Smallmouth Bass Streams Fly Fishing Report - September 10, 2025

The North and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are getting low but we are still fishing them. With the lower water levels we have switched to lighter flies. This weeks recommendations: 

• Rubber Leg Nymph, Brown size 6 or 8
• Murray's Strymph, black or olive size 8
• Murray's Crayfish, olive size 6
• Clouser Crayfish, olive size 6
• Murray's Regular Hellgrammite size 6 (without dumbell eyes)
• Shenandoah Chartreuse Chugger size 6 (fish along the shady banks in the afternoon)

Fish these on a Bright Butt 9ft 2X leader. 

Wade as cautiously as you can so you are not spooking the bass. Fish along shady banks and downed trees. The water temperatures is getting cooler so some anglers are starting to use chest high waders, others are still wet wading.

On the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, better water levels are from Chapman's Landing downstream to Seven Bends State Park (Lupton access). 

The South Fork of the Shenandoah River is better for floating in kayaks. Any area from Luray to the Shenandoah River State Park is doing well. 

For more information see my book Fly Fishing the Shenandoah River for Smallmouth Bass.