My first experience with the Gunpowder River occurred last winter. After some preliminary research, I decided to fish the catch and release section below Prettyboy Reservoir. It was a cold and beautiful day on the water with temperatures hovering a little above freezing with no breeze. I spent most the day exploring the river, walking the banks without spending much time in any one spot. Below the intense winter sun, I turned my focus to nymphing the riffles, hoping the sun had warmed up the water. One riffle produced several skinny browns on a black midge pattern. I continued exploring the river, using my mesh net as a seine to catch some insects I knocked off the bottom. I was surprised to see an enormous amount of large mayflies. Both black and olive appeared in good numbers. I also found several large crane fly larvae, surely a feast for any hungry trout. As the afternoon waned, a few black midges were flying around, but not enough to induce any rises. While no trout landed exceeded 12”, catching anything within two hours of DC in late January qualifies as a success.
Mossy Creek
Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is a fisherman’s paradise. From wild trout to lurking musky, fish are plentiful. Tucked away in this lush valley, the legendary Mossy Creek holds some of Virginia’s greatest and toughest trout fishing. Monster brown trout lay hidden in the heavy weeds and undercut banks of this meandering spring fed creek. These elusive fish are wary of fishermen and are not often eager to take ones fly. I have spent multiple days completely humbled by these fish without so much as a bite. Persistence can pay off and the reward can be well worth the wait.
With dense vegetation lining the stream, nymphing can prove a frustrating endeavor. Many anglers, myself included, prefer an aerial approach. Abundant terrestrials and sporadic hatches can provide excellent dry fly fishing opportunities. Most of my success on this creek has come from casting dry flies to sighted fish. The vegetation and river hydrology make for very short drifts, so I tend to aim my casts just above the nose of the trout. When there are no bugs coming off the water and no fish in view, running a streamer along the undercut banks is recommended. This can be especially effective in higher flows and murkier water. Regardless of technique, these fish have see many flies and are wary of imposters. A stealthy approach is essential or a shot at a fish could be lost before the fly touches the water. It is best to keep a low profile while walking along the bank, tread lightly, and watch out for the cows. Also, it should be noted that wading and fishing after dark is not permitted.
Photo contributions: Charlie Church
Shenandoah National Park
As seasons change, only fond memories of summer remain. Of these, Shenandoah National Park shines like a gem. The opportunity to pair backpacking with fishing is always a treat and Shenandoah National Park is a gracious host to the willing adventurer. With over 70 streams teeming with wild trout, choosing which trail to follow is a difficult decision. This time, I chose Jeremy's Run. I picked up a backcountry permit (which are free) from the ranger station and was on my way. The park rangers require some detail of your hiking plans as a precautionary measure incase the unplanned happens, like getting lost or getting into a fight with a black bear over trout. After a final check of my gear, I began hiking. The trail slowly descends a fern covered hillside shaded beneath a canopy of trees before connecting to stream in the valley. With trout on my mind, I quickly scouted out a campsite and dumped my pack, then began fishing. Sporadic hatches of everything from golden stones to sulphers to caddis throughout the day had the fish voraciously feeding on anything and everything. I fished two flies the entire day, only switching from my Royal Wulff to a stimulator because the first fly became so saturated with water, and refused to float. It was one of those days where you quickly lose count of fish caught and even ballpark estimates seem hazy. A Shenandoah personal best 13” brookie highlighted the day and after a quick internal debate on whether or not to keep the fish, I decided to release it back to its home. A wild fish that size in such a small stream deserves to live and besides, I didn’t need any extra attention from some roaming black bear.
Back at camp I threw a few more casts in the dwindling light before making the necessary preparations for the night: boil water for tomorrow’s drinking (I need to invest in a pump), hang food in tree, set up tent...what tent? Oh yeah, I decided not to bring one. The weather looked fine and I had opted for the lighter no tent option. I still had my trusty Tyvek for a ground cloth, so all was good, except for those weird looking bugs that kept on invading my personal space. After an hour of frantically flicking away wandering insects and shining my headlamp at every rustling leaf in nearby bushes, I finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
At daybreak, I packed up my gear, leaving no trace (Boy Scouts taught me well) then departed for the second half of a fishy weekend. I made it back to the car around 8:30am where my kayak awaited me patiently. A short drive and 30 minutes later, I exchanged my 6ft 2wt rod for a 9ft 6wt and was ready to float down the Shenandoah River.
