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The Newsletter of the Virginia Capital Chapter of TROUT UNLIMITED

We will also have Al Kitteredge will be at the meeting to speak about the Smith River outside about Bassett, VA, where he has a cabin and guides.  He consults the TU chapter there and Dominion Power as a partner to TU.  This will be a great presentation for anyone who wants to learn to fish the Smith River.

January 8 Meeting – Joe Brooks Remembered          

The meeting was attended by about 20 members, some new faces added to the crowd.  It was good to have everyone there. Andrew presented three videos of Joe Brooks and his fishing adventures.  Michael Simon presented a Gray Ghost fly tying demonstration and that was an event worth seeing.  Michael is the ultimate craftsman!  Joe pioneered our chapter over 30 years ago, wrote books, fostered saltwater fly fishing and was one of the first people from the US to fish in Argentina.  The presentation went well – a lot of interest.  Thank you, Drew, for a fine and informative evening.

Up & Coming Meetings

Fly Fishers Annual 2007 conclave in Livingston, Montana from July 31^st to August 4^th, 2007. Anyone interested in attending, please contact Andrew Stiles.

2007 Fly Fishing Shows in VA

• Middleburg, VA:  Sun. Feb.11, 10-5 p.m., community center.
• 4^th annual Fredericksburg fly fishing show:  Sat. March 17, 9-5pm, National Guard Amory
• Waynesboro Fly fishing festival:  Sat. April 21 and Sun. April, 22 9-5 p.m. both days in the town of Waynesboro.

At the Orvis Shop - Short Pump

James River Shad Seminar - March 10, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Orvis Shop at the Short Pump Town Center – To share the best flies, techniques, and gear used to catch these and other species spawning in the James River at this time. 

May (Date and Time to be Announced)
Mossy Creek Fly Fishing - Come visit with Brian & Colby Trow, owners of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, as they discuss fly patterns and techniques, for mountain and spring creek trout, as well as float fishing for bass on the James and Shenandoah Rivers.

August 11 – 2:00 pm
Smallmouth Bass Fishing on the James River – People often forget what a fantastic late summer smallmouth bass fishery exists right inside the Richmond City limits!  Let our seasoned staff suggest gear, flies, and techniques to successfully angle for Virginia Bronzebacks in the James River.

September 15 – 2:00 pm
Saltwater Fly Fishing in the Chesapeake Bay - Learn how to fish this Virginia saltwater fishery for a variety of species including striped bass, bluefish, drum, and other tidewater favorites.  Flies, techniques, gear, as well as when and where advice, will be covered. 

October 6 – All Day
Angling Art - Your Fishing Manager, Tye Krueger, is also an up and coming wildlife artist specializing in both fresh and saltwater game fish illustration.  Join Tye as he showcases his artwork and discusses how using colored pencil, allows him to create his realistic renderings.

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - Feb 24

Sponsoring a symposium called "Streams of Stewardship: A Symposium on Water Management" on Sat, Feb 24, 2007 from 10 AM to 4:15 PM. The speakers are interesting and have varied backgrounds. More details are available at http://www.lewisginter.org/streamsofstewardship/

Winter Fishing - A Report from Colby Trow

Subject: Mossy Creek's Shenandoah Valley Regional Fishing Report Jan.-Feb. 2007 

Fall is over and winter is here? We may have had a taste of winter for a day or 2 since Thanksgiving, but we are definitely experiencing spring like conditions. Normally this time of year we have put away most of our fishing gear and our time is being spent turning thread on the vise. However, instead of taking the time to fill my fly boxes this winter in preparation for spring, I’ve been out enjoying the amazing fishing the past few months. Typically during the winter months the water temperatures drops below 40 degrees drastically slowing the fishing.  The warm wet weather we have had has extended our typically short fall fishing season a few extra months. This recent weather trend will not last forever, and by the end of January we will be experiencing normal winter conditions. Unfortunately with cold weather approaching, the fishing will start to slow down. This time of year, if you decide to fish make sure to have a stream thermometer in your vest. Water temperatures can change drastically throughout a winter’s day. The fishing is typically slower in the mornings due to cold overnight temperatures. With the lack of leaves and vegetation, the streams can warm quickly on a bright sunny day. If the water temperatures can rise above 40 degrees you have a chance of fish starting to feed. On colder days, the fish will be relatively inactive and don’t require much food and thus won’t be easily caught. Throughout most of the winter fish will be closer to the bottom and they will be feeding on much smaller insects than are found in the spring and summer. We typically will use longer leaders of at least 9 feet (5x or 6x), and small size 16-18 nymphs. Small size 10-12 streamers can also be effective if fished slowly or bounced along the bottom. There are also particular weather patterns to look for when fishing winter months. Warm fronts will usually bring about the best fishing due to warmer temperatures and overcast rainy conditions. The fishing will usually be steady until a cold front pushes through. Cold fronts should be avoided completely. Not only will the cold temperatures slow the fish, but the pressure associated with cold fronts has a negative effect on the fish. The best advice is to stay warm at home and get those vises smoking!

