Middle River Dispatches

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Fly Fish Virginia – North River | First Trip of 2021

March 6, 2021 By Tom Sadler 1 Comment

Date: 03 March 2021
Time: 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Weather: 52 degrees. Sunny
Water: 42 degrees, clear and very high (180 CFS at Stokesville gauge)

First trip of 2021, and it sure felt good. Had a chance to play a bit of hooky with a friend. We took advantage of a beautiful March afternoon to run up to North River. It was high water conditions so we needed to picked our spots carefully. We managed to bring a few to hand, mostly on a jig head pheasant tail nymph. We saw a few risers and had a couple of takers on a parachute Adams.

Below are a few images.

You can get the direction to the North River here.

Field Notes:
VDGIF stocks this water. You will need a valid trout license from October 1 to June 15 in addition to the other fishing license if you are fishing in these designated stocked trout waters. License information: https://gooutdoorsvirginia.com

For details on this and other watersheds check out VDGIF’s Where to Go Trout Fishing (Interactive Map).

Filed Under: Fishing, Fly Fish Virginia, Fly Fishing Tagged With: brook trout, North River

The rod of my dreams

August 8, 2020 By Tom Sadler Leave a Comment

In 2019, I decided to treat myself to a bamboo fly rod to mark my 65th birth year. I’ve inherited three bamboo rods from my grandfather and father. Now I contemplated having a rod of my own as I approached this milestone in life.

My first call was to Jerry Kustich at Sweetgrass Rods. I knew Jerry as one of the renowned “boo boys” and a dedicated conservationist. When it came time to buy a handcrafted, custom made rod, the choice was obvious.

On the phone, Jerry walked me through the process, and we talked about what kind of rod he could build. My home waters are the spring creeks and mountain streams in and around the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. While I knew I might be hoping for the impossible, having a rod suitable for both was my dream. The more I talked with Jerry, the more hopeful I became. We met up at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival in January of this year, where I had a chance to cast some different rods.

After casting a few rods, I began to zero in on a model that appealed to me. Like a bespoke suit, the fit and feel were subjective. I wanted a rod that worked with me and fit my casting style. As I tried the rods, I began to understand why people speak of bamboo rods as if they are alive. It’s uncanny. The feel is like nothing else I’ve experienced.

Over the years, my preference for slower rods has increased. Much of that comes from fishing longer, more flexible tenkara rods for the last 10 years. My casting style reflects it as well. Because I wanted a rod for our spring creeks, where the fish are bigger, I needed a rod with some muscle but still soft enough to load quickly for short cast in mountain streams.

With Jerry’s excellent guidance, we settled on a Sweetgrass 7’9″ Pent (five strip) for a four or five weight line. As Jerry noted, “a 4-weight with a bit of backbone.” Jerry would build the rod, and Glenn would add the finishing touches, including an inscription with my name and my 65th birthday date. 

In late June, when the word came from Butte that the rod was headed my way, I could barely contain my excitement. When it arrived, I was struck by the beauty of the craftsmanship, the cane’s warm colors, the richness of the cocobolo reel seat, and the sparkle of the nickel silver Bellinger components. This was an elegant tool; I couldn’t wait to fish with it.

Fortune shines

As the Fourth of July holiday approached, I checked with Colby at Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, where I guide. As luck would have it, a beat on our spring creek water was open the morning of July 4. After more than 90 days without a chance to fish, this would genuinely be an Independence Day celebration. As a bonus, my stepson Matt was free that morning and joined me. We arrived at Mossy and rigged up. As I cast the rod, I re-experienced that magical feel of a bamboo rod. I felt the rod load not only in my arm; it felt alive in my hand. Words don’t do justice to the experience.

Because of my foray into the tenkara world, how well a rod tracks has become a touchstone. Tenkara rods track exceptionally well because the lines are so light. I have become very accustomed to that accuracy. With this rod, “laser-like” doesn’t overstate it. I noticed it right off the bat and was surprised how spot on it was. Because of my tenkara adapted casting stroke, the smoothly loading rod made me feel right at home, even with my sometimes rusty casting skills.

