What a wonderful summer it has been so far! Even with some drought conditions, the fishing has been fantastic. As of July 23rd we have finally had several days of rain and a much needed small bump in the water levels.
We'll quickly get past a little bad news. Trout fishing is pretty much halted for now. Shenandoah National Park is closed to fishing and most of the other rivers are too hot and low to ethically fish them. If you need a trout fix, the upper tailwaters and spring creeks are still fishing well. Bring some beetle and small grasshopper patterns to prospect with. Early or late in the day you will likely see some tricos hatching.
Now to the great news. Smallmouth bass fishing could not be much better. They are regularily taking topwater bugs, baitfish patterns, and crawfish throughout the day. At times they are a little spooky due to the low, clear water though. Look for fish in the riffles or be willing to lengthen your leaders and downsize your flies in the flat water.
If you have never fished out of a drift boat for the hardest fighting fish in freshwater, we have some prime summer dates still available. Come float on the South Fork of the Shenandoah, James, or New Rivers and enjoy the best fishing in Virginia!
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