Rappahannock River report? got one?

[rudy1337]

Well I think I may finally be able to get to do the float trip I was trying to do last year. We got rained out last year, and then multiple things happend keeping me from doing the float.
I am looking to float from Ely's Ford on the Rapidan to Mott's Landing. Camping around the Confluence.
Has anyone been on the river recently and have anything they would like to share?
What was the water temp?
Any patterns you want to share?

Looking to put in Friday morning. Looking at USGS I think the water level will have recovered fine by then and be well below the recommend safe level...it's not even above it now!

Thanks

[HookUp]

They're callling for rain on Thursday. Watch those guages carefully.

[Steelyak]

I was out last Friday and had a tough time catching smallies, but I was being stubborn and fly fishing with floating line and may not have been getting deep enough. Guys are killing it on other local rivers, so I would assume that you should do well. As HU mentioned I would watch the Rapp and Rapidan gauges very carefully!!

[joepilot]

10 of us did a float from Kelly's to Motts 4/20-4/22 Friday we caught fish all day from rock bass, large mouth 3.5lb to small mouth just under 4 one of the best fighter's I ever hooked pulled the kayak around. We camped at snake castle river right . Sat was a great day , fished most of the day then paddled hard to get below the confluence before the thunderstorms came in camped river right below power lines . Sunday paddled last 7 miles to Motts in a cold rain 46deg wind in your face all the (how does it do that). All had a great time .
Fish caught on Z-MAN pumpkin green, PB&J , topwater baits and broken backs. some used spinners but caught less . Water was 3.4ft at Remington would have like to have had 3.75 my new Ride 135 took a lot of hits with the wind blowing the water so you couldn't see rocks.
Joe

[HookUp]

Right now the Rapp's @ 3.1 at F-burg & the river is slowly rising.

Tomorrow they're calling for rain.

The Friends of the Rappahannock recommend that river levels greater than 3.2 ft at the Fredericksburg gage are unsafe for recreational use.

I've done it @ 5' and had fun. I'm a decent paddler and use to do allot of white water. It can be done, but know your skill level.

Watch those guages. That river changes by the hour.

[Steelyak]

Joepilot-
Saw your trucks on Friday we were jealous of you guys going for an overnighter! We caught plenty of rock bass from Remington to Kellys but couldn't find the smallies, were they feeding near current or deep pools on Friday? I thought we'd slay b/c of the cloud cover but we only caught fall fish and rock bass.

[joepilot]

Steelyak they were mostly in the deep holes but the biggest came from under a log just off the bank

[HookUp]

the biggest came from under a log just off the bank

Same pattern I experianced about 400 miles north last weekend.

[harm]

Rudy,

I did this trip in May last year, and had a great time. We caught tons of fish in the eddies behind boulders and ledges with tubes, flukes, and senkos.

I hope the river levels stay down for you and you can get out there. Good luck!

Mike

[Steelyak]

Steelyak they were mostly in the deep holes but the biggest came from under a log just off the bank

Cool, i figured they must've been deep..thanks!