FLYMASTERVirginia · river
South 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
South River Near Waynesboro, VA, 2 mi from the river.
26cfsat build, Nov 12, 11 AM MT
The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 34 cfs to 211 cfs, around 54 cfs.
Also gauged at South River Near Dooms, VA: 48 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: 34 to 211 cfs. Running 26 cfs today, below 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
- South River Fly Shop WaynesboroWebsite
Nearby waters
- Moormans River16 mi
- Mossy Creek21 mi
- Smith Creek38 mi
- Rapidan River40 mi
- Staunton River41 mi
- South Fork Shenandoah River47 mi
- Jackson River48 mi
Open South 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.