Smallmouth Bass Streams Fly Fishing Report - September 28, 2022

The streams are cooling and the bass are looking for a mouthful but don't want to put a lot of effort into it. There are many sculpin minnows and crayfish in the river that the smallmouth feed on.  Try stripping a Murray's Madtom/Sculpin or Shenk's Black Sculpin in size 4 right past the basses nose and see what happens. These flies usually produce in the 2-4 feet areas.  If you are in areas 1-3 feet over cobblestones, put on a Murray's Crayfish.  All of these should be fished on a 2X Bright Butt Leader. 

Both the North and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are clear and fishable.  If we get the rain the hurricane is expected to give us this weekend, then the stream levels will improve. If you haven't gotten your chest high waders out, then do it now.  The water temperature is dropping so chest high waders are recommended.  I usually try to get in a couple of more trips before the streams get so cold the bass don't want to feed.