So where is a good place to fish during the winter months? The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries stock many of our favorite trout streams this time of year. Keep an eye on the VDGIF website for updated stocking information. Be cautious when locating stocked trout water. We recommend staying away from typical put-and-take water. This water is usually a battleground for meat fishermen and fish are usually all harvested within a few days. We tend to choose to fish only the Delayed Harvest waters or Special Regulation Waters. The local Delayed Harvest waters such as South River, Back Creek, Passage Creek, and North River tail water are designated Catch and Release only waters from October 1-June 1. Special Regulation waters such as Mossy Creek, Beaver Creek, and Buffalo Creek are great winter fisheries. The spring water that feeds these creeks helps maintain a constant water temperature in the 50’s and the fish remain active and hungry. Brook trout fishing in the Shenandoah National Park or on GW Forest streams such as Dry River, Ramsey’s Draft, St. Mary’s, or North River can be productive as well during the warmer winter days.  Our local hotspots to fish include all of the following:  

South River in Waynesboro from North Park to Rife Loth Dam, North River below Elkhorn Lake, Pedlar River in Amherst County below Lynchburg city reservoir, Passage Creek in Warren County between Strasburg and Front Royal, Back Creek below the Virginia Power Dam in Bath County, Mossy Creek Special Regulation water, Beaver Creek Trout Unlimited Regulated water in Ottobine, The Jackson Special Regulation waters between Hidden Valley and the Poor Farm section, The Jackson tail water fishery from Johnson Springs to Covington, The Mormon’s Special Regulation section managed by Thomas Jefferson Trout Unlimited, Buffalo Creek Special Regulation water in Lexingto and the 100’s of miles of brook trout water surrounding us. 

This water fishes well through the winter and only gets better as the water warms in the spring. Before the major insect hatches start, you can catch fish on attractor nymphs, wets, and streamers. Our favorite winter nymphs include copper johns, prince, hare’s ear, berry bugs, lightning bugs, pheasant tails, egg patterns, green weenies, rainbow prince, and brassies in sizes 16-18. During warmer conditions or targeting freshly stocked waters larger flies in 10-14 can be effective. Streamers include small size 8-12 buggers, crystal buggers, golden retrievers, Near-Nuff sculpins, Mad Tom sculpins, Kiwis, wool head sculpins, muddlers, Kreelex, spoon minnows, Orange Blossom Specials, and Zonkers. We fish primarily with fluorocarbon tippets with nymphs and streamers as this material is typically stronger than monofilament at the same diameter, it sinks, and it is invisible to the fish. 

If you follow a few of these important points winter fishing can be fun and extremely rewarding. Although we don’t fish nearly as much in the winter, we always have a handle on the local fishing conditions. Feel free to check out the website at http://www.mossycreekflyfishing.com and check out our updated fishing conditions page or give us a call at 540-434-2444. Enjoy the rest of the winter season and keep an eye out for the upcoming Spring report! 

Colby and Brian Trow
Mossy Creek Fly Fishing
2035 E. Market Street Suite 71A
Harrisonburg, VA  22801
540-434-2444

http://www.mossycreekflyfishing.com

Miscel -- lanie

Trip to Livingston MT – August

Andrew Stiles, TU member, is planning a trip to the Federation of Fly Fishers Annual 2007 Conclave in Livingston, Montana from July 31^st to August 4^th, 2007. Anyone interested in attending, please contact Andrew Stiles. Over the next few months, Andrew will be working on finding places to stay and fish and working out all the details of the trip.  We would love to have as many TU members go as possible. It will not only fun but educational! 

Help Wanted!

Please send our editor your articles! Everyone has a story to tell about fly fishing. How about sending in an article to Pete, our editor. The membership wants to hear your tale, whether it’s about a local trip or a far away adventure. C’mon and don’t be shy. 

The Trout’s “Window”

The deeper the fish in the water, the larger its cone shaped “window” of vision. Only when an object passes into this “window” can the fish inspect it.  Bill Mason.

Starting in January, VDGIF will be offering a outdoor report via email. This report is suppose to be like the old one that Jack Randolph use to do a few years ago. To sign up for the report go to http://dgif.virginia.gov/outdoor-report/subscribe. This bi-monthly report is suppose to feature fishing hotspots, VDGIF news, outdoor event listings and artwork by Spike Knuth.

End of Feb07 Newsletter