Day trip suggestions no too far from Arlington

[Jeff Silvan]

I've been lucky enough (I think?) to get my girlfriend into fly fishing. She's asked me to take her somewhere other than the normal spots on the Potomac in the DC area this weekend. Does anyone have any good suggestions where access will be relatively easy and the locations will be relatively conducive to a new fly fisher's abilities? We'd either need to be able to wet wade (shouldn't be a big issue this time of the year) or if there's a lake, it should have rowboats for rent or something stable enough for her to be comfortable casting. I'd like to keep it within about an hour or an hour and a half drive of Arlington. Thanks!

Jeff

[Dalton Terrell]

Check this huge post from a couple weeks back: https://groups.google.com/d/topic/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/LHrjStiQI6k/discussion 

Dalton

[Jeff Silvan]

Dalton, thanks. Now that you reminded me of it, I distinctly remember even reading it. Sorry for the double post!

[Matt Geiman]

Jeff, 

      I suggest the South Fork of the Shenandoah. The are some canoe outfitters on the river that will give you a rental, and shuttle service. As you float down the river, you could position the boat so she has easy targets. Smallmouth and sunfish are abundant in the river, and will take your standard bas/panfish flies.   I havn't fished the river this year, but I'm sure someone on the forum can give you a report.

[namfos]

If the water wasn't so warm, I'd suggest heading up to the areas downstream of Dam #5 on the Potomac, http://goo.gl/maps/JOKkG.  It's pretty easy wading.  I was up there on July 4 early morning, the water was 84 degrees and with the exception of one hard-pulling bluegill, it was  skunk city. I'll head back when the weather cools off, perhaps mid-September.   The catfish bite appeared to be on as there were about a half dozen guys at the base of the damn chucking bait - at 5:30am, when I arrived, it appeared they'd been there for hours.   You might also want to check out the Harpers Ferry area, though I've only caught a few small smallies and some sunfish in two day trips this year.

On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 9:56:05 AM UTC-4, Jeff Silvan wrote: