Tommy Lawhorne watched his fly intently as it bounced along downstream on the crest of the water. Staring at his pattern closely, he held his fly rod in one hand and gathered up spare fly line in the other, ever mindful of his pattern moving slowly downstream. As the fly passed a half submerged log I could see the surface of the water break where the now-missing fly had been, and Lawhorn's rod bent—the sure sign of a fish struggling against being landed. After a brief tug-of-war Lawhorne lifted out of the water a beautiful brown trout with a golden brown back and blue-red haloed spots on its belly. Lawhorne smiled and said, "I've got the home court advantage."

This idyllic scene—complete with clear water and hard-fighting trout—wasn’t set on some exotic Western river. Lawhorn, a Shenandoah Valley guide and resident expert of Augusta County’s South River, had invited me to try out his home waters. We weren’t in the Shenandoah National Park, or along the St. Mary's River, or even on Mossy Creek or one of the other two dozen trout streams in Augusta County. Rather, I was standing knee-deep in the clear cold waters of the South River. And not in some remote forested spot; incredibly, we were trout fishing in the center of downtown Waynesboro, the new fly fishing capital of Virginia.

Waynesboro, a small but thriving city just 30 miles west of Charlottesville off of Interstate 64, is quietly making a name for itself in the fly fishing world. Named after Revolutionary War hero Anthony Wayne, the city is the birthplace of The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival (VFFF), the largest fly fishing event in the entire state. The festival, held each year in April on the banks of the South River, got a slow start and had more than its share of naysayers in its early years. Now, however, the festival has found its feet and is gaining national attention and drawing vendors and attendees from as far away as Alaska.

Here's your chance to meet Bob Clouser, and take a gander at all the latest gear while sampling the offerings of five of Virginia's top wineries, at this year's Virginia Fly Fishing Festival.

You can also try your hand a wining over $10,000 worth of gear in the festival raffles. This year's grand prize is a weeks fishing in Alaska plus airfare for only $20!

Other prizes include a Malibu Kayak and a WaterSkeeter Pontoon Boat.

Admission is only $10. For information go to www.vaflyfishingfestival.org.

Waynesboro is one of only two urban trout fisheries in the state, so it is perhaps fitting that in 1999 the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival was founded not by fishermen or conservationists but instead by the nonprofit Waynesboro Downtown Development Incorporated (WDDI). After all, these businessmen and women reasoned, the South River runs right through the city’s downtown and adjacent to one of its parks. Why not highlight the trout stream as a tourist attraction? What began that spring as a simple affair with a few curious onlookers has become an enormous draw for fly angling tourists, many of whom travel from around the Mid-Atlantic to spend the weekend in Waynesboro and attend the annual festival.

Not long after its inception, the festival committee realized that their event had the potential to affect much more than the economic development of downtown Waynesboro. As a result, the committee earmarks the bulk of the proceeds from this not-for-profit event to fund conservation efforts throughout the state and in the South River specifically. Indeed, the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is an example of what conservation-minded local governments, businesses, and citizens can accomplish on behalf of the environment when they work together rather than against one another.

What is good for aquatic habitats also happens to be great fun for fly anglers and their families. Festival sponsor Orvis, arguably the best known name in fly fishing, will have a riverside Orvis Instructional Tent at the 2006 event, with Orvis personnel on hand to provide free instruction and coupons to attendees. Rich Heigel, manager of the Orvis flagship store near Richmond, loves the concept of on-stream instruction: The 2005 festival was “one of the best fly fishing events I have ever seen anywhere,” he says. “You could just feel the excitement. My problem is deciding who gets to work at the festival. None of my employees want to stay at the store during the festival—they all want to be there. And frankly, so do I.”

This year Subaru, best known for its commitment to all-wheel drive and to outdoor sports, joins the ranks of festival sponsors as the Official Festival Vehicle. Other sponsors include Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc., SunTrust Bank, Virginia Sportsman, Dominion Power, Gander Mountain, Virginia Living, St. Croix fly rods, Augusta County, Brookside Flies, and Water Skeeter, all of which donate cash or products to the cause, which in turn are used to pay for the festival or are raffled off to attendees. This year’s Grand Prize raffle is a week’s free fishing in Alaska (including round trip airfare from Dulles International Airport) courtesy of festival sponsor Alaska Trophy Adventures Lodge.