There were a few rises, so I started out fishing a parachute BWO with a midge dropper. After finding no takers on the midge, I switched to a bead-head pheasant tail and quickly connected.

With success on the dry-dropper rig established, I switched to a streamer. I was casting into overhanging cover, and the rod delivered the fly smoothly to the target. Two casts and a rainbow came to hand. I continued to put the rod to work. As the morning wore on, I switched to a beetle. We were now sight fishing, and the fish were getting increasingly spooky as the sun moved higher.

As my familiarity with it improved, my confidence increased, and I settled into a very satisfying working relationship. The reward came late in the morning as good-sized brown lazily sipped in a well-placed black beetle in his feeding lane.

When it comes to lines, it pays to talk to the guy who built the rod.

Because I was anxious to get on the water with my new rod, I grabbed the reel and line I had been using with my graphite rods. For the first outing, I used a Rio Technical Trout WF 5 and it worked very well. When I had a chance, I called Jerry and talked with him about lines. He explained that this rod would cast very well with a double taper line. He recommended the Cortland 444 SLYK DT.

After some back and forth about the line tapers and weights, I settled on the Cortland DT5F and the Rio Light Line DT4F.

Jerry helped me understand that while it might be counterintuitive, the five-weight line would work better for making short casts like when I was fishing for brook trout. The four weight would be better for making a longer cast, like when I fish our spring creeks.

I put both of the lines to the test, and all I can say is it pays to talk to the guy who built the rod. The results were remarkable and let me get the most out of this already impressive rod.

More adventures lie ahead, and this rod is now my first choice for my home waters.

Note: this article originally appeared in the August edition of Sweetgrass Rods monthly newsletter.

Filed Under: Fly Fish Virginia, Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Instruction Tagged With: bamboo, Jerry Kustich, Sweetgrass Rods

Fly Fish Virginia – North River | Third Bridge

March 2, 2020 By Tom Sadler Leave a Comment

Date: 01March2020
Time: 1:30-4:00 p.m.
Weather: 52 degrees and mostly to partly sunny
Water: 42 degrees, clear and low (10 CFS at Stokesville gauge)

This trip I fished from the third bridge to the forth. Since this is a short section I parked at the third bridge and fished up and walked back down the road to my truck.

Third bridge

You can get the direction to the North River here. From the intersection of Rte 715 and FS 95 it is about 3.5 miles to the third bridge and 4 miles to the fourth bridge. There is a place to park on the right, just past the fourth bridge if you want to fish up to your vehicle.

The fourth bridge
started fishing here below the third bridge
looking up stream from the third bridge

Here are some images from this section.

Field Notes:
VDGIF stocks this water from the first bridge to the fourth bridge. You will need a valid trout license from October 1 to June 15 in addition to the other fishing license if you are fishing in these designated stocked trout waters. License information: https://gooutdoorsvirginia.com

For details on this and other watersheds check out VDGIF’s Where to Go Trout Fishing (Interactive Map).

Filed Under: Fishing, Fly Fish Virginia, Fly Fishing Tagged With: North River

Fly Fish Virginia – North River | Second Bridge

February 24, 2020 By Tom Sadler Leave a Comment

Date: 23Feb2020
Time: 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Weather: 55 degrees and mostly to partly sunny
Water: 44 degrees, clear and low (16CFS at Stokesville guage)

My plan had been to fish from the second bridge to the third bridge. I only got about ¾ of the way there. I parked just past the third bridge, walked down to the second bridge and worked my way upstream. There was a lot of water to explore, the fishing was very good for February, so I took my time enjoying the afternoon.

You can get the direction to the North River here. From the intersection of Rte 715 and FS 95 it is about 2.5 miles to the second bridge.

There is a good place to park on the left after you cross the bridge.

Here are some images from the section I fished.

