Jackson River VA Fly Fishing Report (In Pictures)

 

 

 

I thought I would share a few pictures from my first trip to the Jackson River, VA.  The Jackson is considered among some of the best streams in the state for trout with plenty of deep runs, pools, riffles, and flat sections to allow fly anglers to experiment with a wide variety of techniques.  It also helps that the Jackson is stocked regularly and boasts a population of larger lake-run browns, bows, and even steel head cultivated through a special state management program.

Having heard about the Jackson from a friend and then doing a little research online, I decided to organize a trip to scout the area with several guys who might be willing to brave the elements.  As it turned out, the weather cooperated nicely and the conditions seemed pretty favorable, although we did have some wind and the fish didn't seem to be interested in our offerings.  The water was quite clear and took on a blue green color in the deeper runs, which looked awesome.  We even saw a hatch in the early afternoon of March Browns and Hendrix, which completed the quintessential fly fishing backdrop. 

When I consider the general lack of productivity on the trip, I have to sum it up to a lack of experience, although we did manage to land a few fish.  All in, it was an awesome trip with great company, plenty of fresh air, good food, and a campfire under a sky full of stars.

- SRM

James River VA Shad Fishing Report - April 4th 2013

This afternoon, my buddy Capt. Andrew Campbell and I decided to hit the James to see what our little anadromous query were up to.  Good thing we did...

In spite of a cool and rainy late afternoon, we got into the shad in a big way.  I estimate we easily boated 40+ shad a piece in the 1 - 2.5lb range and all on the fly.  All the fish were released unharmed.  There were boats all around us and everyone was catching fish, but Andrew and I were doubled up constantly with periods where we were literally catching fish on every single cast.  Andrew caught a beast of an American (see first image above).  I hooked a fish that I never saw...hard to say if it was a big American or a miguided Striper.

The action is definitely as hot as it gets right now.  This is a great time to take the kids fishing and let them get excited about the sport.  These fish are anywhere from 12-20" long. They hit and fight hard and are an absolute BLAST on light tackle.  Anyone who wants to experience the ultimate Spring fishing Richmond has to offer should be fishing the James NOW!

If you want the sure bet, contact my friend Capt. Andrew Campbell at 804-658-8297 and book a guided trip on the fly or spinning tackle.

Happy Fishing,
SRM

James River Shad Fishing Report - March 2013

Monster American Shad almost 20 inches

My good fly fishing buddy, Capt. Andrew Campbell, and I hit the river this morning (my birthday) with our long rods on a chilly but clear morning.  The tide was working in our favor and we soon forgot our frozen fingers as the action heated up right as the sun popped up over the horizon.  We had pretty steady action through most of the morning, each of us catching about a dozen shad on flashy weighted custom patterns we tied up the night before.  Most of our fish were feisty Hickories in the 1-2lb range along with one really nice American that went close to 3 lbs and 20 inches.  We also foul hooked a couple of Gizzard shad, which give a good tug, but are pretty nasty. All the fish were released unharmed following a quick photo so they could continue their journey up river.

I fished my little 4wt TFO almost exclusively with a fast sinking shooting head, which made for big bends and lots of fun.  Anything from a 4-6wt is perfect for the shad.  Andrew fished a pretty similar set-up.  In a few more weeks, the action will only get hotter as the shad show up in force to make their migratory run up the James.  And it won't be long before the stripers follow, at which point it will be time to pack bigger gear.

If you're looking for the quintessential fly fishing experience in Richmond, VA then I suggest you take the short drive downtown with your kayak, jon boat, or canoe and experience this magical time of the year on light weight tackle.  If you want the sure bet, call my buddy Capt. Andrew Campbell who can get you hooked up with big shad on fly or on spinning gear.  You can reach him at 804-658-8297.

Wraps Complete - 5/6wt 8ft Fiberglass Fly Rod

Wraps complete...check it out at Ward Fly Rods!

First Fiberglass Fly Rod Build

Check out the rest of the pics and follow along to watch this new build take shape at Ward Fly Rods.

Custom Fly Rod Build #2 Complete

Figured I would post a few teasers from my latest fly rod build.  This is a 6wt IM8 blank wrapped in silk and finished with varnish.  I am still very new to this craft and have a great deal to learn but I'm feeling more confident.  To read more about this build and for more pictures, click here.  As always, thanks for stopping by.