To broaden the festival’s appeal to anglers and non-anglers alike, the event also includes wine tasting from five of Virginia’s top wineries as well as live riverside music. In this way, the festival becomes an event that the entire family can enjoy. And city businesses benefit from the broad appeal of the festival as well because attendees often stay for the weekend in one of the area’s charming B&Bs—like the Belle Hearth Inn, for example, where many of the festival speakers stay—or hotels (Waynesboro’s Quality Inn has nearly two dozen rooms reserved specifically for vendors and attendees). Naturally the city’s restaurants, shops, and other service establishments also benefit from the tourist dollars.

The festival’s unique approach to promoting conservation has garnered praise from Trout Unlimited, the Federation of Fly Fishers, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, all of which have a stake in its success. In 2005 the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association presented the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival with the Joe Penfold Award in honor of its influence on grass-roots conservation efforts. Festival committee member Dana Quillen says that sometimes she still “can't believe that it has become so successful. I can still remember folks telling me that I was out of my mind for backing this crazy fly fishing festival idea. Our hope,” she says, “is to continue to partner with organizations like Trout Unlimited to improve water quality and fish habitat for the South River and to support the business community, too.”

In preparation for the upcoming Virginia Flyfishing Festival, it is only proper that I tell you about flyfishing from the kayak. It was actually during a kayak ecotour that it dawned to me that the kayak can be used to get to fishy spots that no boats or waders can even dream to go. It was in the summer of 1997 that I was selected for an internship with the US Fish and Wildlife Service at Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Reserve in eastern NC. After a few days I found that I would need to supplement the $50/week stipend that we received for working there. I noticed that there was a rack of fairly new Ocean Kayaks, located near one of the boating access sites. After some quick research I found out that they were owned by Oracoke Adventures. So I talked to the owner and worked out a deal to guide ecotours on the lake. On the first tour I found some very fish area with clear shallow water and thousand of bedding bream. From that point on I always carried a fly rod with me on my trips. It did not take long for the ecotrips to become guided kayak fishing tours. Being an employee, I had access to fishing spots that had almost no fishing pressure. To make a long story short, this little venture would allow me to drink beer and eat pizza for the rest of the summer. This also started my passion for fishing from the kayak.

I cannot tell you enough about the benefit of fishing, in general, from a kayak. But combine kayaking with flyfishing, and you have the perfect synergy of form and function.

First of all the kayak eliminates just about every access issue that you may encounter. If you have access to the water, you can simply put the kayak in, and paddle to the nearest fishing hole. The kayak will become the best pair of waders that you have ever owned. Unlike waders, with the kayak you will be able to fish in places with bottoms that are too soft for wading. The kayak will also give you access to areas that are too deep to wade. With the kayak no fish will be out of reach, as long as you are willing to paddle there. Virginia has hundreds of kayak friendly access areas in both fresh and saltwater.

There is not a better way to get close to fish; sometimes you are too close to use the fly rod effectively. This is the only disadvantage of being so quiet, the benefit is that you can get closer to fish and not have to be a champion flycaster. The key is to learn the signs that indicate that fish are near, such as nervous water and erratic bait movement. Polarized glasses are also a good idea as you are lower to the water and more susceptible to glare. This will, in turn make you a more effective flycaster, give you a boost of confidence, and lessen the frustration that causes so many to give up flyfishing. With a kayak you will never have to say,” I wish I could cast twenty more feet.” Just paddle a little bit closer. Even with an electric motor you cannot sneak up on fish like you can with the kayak. It is truly amazing to be at the same level as the fish, almost like becoming a member of their school.

