Fishing Report

During the three days of fishing and much of the four previous days the river dropped and cleared from heavy rain on 28 Apr, the river having been in the upper 2800 cfs range, now down to a normal 150 cfs and only very slightly turbid, essentially clear for Roanoke River. Preceding the rain, water temperature had been at least as high as 69 F in late afternoon; on 4 and 5 May it was 66 and 64 in late afternoon.

On 3-5 Apr I observed aquatic insects and fished up to nearly darkness, for 1.5 hr, 2.5 hr, and 4.0 hr, in the reach encompassing Picnic Pool and upstream into the first pool just above Take-A-Number Pool. Of emerging insects, each day I saw very few March Brown/Gray Fox, Early/Larger Sulphur, Late/Small Sulphur, larger baetid (BWO), and tiny baetid (BWO). Emergence of sulphurs increased slightly at duskfall, but overall rising to these duns was nil to infrequent. During 1945-2015 hr March Brown spinners (groups of 5-20) and Cream/White Cahill spinners (2-5 total seen each evening) were aflight, during and after which rising did not appear to increase. Surprising was the large numbers of midge adults flitting just above (and on?) the surface of T-A-N Pool, over its mid length and continuously to the far (N) bank, but rising was essentially absent, far different from the constant rising to midges in late March. “All was quiet” in the three pools by late dusk.

I can’t exactly recall my catch on the first two evenings owing to senioritis, or to blurring by the main event of the three days. Seemingly I landed a 10-11” Brown and a 10-11” Rainbow on nymphs during each of Sat through Mon, and lost two somewhat larger fish the first two days. On Mon evening, casting a #16, bright green (Ice Dub) body, dark dun soft hackle, with dark dun fluff as a tail/shuck (tied at 0400 hr the previous night), during a natural drift, I saw a big bulge, concurrently felt the fish on, thought the fish was big, and I peeked at my watch (1814 hr) for the first time ever to time the play, as I thought it’d be of major duration (on 6x tippet). Quickly I got the fish on-reel, then loosened the line so I could move toward shore to try to entice the fish away from midriver brush. Gaining shallows, I tightened, the fish took off down to the pool tail, the old CFO ZZZ-ing, the line slicing the surface in a curving path, and then it went slack, the fly returned. Damn! But I chuckled; that was cool fun, probably the largest Brown I’d ever hooked! (And likely the fish had been caught and released in the preceding month or two.)

On Sun a lure fisher landed an 18” Brown in Picnic Pool. Dehooking it for the fellow, I noted it to be somewhat slender, unlike the otherwise all robust trout I’ve seen in hand in GHP and the eastern Salem DHS.

On Mon a River Otter was poking up and downstream along the far bank of T-A-N Pool. I judge that’s the species as it was much larger than a Muskrat, and had a slender tail unlike a Beaver tail.

25 Apr — Fished for 2¼ hr into mid dusk; water level normal, very slightly turbid, warmish. No hatch; saw 2 or 3 Early Sulphur (Ephemerella invaria) and/or March Brown (Maccaffertium vicarium) duns; and 2 or 3 March Brown or Slate Drake (Isonychia) spinners looking for mates. Only 2 rises seen, whereas I expected an at least fair mayfly hatch and ample rising.

This was the first time I fished the lower part of the e. Salem DHS section. Big trout, mostly Browns, up to 10-11 lb, have been caught here in last 2 months. I hooked 4 trout, landed 3, 2 10-12” Browns, 1 12” Rainbow; lost fish was decidedly larger. All took Cazzy’s #10 green Creek Grubb (sort of a caddis larva), fished below Cazzy’s Redneck nymph.

26 Apr — Began nymph-fishing at 1730 hr in same section as yesterday, and overall fished ~1.5 hr, breaking for a thunder-lighting-rain storm; quit at ~2000 hr when increased turbidity moved in, as I much disfavor fishing amply discolored water. Concurrent with start of increased turbidity, a flotilla of trash drifted down, apparently discarded by kids departing Ropeswing Pool owing to rain.

Air up to 87 F, and water 68.9 F, approaching too warm for trout — optimum temperature for Brown Trout is 63 F, Rainbow slightly higher. No hatch; saw 2 Early Sulphur duns fly into trees; and ~5 March Brown spinners zig-zagingover a fast run; saw 1 or 2 rises.

My single take netted a 14” Rainbow, on a black Nitro Caddis fished at point below a Redneck.

27 Apr — Collected aquatic insects during 1200-1300 hr; no fishing for me as water was still moderately turbid; also up slightly, 177 cfs; water somewhat cooled after yesterday evening (I forgot to bring thermometer). Two or 3 Early Sulphur duns left the river; 1 or 2 rises seen.