6wt Fly Rod Build: A Sneak Preview

Here is a little sneak preview of my latest custom fly rod build.  Quite a few lessons learned are now being applied from my first build, not to mention motivation from encouraging words, bits of advice, and tips from friends.  For more details and photos on this build, click on the image above.  I am really enjoying this new craft!  Anyone who is interested, I'm offering to build rods for free (I only ask you cover the cost of materials and shipping).  Email or reply if interested.

Fly Fishing North Fork Moormans River Charlottesville Virginia

See me?  The name's Crawdaddy!

 With the low gin clear water, the native Brookies are laying low...but they're still there.

Amber and I had a rare opportunity to get away for the weekend, so we headed west for Charlottesville and had a wonderful little get-away.  It was just a slow, stress free weekend.  Amber and I decided we need to be more intentional about taking more quality time like this.  We spent the better part of Saturday at Monticello, followed by a dinner visit with some dear relatives. 

To close out the weekend, we decided to take advantage of the weather and make the short drive to the Shenandoah National Park to check out a little trout stream I heard about.  The North Fork Moormans River is a small blue ridge mountain stream in Albemarle County, just outside of Charlottesville.  The water was extremely low but there was plenty of flora and fauna besides.  This little free stone stream is home to a small population of native brook trout, mostly in the upper reaches.  The forest was practically teeming with Swallow-Tails, lush vegetation, and various wildflowers.  We spotted a few trout but they were extremely shy and we weren't really prepared for the conditions.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed hiking and soaking in the beauty of our Heavenly Father's creation.

Fly Rod Build #1 Complete

Now that my first fly rod build is complete, I am anxious to test the rod on the water with a hard day of fishing.  I learned a number of valuable lessons from this experience that, no doubt, I will carry forward.  If nothing else, the satisfaction of building my own rod with relatively low expense has given me a hunger to perfect this new skill.  When I compare the aesthetics of this rod and the cost to many of my factory built rods, I feel pretty darn good.

Given I had no prior experience, I'm pleased with the outcome, although I can think of several "rookie" mistakes I'll be sure to keep in mind for build #2+, including:

- Buy the highest quality blank I can reasonably afford.  It will be worth it.
- Use the best silk thread I can buy like YLI or Pearsall's.  This will reduce the need for sanding and minimizes re-work.  I learned this lesson about half way through this build and it made all the difference in the world!
- Do not use varnish over a metallic thread.  I used a silver thread to tip the wraps, but because the varnish has a tendency to have a shade of color, while it looks awesome on silk, the effect is less desirable on the metallic thread.
- Shorter wraps look better. I had the tendency to make the wraps a bit longer than necessary.
- Use a high quality varnish with a fast dry time and relatively hard finish but not too hard (i.e. McCloskey Man O'War in gloss)
- Use an ultra-fine tip pen (Gelly Roll or similar) to write on the blank.  Also, use a high quality sealer like Deft water based poly over the writing before attempting to coat with the varnish.

I've decided to make an offer to my friends and family that I will build them a fly rod for free; all they have to do is cover the cost of materials.  This way, they get a really nice custom rod for cheap and I get to practice without going bankrupt in the process.  We'll see if I get any suckers takers.

Cheers - SRM

First Time Fly Rod Build - Nearly Done

With the fighting butt, reel seat, grip, winding check, and final wraps in place, all that remains to finish out my first fly rod build is to coat the wraps and blank on the butt section with varnish.  My handy work is far from perfect but considering I did all the wraps BY HAND, without any rod wrapping tools or motors, I think it looks pretty darn good.

I took the rod out and cast the outfit assembled for the first time today.  The reel, loaded with line and backing, balanced out the rod perfectly and I was casting long tight loops with minimal effort.  I couldn't have been more pleased!  I still expect the first good fish to snap the crummy blank I built this rod on but I enjoyed the process so much, it would just make a good excuse to immediately do it all over again.

To top it off, my new 5wt 3pc Signature S-Glass Rod from Graywolf Rods arrived today!!  If you've seen the pics, you only get a taste.  It looks better in person.  The transluscence of the blank, the perfection of the finish, the attention to every detail...it's just impressive all around.  I have never held a rod that equals it and I still can't believe I own it.

I plan to take both rods out tomorrow for their first "dip."

Cheers - SRM