Although kayak fishing is not high impact exercise, it is a good way to sneak in a great upper body workout. In stalking weary fish you n are constantly trying to get into the optimum position to cast. You do not realize the amount of paddling you will do to catch a nice fish. And when you do catch a fish it makes all that maneuvering worth the effort. A fishing trip can be slow and relaxed, or fast and extreme, that choice is up to you. Who knows, at the end of the summer you might even notice a slimmer profile when you stand in front of the bathroom mirror. You may even notice that you have more energy and lower cholesterol. As with any exercise check with your doctor to see if kayak fishing is right for you. Keep in mind that the average speed of a kayak is about 5mph, so don’t be in a hurry to get to a fishing location, if you need to get their fast, well get a motorboat.

Kayak fishing is also environmentally friendly. By using you kayak you are saving fuel and reducing pollution. Only gas you need is a Snickers bar and a Coke, at least which works for me. I guess water and granola bars would be healthier, but hey, at least we are getting exercise. Kayaks also are less likely to disturb fragile ecosystems and wildlife. Most of the time you can paddle right up to ospreys and herons and they hardly notice you.

For flyfishing I prefer Sit On Top (SOT) kayaks, they are much safer than sit in kayaks and easier to rig for fishing. There are several manufactures out there that make very fishable kayaks, but my personal favorites for flyfishing are the Tarpon 120, 140, and 160 by Wilderness Systems and the X-factor and Extreme by Malibu kayaks. These two companies offer very stable kayaks with flat floors that allow for fly friendly rigging. Some of these you can even stand in. Both kayaks are easy to paddle and are available in a range of colors. For more information on these kayaks, check out www.wildernesssystems.com or www.malibukayaks.com on the internet.

There are so many rigging options that it can make your head spin, for fly fishing it is best to keep things simple. It is better to mount you rod holders behind you and out of the way of you back cast. The deck in front of you should be clear as not to snag your flylines. SOT’s afford you more options for tackle, I like kayaks with tankwell. In the tankwell place a milk crate, this is where I store all my gear for ready access. I keep small items, such as chapstick, bug repellent, first aid kit, sunscreen and survival gear in clear dry bags. Flies can be carried in bags, or as I prefer, in floating foam fly boxes. I also keep a soft sided cooler on my kayak for lunch and liquid refreshment. In the forward storage hatch I keep a dry bag with dry clothes, towel, waders and my wading jacket. I carry waders and a breathable wading jacket, this doubles as rain gear if the weather gets nasty. Anchor shuttles and anchors are also a necessity for flyfishing; with this system you can angle you kayak for optimum casting with the fly rod. This is really handy when fishing in a current near structure, in my case, fishing at night at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

I hope that if you own a flyrod this will inspire you to try out a kayak, and if you own a kayak you might try the flyrod. However you do it, I promise an exciting adventure. Thanks for taking time to read my articles. In the next few months we plan on some very cool kayak fishing adventures, from Shad fishing on the Nottoway to Spade fish at the Chesapeake Light Tower. It is going to be a great summer.

Daffodils are pushing their bright faces skyward, and birds you haven’t seen for six months are showing up in your front yard. Kids across the state are growing restless at their school desks, and anglers are combing through the gear they abandoned months ago and planning their first fishing trip of the season. It can mean only one thing: Spring has finally sprung. Naturally you’re eager to hit the water at the first sign of the new season. The question is, what do you fish for? There’s only one answer if you want non-stop action in the early part of April, you want to go shad fishing!

Shad, members of the herring family, are an anadromous fish; that is, they’re born in fresh water and then migrate to saltwater, where they live until they reach maturity. This maturing process can take anywhere from four to five years depending on the particular species of shad and their environment. The shad then return to fresh water to spawn, generally in the early to late spring. The largest concentrations of shad in the U.S. inhabit waters from North Carolina to the Gulf of Maine. Shad show up as early as January in places like Florida but in Virginia, shad tend to arrive about the last week of March and continue to migrate through the beginning of May.

Shad have a long and colorful history in Virginia that predates the founding of the country itself. Captain John Smith, who in 1607 discovered the granddaddy of Virginia rivers, the venerable James and shrewdly named it after his king claimed that there were so many stripers and shad in the river that they could be scooped out of the water with a frying pan. Early Virginia colonists’ records indicate that cattle and horses had to be moved from their riverside pens in the spring because the shad migration was so large that the teeming schools of fish would actually frighten the livestock.