Of medium and larger insects collected, nymphs of flat-headed mayflies of genera Stenacron and Maccaffertium predominated; these will emerge as yellow and cream mayflies, respectively; some Stenacron will hatch imminently as these had black wingpads. Other mayfly nymphs/larvae were a few medium-size Isonychia, and one each of Late Sulphur (Ephemerella dorothea) and Drunella (one of the Ephemerellidae genera of “BWOs”). Of caddis larvae, there were at least 3 species of Hydropsychidae (net-spinners); these had green, yellowish cream, or gray abdomen. One Hellgrammite found. Adults caught in bushes and grass were a few kinds of midges, a small cranefly, and 3 small caddis adults.

28 Apr: Big rain Sun-Mon has river flowing at 3040 cfs, unfishable for at least a few days.

Little River, Tazewell Co, 20 Apr 2008 Sunday — Bob Jenkins (with Jack Musick)

Following several days of no rain, it rained Sat night; the stream was at normal flow, slightly turbid; cloudy day, occasional drizzle; late afternoon air and water temperatures 57 F. We fished through 0915-1800 hr. Very few rises; no hatch; group of midges occasionally seen; fewer than 5 each of March Brown duns and adult caddisflies were seen.

I lost a ~20” trout on a soft hackle, landed 1 Rainbow of 20-21” on a green Nitro Caddis. Fishing a weightier 2-fly rig), Jack landed 4 Rainbows of ~16-20” and lost 5 (3 broken off, including a black-headed ‘Bow I saw a few times starting in early November ‘07); most of his fish took a Nitro. Amply larger trout were seen including some of those Jack hooked.

Fished 7 hr, early afternoon to late dusk. Being told by a spinfisher yesterday of his hooking and losing a Brown each of ~3 and ~5 lb in the upper part of the long riffle-run section whose head connects to the tailout of the uppermost pool in the park, I careful nymphed this swift section, getting only 1 take (no hookup) by a ~12” trout. I suspect my leg had been pulled, as the river was low (and clear), affording large trout very little or no cover in that section.

Working down into the first major pool below the swift section, no rising was detected, but I landed a 10” Brown on a Nitro Caddis Pupa. Big surprise there was catching a 10” adult male Bull Chub, Nocomis raneyi, on the Nitro. It was in full nuptial dress, with more than 100 small breeding tubercles atop and on sides of the head, rosy flanks, and bright yellow lower fins. This was a reminder that Roanoke River is basically a warmwater stream, “borrowed” in cool and cold times for trouting. Bull Chub is the larger and less common species of “hornyhead” in much of Roanoke River, the fish a delight to see (and carefully released) as I hadn’t seen an adult male in a decade. I described this species as new to science in 1971 in a Smithsonian Institution monograph.

Onto Take-A-Number Pool, where my flies, or their drifts, were essentially always spurned by numerous risers. Downstream, a few risers were busy in Picnic Pool, where on the Nitro I hooked and lost a ~14” and an ~18” trout. At least the pool hadn’t been cleaned-out by poachers. Returning to T-A-N Pool in mid dusk, a fair hatch of Small Sulphur happened, a few medium-size stoneflies left the river, a few caddisflies fluttered, midges were about, and trout were busy taking something but not my flies.

Much more fly-hatching to happen before the ’07-juvenile bugs finish emerging and water becomes too warm?

Fished last 2 hr into near dark, mainly in Take-A-Number Pool, where numerous fish steadily rose but refused flies on almost all casts of emergers and dry flies. Takes or pseudo-rises were on drag-“free” drifts; no hookup. Lower half of the first pool above T-A-N Pool had 5 fish rising, which was good to see as recently I hadn’t seen a riser nor had a take there. Midges were on water; very few caddisflies seen; a few March Brown/Gray Fox duns and spinners were seen; and in mid-dusk Small Sulphurs, Ephemerella dorothea, emerged and were well received by trout.

Sampled insects briefly in late morning; collected: March Brown/Gray Fox,Maccaffertium vicarium, 2 subimagos, 1 pale, 1 slightly darker; instar shucks. Caddis 1 ad lg, 1 ad med; 3 shucks, med size. Midge ads, at least 3 spp. Cranefly 1 sm ad.

Fished ~1200-2000 hr. Landed 4 Browns, 2 Rainbows, 9-11”, on nymph, caddis pupa, Ripcord Caddis; lost a 16”-er and 2-3 others; broke one off. Not much rising. Few flies out – midges at dusk; occasional caddis ad; ~2 other (not collected) mayfly duns seen flying off river. Saw a 19-20” Brown landed, released, on black Wollybugger, just below creek bridge/culvert. Told of a ~24” Brown taken (and released) on small green caddis-like larva/pupa, amply below Rope-Swing Pool, i.e., nr end of tire ruts that extend up from parking area just abv Apperson Dr bridge; maybe same fish recently caught by Jim Scott’s friend.

Sampled insects briefly in late morning; collected: Maccaffertium 1 nymph. Caddis, 3 sm-med ad; 1 sm ad. Midge ads, at least 3 spp.

