New River Report 7-15-06

Started by Woolly Bugger, July 16, 2006, 15:42:31 PM

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Woolly Bugger

Awesome....
;D

more later.... ;D


this bronzeback measured over 16",

Steve and Ralph have more pictures, I was to busy fishing or rowwing to mess with the photos...
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

jamie

"I don't much care for hatchery trout. They're better than no trout at all, but otherwise they're inferior in every way to their wild relatives" - John Gierach

Trout Chaser

What a GREAT preview.  I'm eagerly awaiting thte full reprot.  It looks like someone must have rubbed teh GOLDEN HORSESHOE. 0--0

TC

Woolly Bugger

#3
The easiest way isn't always the best way to do things. I put the kayaks on top of the van right side up with hopes that we would beat any thunderstorms on the way to camp. Boy was I wrong. We had to pull off in Jonesville and flip them over before they filled with water from the cloudburst.  ::) We drove on up to the campground and it was pretty dry up there. Ralph, Steve and Mark were already there and after we had set up camp Mark and Ralph went on up to River Road to do some wading, but that was short lived as another storm blew trough. I left the boys and camp and drove on down to the take-out and joined Mark and Ralph for some fishing. I only managed one to hit but that was on a cast gone wrong and with too much slack line to every hope to set the hook. Ralph hooked one with a sneaky pete but Bill Danced it and then to add insult to injury the fish spit the fly and Ralph and I watched it float on downstream. I headed back to camp to check on the boys. Later Ralph told me he caught three right after I left.
By the time I got back to camp FT & BrentG along with Paul, Minchy, X-Capt. Bill and Disco had arrived. The five campsites were filling up.  We all cooked up our dinners and gathered around FT's picnic table for late night drink and conversation. Crab dip, salsa and chips were served along with the beer. Then we were interrupted by Big Daddy and his girl friend Buttercup. We won't go into detail here but it's safe to say that they provided some unique entertainment. Finally we hit the sack leaving the shuttle details for the morning.

The next morning Steve and I parked his truck down at the take out and once we returned the launching of the flotilla began. The river was flowing @ 1700 cfs and had some color to it but was clear enough to see the rocks and several feet to the bottom. Two canoes, two kayaks 5 or 6 one man toons and Ralph two man job. I was about the last to launch just behind the boys in the kayak. I started fishing with a Todd's Wiggle Minnow (tiger pattern)It wasn't long before I was into some decent looking water just below the islands and I hooked a nice smallies who fought and jumped hard. A few cast later I had another one from the same hole. I floated on down casting to the bank and catching the occasional smallie. I got tired of casting the wiggle minnow and switched to a gurgler. I finally caught up with the boys who had stopped at the head of some rapids, I stopped at the first eddy below them and caught a nice smallie and after putting it back I cast again to the same spot this time the water erupted and a nice sized smallie took the gurgler! It jumped and ran zigging and zagging through the current. It put a good bend it the rod and I was glad that I was fishing with 1x instead of the usually 6x for trout. The fish jumped twice more and ran just about every which way trying to get away, I had to work hard to keep it from getting under the ledge where it surely would have cut the leader. I tightened up the drag and let the fish work a little more before I was able to bring it to the boat.

Everybody else was moving through the water quickly and I was bringing up the rear for most of the trip. I kept pushing through good water to catch up to the boys and the rest of the flotilla. I was worried that the boys would end up past the take out.....so I passed up a lot of good fishing. Towards the end of the float I even spotted a riser that I was able to cast to and wham it hit the gurgler! Way cool! By the time we got to the take out everybody was about done in from the heat and sun. For the next hour or two we worked the shuttles to bring all of the boats back to camp. Then everybody was ready for a cold drink and a hot shower and some good food too!. A couple of guys had to leave and Disco tried to leave but it took an hour or two to find his keys. Everybody who stayed turned in early on Sunday we all headed off in different directions. Some went trout fishing, others stayed on the new and I took the boys to stone mountain for some cold water fun. Great trip, got to meet with a few new board members and a lot of old friends too.

As Ralph was getting ready to leave Paul spotted a Dragonfly hatching on a fence poste the fly had just come out of it's nymphal exoskeliton and had not deployed it's wings in the usual horizontal position, then in a flash they sprang out into it's normal position. I would bet that a good dragon fly nymph pattern would be a killer on the river now.
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On the way back home I got a Cingular signal and receive FT's message from Friday night's drive down 81, he sounded worried about the weather and stated that it was raining hard and they were having trouble telling the difference between the river and the road and that they had both sets of oars out to help move the car along???

Plans are in the works for another smallie trip on the new below Claytor lake (http://www.virginiagameandfish.com/fishing/bass-fishing/VA_0505_01/) in late Aug or sometime in September and we are going to get together next spring for the shad run on the Rappahannock. http://www.dgif.state.va.us/FISHING/rivers/rappahannock/
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

outdoorguy3

Great trip, little rain on Friday night and then great floating weather on Sat.  sunday Brent G , FT and I headed to Va to do a little trout fishing.

Here's a few pics. of the trip
Life's about havin' FUN!!!

outdoorguy3

Life's about havin' FUN!!!

outdoorguy3

Life's about havin' FUN!!!

outdoorguy3

Life's about havin' FUN!!!

outdoorguy3

Life's about havin' FUN!!!

outdoorguy3

#9
Disco's smallie
Life's about havin' FUN!!!

outdoorguy3

Life's about havin' FUN!!!

FT

I had a great time.  Thanks Woolly for clueing me in on the right fly.  Caught more bass in the last mile then I did in the first 5.  Sure am glad the rain left before we got to the campground. 
Charter Member Shenandoah Valley Irregulars

Flyfisherman

How about some SMALLIE and TOONIN' pictures too...

Thanks    :)

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: Flyfisherman on July 17, 2006, 13:32:42 PM
How about some SMALLIE and TOONIN' pictures too...

Thanks    :)

I always wish I'd taken more pictures, but it's either fish or photo?.... I knon Steve, BrentG and FT took a bunch....
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

FT

I only took 2 pictures and they aren't worth putting up. 
Charter Member Shenandoah Valley Irregulars