Thinking like a Shad

First time shad fishing? Here are a few tips. First, shad are leaving waters that in some places are hundreds of feet deep to travel up shallow rivers. I have seen shad migrating up rivers that are so shallow their dorsal fins are actually out of the water. Herons, seagulls, and garden-variety crows are accomplished anglers, too, and they don’t miss an opportunity to snack on shad when the opportunity presents itself. To avoid these predators and to ease their travel, shad tend to stay in the deeper parts of the river.

Second, shad like current. Scout out moving water and back eddies where fish might pause to catch their breath while traveling upstream. I have seen places where shad school up so thick you can’t miss them. Good shad holding areas are common on some rivers, but remember places like the Rappahannock River have banks and shorelines that are constantly changing. Be sure to take the time to scout out the river, you may find your favorite hole is no longer there.

Finally, shad don’t really eat on their upriver trek until after they’ve spawned. At this point you’re wondering, How do you catch a fish that doesn’t eat? The shad has a one-track mind at this time of year, and you can use his preoccupation to your advantage. You see, the shad is only interested in finding Ms. Right, and he’ll strike out at anything that delays or irritates him. And that’s where your fly comes in.

Gearing Up

Small, brightly colored flies are the ticket to successfully luring a shad to strike. Shad have small mouths, so sizes #4 through #10 are your best bet. Three of my favorite patterns are Buggits and Tommy’s Torpedoes, and Tommy’s Flash Torpedoes all are made by Brookside Flies (www.brooksideflies.com) of Denver, Colorado. Although you can fish these patterns for any number of species including trout, steelhead, and bass, I have found them to be especially effective on shad. I have used these patterns on both coasts, and they are solid producers. It is also worth noting that Tommy’s Torpedoes were invented by fly fishing and light tackle guide Captain Tommy Mattioli (www.matty-j.com), out of Hampton, Virginia.

Appropriate fly lines for shad fishing depend on the size and depth of the river. If for example you’re fishing for shad in deep water deep enough for an engine-powered boat or in a river with heavy current, you’ll need a sinking line. I like lines in the 200-300 grain weights best because they allow you to fish most of the river’s water column. Casting expert Tim Rajeff (www.rajeffsports.com) recently designed a fly line for Airflo precisely for this type of fishing, called the Quick Max Depth Finder. This line has all the grain weight you need to get down, but a shorter head that allows anglers to roll cast easier from a boat or while wading.

If you plan on fishing a shallow river, you can probably get away with a #6 rod and a sink tip or modified sink tip line. If instead you’ll be using a boat or fishing in a river with lots of current, you may opt for a larger rod in the #8 or #9 range. Your casting ability will determine what line you’ll mostly likely use. Casting a weighted line can be a bit of a challenge for beginners, so you may need a lesson or two. Also, I would like to point out that these little fish have allot of heart and will fight to the bitter end. Keep this in mind and get your shad in quickly and release them gently.

Hitting the River

There are many rivers in the Old Dominion that offer great shad fishing. Some of the most popular include the Rappahannock, James, Potomac (technically this is a Maryland river) the Nottoway and the Pamunkey. Be sure to hit your local fly shop for tips, effective local patterns, and guide recommendations before you hit the river. And then be prepared for a blast: Shad travel in large schools, making them great targets for beginners each spring. These fish are very forgiving and tend to strike multiple times on a single cast. Once on your line, they put up a tremendous fight, making them popular among seasoned anglers as well as novices. Shad may not be as glamorous a target as trout, but they are plentiful, they are feisty and I’ve found that they are at least as much fun.

Fly shops that have a large shad following include but are not limited to:

• Angler’s Lie (703-527-2524)
• Orvis Tyson’s Corner (703-556-8634)
• Orvis Clarendon (703-465-0044)
• Orvis Richmond (804-253-9000)
• Fly Fish the World (804-282-5527)

Beau Beasley is the Director of The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival (www.vaflyfishingfestival.org), the largest fly fishing event in the state. His first book A No- Nonsense Guide to Fly Fishing Virginia, is due out April 2007.