River Report 11/13/22

This will be the first River Report we do, and there will be weekly installments from now on in an effort to keep our clients and local fishermen alike informed!

The James and New Rivers both got a huge bump in flows this weekend, with around 3” of rainfall in the Southwest Virginia area. This, coupled with a huge drop in daily temperatures, should turn the musky fishing completely on. They were already on the move to their wintering holes, but they’re certainly almost all there now. We are fishing deep, with big flies with some good success. 

The Jackson and Smith Rivers are both suffering from the opposite problem. Both are seeing minimal release from the dams, and the water is low and clear. Brown trout are starting to spawn in both, best to leave paired up fish alone. It’ll be interesting to see how the streamer fishing will be on both after the spawn with low water. For now, Fish light tippet and nymphs, that has been the most successful method for us.

The mountain creeks and spring creeks are looking good, from both of our locations in Roanoke and Charlottesville, we saw a huge spike in the water levels from the rainfall. Although, the spawn is very much on for brook trout and brown trout in the creeks, so be mindful of where you’re stepping. 

Austin & Josh