Chilly (sub-50 F), rainy day. Drift-netted shallow run with large net for ~10 min during mid-dusk. Collected 1 midge adult, 2 midge shucks (adult size), and mayfly nymphal instar shucks: 1 Maccaffertium, 4 Isonychia, and 5 (Sulphur-like) ephemerellids, all medium size to much smaller than subimagnal size and wind pads little or not enlarged, hence being pre-emergence instar ecdysis by these assumedly now rapidly growing nymphs. Spms discarded.

I hadn’t fished Roanoke R in Salem except briefly twice, two yr ago. The end of this hiatus was spurred on Monday when passing the river during an afternoon errand; trout were rising up and down the DHS along East Riverside Drive . Some pools and slow runs had 20-40 trout dimpling the river, sipping apparently mostly midges and probably caddis pupae, these prey indicated also by general absence of major boils and slashing rises.

Even with all the risers on Monday, fishing during 1630-1930 hr still was quite tough; I had only 7 takes, to small dry flies of various size, body shape, and coloration. The common denominator of takes was a drag-free drift. Simple, right… I should have used a 7x tippet instead of 6x. I’ve read that on a scale of 0-10, getting natural drifts scores 100, and again today’s fishing reflected this.

Tuesday, after collecting bugs in mid-afternoon, I fished into dusk mainly with 7x, rendering a 14-ft leader. Strong wind all afternoon was the big problem, blowing casts and on-surface line downriver. I had several looks, a few takes, and landed a 10” Brown. Wednesday I mainly slept, having tied flies all Mon night and having been on-river much of Tuesday; I collected bugs in dusk. Wednesday the river was stocked in the Salem DHS and Green Hill Park , although at least the former didn’t really need more stock.

On Tuesday I met two fine fellows, one named Mark. They pulled off Riverside Dr , each with a 1-person yayak in their truck. Spinning rods were rigged so I thought, aw jeez, here we go again, poachers in the Delayed Harvest water. Chatting for awhile, I perceived that these fellows are true sport-fishers, big-fish hunters, catch-releasers. While they continued to gear-up, I began fishing just below their put-in spot; they put-in and held in farside shallows just above me, watching and chill’n, allowing my fishing to be undisturbed by boats. After a half-hr I moved upstream, and they paddled/drifted down to the Big Hole (Rope-Swing Pool). In dusk I walked down to ask how was fishing. The reply: “We got two, one of 14” and a big one, and I’ll paddle over and show it to you.” So I thought, ah hell, a lunker killed. OH MY, it was a fine-looking, 28”, ~8-lb Brown – on their digital camera, the fish released after a major battle and brief posing! It was the fellow’s largest trout ever.

Last week Dick Taylor landed a ~8-lb Brown in the Salem DHS. Based on Dick’s photos and those of Tuesday’s big fish, and their separate pools of capture, they were different fish.

It was great talking with the two fellows. I told that I recently retired from teaching at Roanoke College , so I was asked, “Do you know a Jenkins there”, and I replied, “yeah, it’s me”. Then Mark said he has two copies of my Freshwater Fishes of Virginia book, a 1^st-printing and the reprint, both bought recently for over $100. They seemed amazed when told that the authors never got, never will get, $0.01 from sales. I explained that that was part of the deal for the authors to be granted state and federal funds researching and writing the book over several years.

Insects collected and/or observed; orders in bold; sp. = 1 species; spp. = >1 sp.; spm/s = specimen/s:

Mayflies, Ephemeroptera – A few adults aflight, not caught. Shucks of Maccaffertium and Stenacron (“Cahills”) probably are at least mostly shed by nymphal instars (ecdysal [“molt”] stages) preceding the terminal nymphal instar.

Stoneflies, Plecoptera – 2 adults of Tiny Black Winter Stonefly caught on water.

Caddisflies, Trichoptera – Adults have chunky body; wings extending 1/3-1/4 of body length posterior to end of abdomen; wings held over abdomen in tentlike configuration.

Sp. 1 – Abundant; very small sp.; body length 3-4 mm (~hook shank #20-22); head mostly black; thorax dusky green and with blackish areas; abdomen mostly green ventrally; legs pale to med gray; wings pale to medium gray.

Sp. 2 – Common? (on my SUV); very small sp.; coloration as for Sp. 1 but wings tannish, and green on body may be more flourescent.

Sp. 3 – 1 each of pupa and adult caught; medium size; abdomen color uncertain (recall green in life, but 36 hr later in alcohol it’s cream to pale yellow). River surface dense with shucks probably of this species, indicating major emergence in morning and/or early afternoon.

Sp. 4 – Numerous; medium-large; some with mostly blackish abdomen ventrally, others with green, possibly imparted by green egg mass; head and thorax mostly black ventrally; legs gray; wings pale to med gray.

Two-Winged Flies, Diptera – Midges: At least 4 spp, some with ventral abdomen mostly olive, others mostly dark gray to black; head and thorax mostly black ventrally; legs gray; wings clear; body very narrow, best imitated by tying thread or very sparse dubbing. Many midges parasitized by minute, dark green or red mites. Cranefly – Small species occasionally seen to emerge; abdomen ventrally dusky cream or pale yellow to dusky pale orangish tint. Large species, 1 spm, netted on land.

