Suggestions for a smallie trip and class in Virginia

[cadhopper]

I will be able to take my annual motorcycle trip in June and am thinking of including a smallmouth fishing trip at the same time.

Can anyone suggest a good area to go where I can find a guided wading trip along with intermediate casting instructions. I was thinking of going to the Shenandoah river up around Edinburg, Va but was told yesterday that the river has suffered two fish kills in the past three years and the fishing is not so great. Any suggestions would be helpful and PA or NC is not out of the question.

Thanks,
Chuck

 

[dshort]

Call or email the guys at Mossy Creek Fly Fishing in Harrisonburg. They offer guided floats on the James River. I've never hired them as guides or been on their float trip but they have always been extremely helpful with questions and advice. Check out their website for daily updates of fishing conditions and pics of their trips.

 

[dshort]

Sorry I missed the part about wanting to wade. The James isn't really suited to wading but I would still consider that float trip. There are some areas I know of near Edinburgh on the North Fork of the Shenandoah that are definitely wadeable. The Mossy Creek guys may go to the Shenandoah as well, I'm not sure. If not, I would contact Murray's Fly Shop in Edinburgh but I'm not sure how much guiding he does. He does offer some classes but you would be with other "students" and not a one on one guided trip. Check Murray's web site for dates on that.

Good luck.

 

[cadhopper]

Thanks, I have Murray's Fly shop book marked on my laptop and they are on my short list. They do offer wading classes and trips so I'm glad to here good things about them.

 

[dshort]

Yeah, Harry is kinda the fly fishing guru of VA. His books helped me out a lot when I was just beginning. One thing you have to keep in mind with Harry is that according to him the fishing is always best right near his shop and the fly that will work is the "Murray's So and So". I don't think I've ever seen a report on his site from April thru Sept that said the fishing in the North Fork Shenandoah was slow (it runs right behind the shop). He will occasionally say that the water is high or low but he'll add that you should stop into his shop and he'll show you the best spots. Just keep that in mind and take his reports with a grain of salt.