Mountain Trout Streams Fly Fishing Report - May 24, 2023

The mountain trout streams are low and clear but if you plan accordingly you will do well.  Stay low and hide your approach.  The trout are wary and easily spooked.  Pick a stream that usually carries more water volume and try not fish behind someone.  What they didn't catch, they have already spooked. 

Now let's talk about the hatches that are still going on:  Light Cahill, Sulphurs, Little Yellow Stoneflies and in the evening hours before dark the Green Drake. Match these with a Light Cahill Dry size 16, Murray's Sulphur Dry size 16, Little Yellow Stonefly Dry size 16, and Murray's Olive Drake Dry size 16.  Fish all of these on a Mountain 6ft Leader or Classic 7.5ft Leader in 6X. The Murray's Flying Beetle size 16 is another fly that worked well over the weekend.  I am catching just about everything on dry flies but if you prefer nymph fishing then go to a Mr. Rapidan Soft Hackle Nymph in olive or brown size 16. Be sure to use dry fly floatant on your dry flies and keep your hooks sharpened.  The Park does want us to mash the barbs down on the hooks or use barbless hooks. 

For more information on the Shenandoah National Park streams, see my book Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park.  I have all of the streams listed in alphabetical order along with access on where to park and what trails to hike.  This book also includes hatch charts along with a chapter on reading the water.

Not interested in fishing the Park, then consider a native brook trout stream in the George Washington National Forest. Little Stoney west of my fly shop is a nice little brook trout stream with upper and lower access.  Use the same flies I listed above.

If you need help on access on any of these streams, stop by the fly shop or call me. 

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