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Back from my overnighter on the Shenandoah with my son and a new fella.
We have been running the Doah for 15+ years,,, it has changed drastically in the last 3-5 years. we experianced 2-3 TIMES the number of people on the river and camping riverside,, the days of "back to nature" on the Doah are gone.
More outfitters are running "tubers" down the river,, by the hundreds now,,
What has drastically changed is farmers discovered they could "rent" their fields to large (200-400) groups from DC and NOVA and turn the river into a street festival. I knew The Shenandoah Valley would eventually get swallowed up by the DC metroplex,, but did not expect it this quick.
Anyhow,,
Trip was good besides the crowds. Son and I were 25 and 30+ smallies per day.
Water level was perfect, temps were good.
cooked burgers over the fire, sipped whiskey, slept in a hammock
I run 4 rigged rods:
1) for top water (I use a small buzz bait, son uses a small wopper plopper)
2) Wee crawl crankbait
3) UL rod with 1/16 - 1/8 Road Runner and 3" grub/twisty tail
4) Ned Rig or Senko for slow presentation in slack water.
I am casting a different rod every few cast sometimes, it all depends on the situation.
I run a stakeout pole, to hold my kayak in moving water if I want to fish an area,, then I may move 25' and stakeout or high center a rock to stop and work an area again.
The cloudier it is, the more the top water is thrown,, if I am drifting by a small patch of "eddy" and the sun goes behind a cloud, the top water is thrown,,
If there is a deep pool and it is sunny, the need rig or senko.
The wee crawl is thrown between ledges in the troughs,,
The UL with the RR and grub is my "I'm bored and wanna catch some dinks" set up. I'll throw that in the riffles and get a few 6-10" fish,, then go back to the other set ups.
What works one day,, doesn't the next day,,, and things change throughout the day,, constantly changing it up color wise to dial it in.
DSCN3184.jpg
DSCN3188.jpg
DSCN3190.jpg
DSCN3215.jpg
We have been running the Doah for 15+ years,,, it has changed drastically in the last 3-5 years. we experianced 2-3 TIMES the number of people on the river and camping riverside,, the days of "back to nature" on the Doah are gone.
More outfitters are running "tubers" down the river,, by the hundreds now,,
What has drastically changed is farmers discovered they could "rent" their fields to large (200-400) groups from DC and NOVA and turn the river into a street festival. I knew The Shenandoah Valley would eventually get swallowed up by the DC metroplex,, but did not expect it this quick.
Anyhow,,
Trip was good besides the crowds. Son and I were 25 and 30+ smallies per day.
Water level was perfect, temps were good.
cooked burgers over the fire, sipped whiskey, slept in a hammock
I run 4 rigged rods:
1) for top water (I use a small buzz bait, son uses a small wopper plopper)
2) Wee crawl crankbait
3) UL rod with 1/16 - 1/8 Road Runner and 3" grub/twisty tail
4) Ned Rig or Senko for slow presentation in slack water.
I am casting a different rod every few cast sometimes, it all depends on the situation.
I run a stakeout pole, to hold my kayak in moving water if I want to fish an area,, then I may move 25' and stakeout or high center a rock to stop and work an area again.
The cloudier it is, the more the top water is thrown,, if I am drifting by a small patch of "eddy" and the sun goes behind a cloud, the top water is thrown,,
If there is a deep pool and it is sunny, the need rig or senko.
The wee crawl is thrown between ledges in the troughs,,
The UL with the RR and grub is my "I'm bored and wanna catch some dinks" set up. I'll throw that in the riffles and get a few 6-10" fish,, then go back to the other set ups.
What works one day,, doesn't the next day,,, and things change throughout the day,, constantly changing it up color wise to dial it in.
DSCN3184.jpg
DSCN3188.jpg
DSCN3190.jpg
DSCN3215.jpg
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