This is where I stopped. There is a trail to the left and a short walk to the road. You can see the rip rap in the background, the road is at the top of that rip rap. The third bridge is a short (10 min or less) walk.

Field Notes:
VDGIF stocks this water from the first bridge to the fourth bridge. You will need a valid trout license from October 1 to June 15 in addition to the other fishing license if you are fishing in these designated stocked trout waters. License information: https://gooutdoorsvirginia.com

For details on this and other watersheds check out VDGIF’s Where to Go Trout Fishing (Interactive Map).

the Tenkara Tacoma in its natural habitat…

Filed Under: Fly Fish Virginia, Fly Fishing Tagged With: North River

Fly Fish Virginia – North River | First Bridge

February 19, 2020 By Tom Sadler 3 Comments

Directions from Staunton, VA

Rt 250 W toward Churchville and West Augusta.
Travel about 15 miles from the Rt 262 bypass.
Turn hard right onto Rt 715 (Braley Pond Rd) toward Braley Pond/Elkhorn Lake.
Travel about 6 miles to the intersection of Rt 715 and FS 95.

Turn left toward W.VA onto FS 95.

Travel about 1 mile to the first bridge.

looking upstream
looking downstream

Travel about a ½ a mile and you will come to a parking area on the left.

I parked here and walked back to the bridge.

Date: 17Feb2020
Time: 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Weather: 48 degrees and partly sunny
Water: clear, cold and full (35 CFS at the Stokesville gauge)

Below are some shots taken as I worked my way upstream back to the parking spot.

Field Notes:
VDGIF stocks this water from here, up to the fourth bridge. You will need a valid trout license (annual or lifetime) in addition to the other fishing license if you are fishing in designated stocked trout waters from October 1 to June 15.

License information: https://gooutdoorsvirginia.com

For details on this and other watersheds check out VDGIF’s Where to Go Trout Fishing (Interactive Map).

Filed Under: Fly Fish Virginia, Fly Fishing Tagged With: brook trout

Guide's Day Off – Skidmore Fork

December 29, 2019 By Tom Sadler Leave a Comment

The weather report said 60 degrees and clear and I didn’t have any pressing obligations, so I grabbed my gear and headed to Skidmore Fork to see if I could scare up a brookie or two.

Side note, I actually left my rods at home and only realized it when I was three quarter of the way to the water. My patient and understanding wife was kind enough to meet me half way and bring me my rods…

I hit the water about 12:30 p.m., starting at a hole not too far from the parking area. And sure enough there were a couple of fish ready to pound a nymph.

a Skidmore Fork native
Another Skidmore native.

I had a couple of places on the stream I wanted to fish so I moved on, hitting likely pools as I went along. In some spots I was a bit surprised that I didn’t move any fish but I didn’t switch flies or tactics, being content with the occasional take. If fact, I managed to fish the same two flies and rig all day.

The first place I wanted to see was upstream aways so I jumped out and went up the fire road to see how good my memory was. It had been a couple years since I been to that spot.

Surprisingly, my first shot landed me 20 yards above where I wanted. But it was quick work to get there.

What the tenkara rod saw…

I managed to miss a nice fish in a small back eddy, that took a whack at the dry just as it landed. I fished up from there, with little action for the effort.

My final destination was just above the second ford. Years ago I had been fishing with a good friend. As I recall, it had been a bit frustrating of an outing. Rising fish but spooky. Pre tenkara, which made it worse.

As we were scouting the run, a nice fish rose in a tricky spot under some overhanging limbs. My friend fired a picture perfect cast, got a good drift and landed a the fish. It was one of those experiences that keeps you coming back.

I was thinking of that day, as it was my friend’s birthday the next day and I wanted a fish to commemorate the memory and his birthday.

Sometimes you get lucky…

-30-

Filed Under: Fly Fish Virginia, Fly Fishing, Mossy Creek Fly Fishing Tagged With: brook trout, Skidmore Fork

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