SNP Vacation - got some fishing in too!

[BrooksAndHooks]

Well the family decided we would vacation somewhere new this year and skip the beach. I suggested Shenandoah National Park area and found a very nice, secluded cabin/home for rent. The family bit and we booked the house. I managed a few great looking brook trout, and we also made a trip to mossy creek where I landed a few smaller but energetic wild (or fingerling grown) browns. The first day we fished the most and I only managed one brook, although it was a decent sized fish. The rest of the family fishing had similar luck. Day two I hiked down into some headwaters to see some falls, and hit some pools when the tourists were swimming around in them. Managed 8-9 fish in about an hour, so that was a lot better day. Mostly smaller fish in the 5-6 inch range, with a few largers ones. Saw a few big ones 10-12" and on another river saw a 12+ fish. Mossy creek was an interesting experience for me, very different from nearly any stream I have ever fished and definitely different than what we have locally. Saw a few lunkers living in there, but I spent the morning throwing dries to risers instead of gunning for the big fish after half an hour of hopper throwing lead to nothing. Landed 2 browns one about 10" one about 12". The larger fish actually gave a little run and pulled some drag out on my 5wt, so it wasn't too boring. Fish started to shut down around 10 and we had to head back around noon. My brother did have some luck on a few larger browns on the hopper, but the 4 other fishermen we talked to that day all got skunked (and were locals to boot). I may have had more luck if I stuck to the hopper flies and did some more run and gun fishing, but I knew going for the active fish was my best shot of at least hooking up that day.

Stream levels were down and water was hot so I stuck to fishing early and late and getting the fish back in the was as fast as possible. I would have preferred to have taken this trip earlier in the year but it is what it is. Definitely a beautiful area to visit and fish in. Some awesome waterfalls, the stream structure is great with lots of pools, tons of wildlife. Got more than I bargained for with 7 black bears, tons of deer, snakes, spiders, etc. Also think we may have seen a wolf crossing the road up in the mountains near the cabin. Was definitely not a dog, and was much larger and different shaped than any coyote I have seen, and I've seen and shot quite a few on our farm and locally. They are known to be in the area, albeit rare. Definitely a cool trip, and we are planning on going back and fishing some other streams soon.

 

[Millsertime]

Nice write up. Fish porn is good but how about some landscape pics? I find them more interesting especially in areas not located in PA.

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

Thanks. I didn't have any of those pictures resized for the forum yet. Here are a few.

The larger falls had lots of small fry and what looked like dace to me, but no large fish to hand. The second smaller falls I caught brookies in both the bottom pool, and the top pool above that you can see water falling into but can't directly see.

 

[Fredrick]

No Smallies :roll:

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

Nope, no smallies. I got good small mouth water up here to fish, and we were stayin on the east coast of SNP so it was still a good drive over to the river. Only down there a few days and run around with the family more than having a dedicated fishing trip. We might be going back down for the smalllies sometime though.

 

[sarce]

Sounds like a good trip. SNP is a special place. Flows have been great this year overall even if they are on the low side now. The park has a history of drought years that nearly wiped out entire year classes of brookies.

 

[Millsertime]

That's what I'm talking about. Now, I want to go there. Beautiful scenery!

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

Yeah I was very happy with the flow in the streams in the park, the pockets and pools helped hold fish even though the levels were quite low and we had about 2 weeks without rain. Water was clear and tough but it was fishable so it worked out fine. And for sure, lovely views and streams to fish which is half the fun for me.

 

[Tiogadog]

No wolves down this way ... Many people insist we have large black cats and every year I have students who swear they have seen them.

My guess would be a coyote....

Mossy can be fickle, but beetles usually move a few fish at this time of year.


Did you fish the Conway? That is my favorite.

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

We didn't make it to the conway, I wanted to but limited time. Fished the robinson which fished poorly, hogcamp branch which fished very well, rapidan lower sections which fished poorly but honestly didn't even have time to wet the line much or get to the section I wanted. I took both my fish on mossy on BWO emergers fished as dries, looked like they were rising to midges and that was my closest dry midge imitation.


Likely was a large coyote, but I have had people tell me they have seen them too. Who really knows. not a big deal and can't prove it either way. Just was a large animal with a different profiled head/body/ears than the coyotes we have in PA.

 

[Tiogadog]

We just hiked along the Hogcamp branch this morning.

Tricos are coming off in the morning on Mossy right now. It really is an interesting stream with some real brutes in it. Stream improvements have helped the habitat but more restoration is needed.

Glad you enjoyed VA...

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

Yes, girlfriend and I hiked down to the falls on hogcamp and I shot a few flies in between tourists, actually had a few standing around waiting for me to catch fish and see the brookies haha. I didn't make it down as far as I would have liked to fish, but it was nice. It fished better than the robinson did for me down lower, and I'm curious why it fished so bad because the water looked perfect.

Definitely was a nice trip, wish I knew the streams better instead of just going in blindly, its funny how I know exactly where to go and how to catch fish in pa now, but in a new place like that its all fresh, which is part of the fun. walking into new water with no idea what you'll find.

 

[Chaz]

Curious, were you fish the East Slope or West Slope? I'm asking because my experience is the West Slope has very low water levels during the summer. The East Slope seems to have more steady flows during the summer, though they do get low, they don't sink.
Great vacation, I've got to get back down there.

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

I was on the east slope for the three streams I was on. Water levels were low at the very top of the headwaters and at the bottom of the mountain, but in the middle the pools were plenty full and the water flow was healthy. Without any other experiences to compare to, however, you have to take it with a grain of salt. certainly a bit low but plenty of water to support fish. No clue what the west slope is like.

We are already talking about another trip, too many streams and species to pick just one though. I find it hard to take trips when I can drive 30-45 minutes and have great fishing here though too. It's definitely a nice change of pace/scenery though.