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Rappahannock River

The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately 195 miles (314 km) in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west where it rises, across the Piedmont to the Fall Line, and onward through the coastal plain to flow into the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River. From Wikipedia

Length
184 mi
Basin
2,859 sq mi
Rises at
Blue Ridge Mountains
Flows into
Chesapeake Bay

Flow now

Rappahannock River Near Fredericksburg, VA, 13 mi from the river.

291cfsat build, Nov 12, 12 PM MT

02,0704,140Oct 13Nov 11

The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 275 cfs to 1,220 cfs, around 523 cfs.

Water temperature at the gauge: 56°F.

Also gauged at Mattaponi River Near Bowling Green, VA: 26 cfs, Nov 12.

The season, November

Usually workable this week. Pick your window and fish it well.

  • Midgessizes 18 to 22
  • Small eggs and worms
  • Pheasant tail and zebra midge nymphsunder an indicator

Typical for the week over 10 years: 275 to 1,220 cfs. Running 291 cfs today, inside that range. Flows are not forecast; check the gauge the day before.

Brown Trout are spawning (October to December). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Brook Trout are spawning (September to November). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.

Mountain Whitefish are spawning (October to December). The egg bite behind spawning whitefish is the best winter nymphing of the year: an egg pattern below the riffles.

  • Flows swing a lot this week most years. Carry both a heavy nymph rig and a dry-dropper and let the gauge decide.
  • Egg patterns in the runs below the spawning gravel, never on it.

Written by the app's rules engine from the calendar, the gauge record and the snowpack, not by hand, so it says only what the data says. The weather for the week comes with the app.

Fly shops on this water

Nearby waters

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Open Rappahannock River in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.

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Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.