FLYMASTERVirginia · river
South Fork Shenandoah River
The Shenandoah River is the principal tributary of the Potomac River, 55.6 miles (89.5 km) long with two forks approximately 100 miles (160 km) long each, in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. The river and its tributaries drain the central and lower Shenandoah Valley and the Page Valley in the Appalachians on the west side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in northwestern Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. From Wikipedia
- Length
- 150 mi
- Basin
- 2,937 sq mi
- Flows into
- Potomac River
Flow now
S F Shenandoah River Near Luray, VA, 0 mi from the river.
389cfsat build, Nov 12, 11 AM MT
The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 391 cfs to 1,250 cfs, around 553 cfs.
Also gauged at Smith Creek Near New Market, VA: 21 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: 391 to 1,250 cfs. Running 389 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
- Mossy Creek Fly Fishing HarrisonburgWebsiteFishing report, updated Nov 2
- South River Fly Shop WaynesboroWebsite
Nearby waters
- Smith Creek12 mi
- Staunton River15 mi
- Rapidan River30 mi
- Moormans River36 mi
- Mossy Creek38 mi
- Shenandoah River44 mi
- South River47 mi
Open South Fork Shenandoah River in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.
Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.