Shuck coloration and imitation – Nymphal/larval and pupal shucks are shed skin of the body and appendages. They are widely incorporated as “tails” on emerger fly patterns that supposedly represent incomplete separation of adults from the skin of the previous life stage. They are very translucent or fully transparent, and extremely thin, quite flimsy, bending and twisting in micro-swirling currents. Degree of coloration seems to differ among insect orders. Mayfly shucks tend to have much of the dusky to dark pigmentation of the nymph; they can appear mostly very dark. This condition occurs somewhat reduced in midge shucks. But caddisfly shucks I’ve seen to date (many, but of few spp.) are fully transparent, very pale, having at most a general champagne tint (except for dark, sclerotized jaws).

Having recently examined under a microscope many shucks netted adrift and unattached to the subsequent instar or stage, I don’t “buy” fibers of antron, z-lon, ice dub, CDC, other feathers, etc. as good imitation of natural shucks. Again, for tying emergers, it would be great to discover a transparent or very translucent cellophane-like material that is tintable with felt-tip markers and is greatly flexible yet durable.

After fishing Clear Fk the previous day, I got a good meal and margarita, and watched March Madness at Applebee’s in Bluefield (exit Rt 460 at westmost green-red light), then went west on 460 to a clean room with refrigerator in the recently fully renovated Super 8 Motel in Claypool Hill, the north gateway (and over the ridge) to Little R.

River at normal level, slightly turbid (fish-hazy visibility to 4 ft); warm day for early spring, upper 60s-low 70s, almost all cloudy, but still pretty valley setting despite yet-to-leaf trees. Flies seen were few small groups of midges, and in mid-afternoon for about ½ hr a sparse hatch of caddisflies, which big Rainbows quickly tagged, boiling and slashing.

As usual I mainly fish-hunted, trying to first spot fish, which is impossible in much of the several deep pools. Fished nymphs, soft hackle, Nitro Caddis pupa, and briefly a dry caddis, on 5x tippet, for ~9 hr well into dusk, almost entirely in the upper 4 pools; nobody else on-stream. Landed 6 Rainbows of 9 hooked, 1 each of 12”, 15”, 18”, 20”, 22”, and 24”. The largest landed fish probably broke-off my bead-body/palmer fly 2 weeks ago; it was hooked at the same spot of the river and lacked the fly but had a well-healed notch in a side of the upper jaw. At least 2 of the 3 lost fish were 25-27”; they unhooked, no breakoff. The 2 smallest and the 20” fish had full finnage and best fought relative to their size; the 20” fish twice jumped clear. Jumping and overall sustained fight may be directly related to tail fullness.

Detecting strikes can be difficult. Although I usually use a small orange strike indicator (½ to 2/3” piece of decored orange fly line threaded halfway down the leader), I have no idea of the number of additional takes I may have had (at least 2), as even some clearly detected takes were not overt. A case in point of difficulty in strike detection occurred with the landed 20” fish, which was holding on bedrock at 3-ft depth and 10 ft out from me, while I stood on a rock a few feet above water, thus having good vantage (strange that this fish didn’t spook away, and neither did 2 nearby fish in the 27-30” range that I didn’t return to). During the many times of drifting a green caddis soft hackle near and at the 20” fish, on 3 drifts it moved toward the fly and shook its head excessively; seemingly it had the fly, or the tippet was tangled in teeth, or both. But the indicator didn’t indicate a take, nor did I see the mouth open, and no hookup happened. On the 4^th instance, the fish took off, hooked. Similar instances occurred with some other fish the same day. Thus I’m thinking that fish often self-set the hook, or the pull of current sets it, more so than we think, and we finally learn this when the fish takes off, much-yanking the indicator. I’m thinking too, when in the old days of no indicators/bobbers, we watched the leader or end of line to detect strikes – “Luke, use The Force.”

This main tributary of Wolf Creek in Bland County has ~1 mi leased by the Riverbound group for flies-only and no-kill trout fishing. I had the stream to myself, fished ~3 hr in late afternoon into dusk. Stream mostly 20-40 ft wide; normal level, slightly turbid; much silted; no hatch (excepting an occasional caddisfly and midge). Fish concentrated in pools of upper half of the section. Landed 4 Rainbows, 12-15”, on nymphs or Nitro Caddis pupa. In late dusk a Grizzly (black/brown) Marabou streamer was blasted by 2 briefly hooked 22-24” trout.

Roanoke River - Was fishing in the Roanoke River about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile up stream from the Apperson St. bridge today Friday 3-21-08. Fellow just down from me says to look up and what did I think that was flying over us. No doubt a mature Bald eagle about 200' above the river headed up stream. Was about 2:30 this afternoon. Didn't have a chance to get my digital camera out of the zippered pocket - dang it!

