar of peacock herl, translucent olive body, and brown hackle tails. This was one of the only nymphs I ever needed down there and it takes a minute to tie. Fished it 18 inches below a sulpher and I was always tight. Long leaders, small tippet. I spent a ton of time fishing the Smith River in Virginia. Parts of it are very urbanized but all the browns are wild and you wouldn't believe how colorful they are. I also fished the Whitetop Laurel in Southwestern VA which is another gem. Those are the only two waters I'm familiar with but there's plenty more in the Western portion of the state. You'll have a blast whatever you do and wherever you end up. Hope everything is well. The stripers are coming.

newflyguy · Newbie Joined: Sep 27, 2006 Posts: 7

Jeremy,

I haven't been out to that area of Virginia yet, I mostly stick to the streams in Shenandoah National Park. If the area around the Homestead is similar to SNP bring a small rod. Many of the smaller streams are covered with with some good growth, decreasing the casting space.

You may want to contact Murray's fly shop, http://www.murraysflyshop.com/ for more info. The owner, Harry Murray ties a bunch of flies that work well in the Virginia streams (I've personally purchased a few from his Rapidan collection that the brookies love), keeps an updated trout report on his site, and takes questions about hatches and flies if you call his shop. He's written a a bunch of books on fishing Virginia streams and might have some more info on the area you will be in.

Tight lines

jeremy · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:24 pm Post subject: newfly

newflyguy,

thanx man .. appreciate the info .. i lived in reston virgina for a year or so .. and fished much of the small streams in shanendoah too .. but spent most of my time fishing in maryland ..... anyway, that is kinda what i was wondering .. is this area of VA similar to SNP .. i tend to think from what i am reading that maybe the rivers and options are not quite as small .. i scaled down many of those shandoah trails and creeks and you are right .. they are tiny ... same with the fish:) .. wild brookies .. but real small ... beautiful area though ... so, i am curious to see how this part of VA compares to that .... i will bring a small rod, as i am guessing that they are kinda similar.. ok .. thanks for the info ... cya.