Caught one 13" rainbow just in front of the picnic area at GHP about 4:30 on the trusty woolly bugger. Two small hatches came off around 3:00 - 4:00 pm; but, didn't see any fish rising. Water was good depth for a change and murky.

The stream was recently stocked again, now having a strong trout population at least in the upper section, the only portion I fished. Jake Musick reported finally excellent stream conditions, a fellow hooking 13 trout on 14 casts in one pool, and a gal landing a ~15 lb Rainbow.

Warm early spring day, air into low or mid 60s F, sunny, as predicted, a reason why I planned the 5-hr round trip. River level was up, ~1 ft higher than normal, and had been ~5 ft above normal from big rain of the previous week; runs now are inhabitable by sizeable trout. Water slightly turbid, gray-green, visibility ~2 ft; I couldn’t spot a fish, so all fishing was blind, but to good-looking spots. Seemingly few fish were in runs; none were sighted in the shallow tailout of pools. No hatch occurred; a sparse group of midges was seen in early dusk; 1 caddisfly adult was noted in mid-afternoon; only ~10 rises were detected while fishing, some splashy, indicating caddis emergers. One fish rose 3 times, and was landed on an Anato May nymph.

Fished determinedly for ~8 hr within 1130-2015 hr (late dusk), entirely in the upper 3 pools (Upper Pool, Upper Bluff Pool, and Leafpack Pool). I fished back-and-forth 2-3 times between Upper Bluff and Leafpack pools. At least 3 fish took in each pool; No fish took or were seen in the good-looking deeper part of the run just above Middle Ford.

Hooked 12, landed 7, lost 5 (including 1 broke-off at strike); I had probably much less than 10 other takes. All landed trout were Rainbow: 2 of 15” (good fins), 5 of 20-24” (ample portion of tail missing; full-tail, the fish would have measured 1-3” longer). Lost largest fish, ~26” when almost to net; it had run into backing, and made several short runs too. No aerialists this day. Takes were on Andrij’s grizzly streamer (4 fish), Cazzy’s beadbody palmer (3 or 4 takes), Anato May nymph, and dark green/partridge soft hackle. Tippet 3x, 4x, or 5x; 5-wt rod.

I inititated a new, beautiful (Tiger Maple) landing net made by Art Weiler Flyrods, acquired mainly to net Little River jumbos by its 21” long, shallow-bag hoop. First trout landed measured 21” (or 23” if tail was full). I wanted a larger net to reduce fighting time and, particularly, to apply less stress on trout jaws when the fish is close in. Too many trout in Little R (before today) and Roanoke R have torn jaws. The Little R jumbos seem to take an excessive amount of time to get from 15 ft out to hand or net…

I set a high new personal record for number of flies lost – 9!: 1 fly fished singly and broken-off at strike; 2 flies fished singly, both in trees; 2 of 2-fly rigs with shot in trees; and another 2-fly rig on a rock in the river. So many casting positions were encumbered by trees on my right and/or left, and some trees were across stream, some with low overhanging branches at trout-target spots. Problems included: When trying to avoid tree branches (it takes only 1 branch to snarl), I often cast tight loops, and this sometimes caused major rig tangles. Throwing an open loop, the breeze blew rigs into trees. Regigging, and once to rebuild most of the leader, caused lost fishing time. I got real tired of throwing 2 flies, a shot, and an indicator… Hence I fished a streamer for a good while, and had satisfactory success. I hadn’t fished a streamer, bucktail, or the ilk in ages; smashing takes were a nice change from soft takes of nymphs.

These writings have become my fishing journal… In many years starting in kidhood I devotedly recorded stream conditions, hatches, catch, etc., but in others I didn’t, now lamenting loss of info. Year-to-year records can be valuable. Folks, it would be great if you would post fishing reports.

It was another day of nice spring weather, mid to upper 50s F, sunny, little breeze, and with prospect of midges aflight and trout rising, despite cold water. As I’d been mostly stumped in the previous few days by risers in Take-A-Number Pool, I decided to give it another whirl, to be preceded by bug collecting.

River still low and clear, essentially unaffected by previous localized rain. Reaching the pool at ~1400 hr, Jon Wilson and another fellow were fishing T-A-N Pool. Jon had a fine morning of catch’n, but around 1400 hr midge hatching and trout rising had declined and the fish became persnickity, so he helped me collect insects, these from clean fast-water stones, leaf packs, on land, and in-flight. Insect density in the river seemed low, the animals much the same kinds as collected and preserved in spring 2006 (I’ll write a major report on Roanoke River insects after more sampling this year). Jon said he enjoyed and learned much from the sampling. I added that it’s an interesting feature for understanding the river and angling.

Jon had begun fishing at about 1030 hr and had taken some 10 trout as large as 16-17” in T-A-N Pool on dry flies in the morning and/or early afternoon! He left after bug sampling, the other fellow kept beating the lower end of the pool, so at 1545 hr I began casting to pockets and runs just above the pool, but only agitated the fish there. Over the next few hours until mid dusk (1830 hr), I had 5 certain takes in the upper and middle part of the pool, and landed 2 -- a 10” Brown and a strong 15” Rainbow. Takes were on a #16 Anato May nymph, #18 Black Ant, #14 soft hackle, and #18 midge. Around 1700 hr, midges became numerous and rising increased, at least 10 fish steadily sipping or head-and-tailing. Refusals of my presentations were the rule, dragging flies usually the problem.

Poaching trout in the DHS may be more a problem than I’ve thought. Jon told that upon arriving on 6 Mar at Picnic Pool he saw a guy fishing while dangling a stringer of trout. As Jon approached, the clown ran off, exclaiming “I’m not from around here”. Earlier that day I was told by a local coach that two of his players had recently weighed (indicating killing) and photographed a 5 lb and a 10 lb trout; the coach indicated the fish were taken in the GHP DHS. (I’ll probe this further.) And, there’s the instance/s of trout killed and grilled in the Picnic Pool picnic area, as noted by Hans. Also, in spring 2007 I encountered two spinfishers, one backpacking a small cooler; when I questioned this, I was told the cooler is a tackle box…

Manner of releasing trout by spinfishers frequently is appalling. Often the fish is derricked to chest height, the fish thrashing, at least tearing jaw tissues. Dead trout are too often seen in and along the river. In 2007 a 9-lb Brown was caught in lower Big Pool, and held on a bank while another person left for several minutes to get a camera; upon release the fish bellied-up. Treble hooks, and deep-hooking by baitfishers, are concerns, in addition to illegal baitfishing itself.

Poaching in the DHS of eastern Salem and Roanoke County ’s GHP is at least disheartening; we want to fish where fair numbers of trout live, not in fished-out water. I ask that any persons having specific knowledge of poaching and other illegal or just inappropriate “angler” behavior in these two DHS, please email me (jenkins@roanoke.edu) with specifics of dates, months, seasons, or years; number of poachers; method of taking; and/or number of fish killed – whatever was learned or is recalled.

At the entrance to GHP is a sign requesting applications for the position/s of park maintenance personnel. I hope duties include monitoring of fishing and enforcement of fishing laws.

When in my teens, every issue of one of the major fishing-hunting magazines printed a sidebar: “The violator of fish and game laws is a thief.”

I took advantage of predicted good weather for two days -- above 50 F and rainless. Fished Sun (air upper 50s F) and Mon (upper 50s-mid 60s F); blue sky both days but March winds on Mon often made the river wave-surfaced; stayed overnight in Covington. River in excellent shape, clear, 259 cfs, ~40-42F.

Didymosphenia was present in probably negligible, trace amount in the lower Natural Well area and below. I saw not even a small clump on the substrate, and only once each day a small gob got hooked. This may change as Didymo was reported last week to still heavily infest the area at and near Gathright Dam. In late April 2007, Didymo infested the river for at least 3-4 mi (upper tailwater) below the dam; it waned through summer. Turnover (nutrient release?) of Lake Moomaw this spring may cause increase in Didymo, but during and after turnover in fall 2007 this pest did not increase in the 3-4 mi reach below the dam.

Fished a total of 13 hr, about noon into dusk both days, in two reaches of the upper tailwater. Midge pupa and adults were common. Baetid duns ~#18 were uncommon (abdomen light olive ventrally, dark brown with pale intersegments dorsally, wings pale gray, 2 tails). Tiny (~#26) baetid duns were rarely seen. Small (not tiny), dark-rusty body, stonefly adults occasionally flew off-river, probably after ovipositing (in flight small and medium stoneflies could be mistaken for caddisflies). Very few caddisfly adults were seen. Overall, flies were most commonly evident during 1200-1700 hr. Very few trout were rising, these localized; a few risers took my nymph or pupa. Low water temperature may have suppressed rising but fish in shallow fast water readily took sunken flies.

Landed 22 wild, beautifully colored trout: 18 Rainbows, some of 6-9”, mostly 10-12”, and 1 each of 14”, 14.5” and 15”; 4 Browns, 3 of 9”, 1 of 13”; 3 Browns including the larger one were taken in one small area. Had ~40 other takes, the fish missed or lost; none broke-off. Fished both days essentially entirely with a rig of 1 pupa, 1 nymph,1 shot, and a small orange, decored-flyline indicator (Scientific Anglers) on the leader 4-5 ft out from the flyline; 5x tippet; using the exact same flies both days -- #14 Olive Nitro Caddis, and on point a #16 Anato May (mostly dark, shiny); both flies remain in good shape to be fished again -- amazing durability!

Until two years ago I had never fished the now popular 2-fly rig. Such rigs probably augment the catch but 2 fish landed on 3 Mar had become hog-tied (tippet wrapped) shortly after hooking, wrapping exacerbated by 2 flies; I never had such a mess with 1 fly. Two-fly rigs can kill fish, especially when as happened with both fish, the tippet wrapped the body under and over both gill plates, reducing or prohibiting breathing, and held some fins against the body. When fighting, these fish behaved like “spinners”, a term applied in the 1970s by Hank Norton (Dean of the Smith) to stocked rainbows missing one or more pectoral or pelvic fins, causing them to mainly spin around when hooked…

Driving to the park mainly along some two mi of mostly trout-stocked, non-special-regulated sections of the river in Salem , I keep an eye out for rises, but haven’t seen any. I wonder how successful are the Great Blue Herons occasionally seen. The few, spectacular Hooded Mergansers displaying large white-and-black crests probably take minnows and darters, and I hope no Roanoke Logperch.

River continues low, clear, cold. Air temperature in afternoons was mostly in the 50s F. In Take-A-Number Pool, many trout rose nearly constantly to tiny (and probably average-size, small) midge adults and likely to midge pupae. Adults of Tiny Black Winter Stonefly (Allocapnia) were numerous ashore; while in midriver one crawled on my sleeve. A few adult small-medium Brown (mostly black) Winter Stoneflies (Taeniopteryx-like) were seen on-river, one gulped by a midging trout. No mayflies and caddisflies were noted. Few anglers, all being flyfishers, were in the upper DHS, the only area I visited.

First pool above Picnic Pool should be named Take-A-Number Pool, as noted in my last report, the name based on possibility of catching numerous trout there, and on the number of anglers fishing or waiting a turn. The pool was nearly constantly fished in afternoons of the two days reported here. It was extremely busy, too, with at least 20 midging trout, these ranging 8” to about 18”. Some of the 16-18” (and larger?) trout weren’t rising. Reports by other anglers of other pools, and based on my peeks at Picnic Pool, the pool just above Take-A-Number Pool, and Upper Pool, indicated no or relatively quite less rising.

Fishing was fun, interesting, and frustrating; catch success was limited. During 1500-1815 hr on Sunday and 1400-1815 hr on Mon, I had about 14 clear takes, lost 6 of these fish (tiny hooks; one fish broke off at the fly knot), and landed 4 C--2 Browns of 9”, a 12” Brown, and a 14” Rainbow. Excepting the Rainbow, 3 of the netted fish (Village Idiots) blasted a much-draging or a hanging fly, whereas my casting was mainly to the larger risers (a 16” trout took and was missed). Takes were on #18-22 midge dries and pupae; #16 sunken small black winged stonefly; #16 mayfly nymph; and #12 olive/partridge soft hackle. I believe I had undetected takes on sunken flies, as clear takes of some ticked or hooked fish were barely perceptible.

Fishing problems include breeze and drag, and maybe floating tippet and timing of casts. Too, the trout in Take-A-Number Pool have been pounded, and many seem to have developed a dislike of dragging flies. Rather technical fishing… We may air some fishing problems before or after the next TU meeting (where Andrij Horodysky and I will present on “Roanoke Regional Trout Bugs, Natural and Tyed”).

Roanoke River, Green Hill Park, 15, 16, 18 Feb 2008 (afternoons Fri, Sat, Mon) – Bob Jenkins

River continues low, clear, cold. Air temperature in afternoons mostly in mid to upper 50s F. Few to many trout rising to tiny (and probably average-size, small) midge pupae and/or adults, maybe also taking scant other aquatic fly types. Very few caddis adults seen aflight. Small Black Winter Stoneflies (Allocapnia) in vicinity. Many anglers astream, ca. 80% flyfishers. First pool above Picnic Pool should be named Take-A-Number Pool.

Fri – Fished 1300-1815 hr. Had ca. 15 takes, landed 5 Rainbows of 10-14”, 2 Browns of 10-12”, on caddis larva, midge emerger (Kimball’s Diptera Emerger), or sunken midge adult (Lively’s Straddle-leg Midge); 5x tippet.

Sat – Fished 1600-1815 hr. Had ca. 4 takes, landed 1 Brown of 15” that had been rising but wouldn’t take midge pupa and dry, before falling for a #16 dry Black Ant; all takes with 6x tippet.

Mon – Fished 1400-1715 hr. Had 3 takes, landed 2 Browns of 9-10”, 1 Rainbow of 12”, all on attractor gold-bead-body, grizzly palmer; 6x tippet. Very windy, sometimes roaring, a rare day of me leaving the river before late dusk; leaving was prompted also, right after I sighted an 18” trout in feeding lie, by close intrusion of a streamer-flogger.

On these days, frequent surface-sipping and other types of rises evoked interest and frustration to the non-Woolly Bugger angler. Most midges seen were tiny, ca. #30. Best fish landed, a riser, was taken at day’s end; I was about to leave this fish and the river but recalled reading Art Lee the night before, telling that a possible way to counter “selectivity” is to try an ant, and that did it.

Green Hill Park DHS is a fine angling “laboratory”. It retains a good head of trout, most(?) from the 4 Feb stocking; some anglers cited evidence of a substantial number of fish, some large, remaining from the Oct stocking. In right light and non-wind-rippled surface, fish often can be spotted, stalked, and cast-to. But I sensed that wading or casting sloppily, or continued casting an unwanted fly, or allowing the fly to drag puts still-rising fish quickly on guard, reticent to take; some fish become overtly agitated or simply depart.

On Sat while fishing to risers, two college-age spin fisherman waded in, and in a brief period landed and released 3 trout, 2 of ca. 14” and 1 ca. 20”. The 3 fish were poorly handled, the 2 smaller ones were unhooked while hanging at chest height from a bent-double rod. While the larger trout was held against the kid’s chest for a photo, it flopped back into the river, and broke off still lure-hooked. I tried to explain to them about proper handling and release of fish. On Mon 3 kids were worm-fishing picnic pool, and left when I told them that bait-fishing was disallowed in the DHS, that they could legally bait-fish in much of the Salem reach.

Stopped by the park, on the way to visit my son in Salem, about 3:00 pm. Nice at about 60+ degrees; but, pretty windy. Water fairly clear and a
decent flow; but, still down quite a bit from normal. However, didn't see any fish walking upstream this time. Few folks in the river near
picnic shelter area, above and below it; so; started at the upper area below the locked gate. No takes in about 30-45 minutes; so, went down to
the big pool by the picnic shelter. Fished about half an hour. Used a small black, bead head, Wooly Bugger with a few strands of crystal flash
added to the body and back thru the tail. Let it sink and slow drifted through the big hole above the rope swing. Caught three with two making
it in the "No Lying" measuring net! The takes were all pretty subtle. One 16" rainbow and one 14" brown; other appeared to be a nice sized
rainbow before the "quick release" just before the net. Young fellow came down to fish just above me; so, got out and told him there was a
nice pod in the area and gave him a couple of flies. Talked to my son while we watched him fish and he caught two nice rainbows in about ten
minutes. He was using an indicator fly; but, got the takes on a nymph of some sort. Better news is my granddaughter, on her way home from Roanoke
College, called her dad to report that a Game Warden was checking people down in the Colorado St. bridge area and as we were leaving Green Hill
Park about 4:30 the Warden drove into the Park. Hoped he checked a couple of dudes that went hustling down to the river, sans wading boots,
and with spinning rods just as we were leaving. They may have been legit; but, wouldn't bet the family farm on it! Dick Taylor

The SUV was packed and I was headed to the Jackson to fish dryflies to a long pool of many risers on midges, the latter noted two days earlier when I fell in the river – nothing like getting back in the saddle today. Thankfully I stopped in office to get coffee and check hydrograph, and as we knew to impend, the 115 cfs of the last two months (through yesterday) was upped to 400+ cfs, and after one more day it’s now 518 cfs, unfishable by wading. So I did some work in office, and checked the Roanoke Valley TU website – Aha, the Delayed Harvest Sections of Roanoke River, Salem and Green Hill Park, were stocked on Mon, 4 Feb, and today was looking a pretty day…

River clear, ~100 cfs (down but nicely flowing); water ~43 F; air ~55 F. Substrate in well-moving water clean (unlike major slick brown floc currently in slow and fast water in Jackson R). River “busy” with anglers, mostly flyfishers, but not truly crowded. Good numbers of midges hatching and aflight; 1-2 caddis adults seen to fly off-water; Tiny Black Winter Stoneflies (Allocapnia) on land, some crawling on anglers.

Fished 1300-1800 hr, almost entirely in Picnic Pool. Had ~10 takes on nymphs or Nitro Caddis, 5x tippet; dry Elk Hair Caddis didn’t take a fish unless the fly had sunk. Landed 5 – Rainbows of 14”, 15”; Browns of 12”, 14.5”, and 21”. Picnic Pool had a few occasional risers, probably at least mainly to midges (adults and/or pupae); midge adults were uncommon, but enough to get some fish interested in near/surface feeding. I couldn’t get two very interesting bulgers along far bank to take; must revisit them.

In early dusk I moved upstream to a pool whose tail had numerous risers and was being fished by a guy throwing a streamer and landing a few fish. I stood by the edge of the run above the pool watching, and was invited to fish too. A few casts in the cobble-and-boulder-floored run with a tandem rig of a Nitro Caddis at point and a blue-and-silver midge larva above – the line tightened – big fish on -- WOW; good fight including a long run, this from the 21” Brown, my largest Brown ever. I quit while ahead…

The two smaller Browns had entirely brown or black spots; the large one had many orange spots on the sides, and an overall orange-coppery sheen between the spots.

One wonders about the level of poaching in the DH sections. In some seasons or years it may not be bad, as evidenced from talking with another angler who in Dec-Jan has been catching or seeing numerous trout, some large, likely holdovers from the October stocking.

Please submit your input to Jon Wilson Please include your name, specific dates, streams, areas, flies used, water conditions, etc. We will make every attempt to update this page on a timely basis.

Disclaimer - This writer accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the information presented or your success in following it. If you're good you'll catch fish anyway - well maybe.