Fishing Season: Year Round

Mossy Creek - VA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

65

Mossy Creek Fly Fishing's Tip of the Week

Check out the trico hatches in the early morning hours and also look for sulphur spinners in the evening hours. Fishing early and late can enhance your success. Also fish on overcast days as this can bring about better dry fly fishing this time of year.

Directions open in app

Map of Mossy Creek

5-Day Outlook as of 9/13/21

Detailed Forecast TodayMostly sunny, with a high near 88. Light southwest wind. TonightPatchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 65. Light and variable wind. TuesdayA slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tuesday NightMostly clear, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 3 to 5 mph. WednesdayA chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Wednesday NightA chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 30%. ThursdayA chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Thursday NightA chance of showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 30%. FridayA chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Friday NightA chance of showers before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 30%. SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 84. Saturday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 64. SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Techniques & Tips as of 9/13/21

Fish streamers during this period of turbidity. The latest storm really caused a stir in the aquifer and the creek has been running stained for quite some time.

Current Conditions as of 9/13/21

Detailed Forecast TodayMostly sunny, with a high near 88. Light southwest wind. TonightPatchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 65. Light and variable wind. TuesdayA slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tuesday NightMostly clear, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 3 to 5 mph. WednesdayA chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Wednesday NightA chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 30%. ThursdayA chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Thursday NightA chance of showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 30%. FridayA chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Friday NightA chance of showers before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 30%. SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 84. Saturday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 64. SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Local Species Available Year Round

  • Fish Icon

    Brown Trout

Mossy Creek Fly Fishing's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Birchell's Hatching Midge tan, brown, green 20
Spotlight Caddis Emerger N/A 16
Sparkle Dun black 18
Indicator Spinner - Trico black, red 14-16
Near Nuff Sculpin N/A 4,6,8,10
Trow Minnow Black 2,4,6
Muddler Minnow N/A 12-16
Vernille San Juan Worm N/A 12-16
PMX rust 10, 8
Kreelex Gold/Copper 8,6,4

Birchell's Hatching Midge

This midge fly pattern can be used as a dry fly or emerger.

2.49

Item #12A1

Buy Now

Mossy Creek Fly Fishing's Recommended Gear

Description: About Mossy Creek

Mossy Creek is a peaceful limestone spring creek that meanders from its springhead in the village of Mt Solon about 8 miles to its confluence with the North River. It is similar to Pennsylvania spring creeks with fishable hatches of many species of mayflies and caddis. A four mile section of Mossy is open to the public thanks to an arrangement worked out by the landowners, Trout Unlimited, and The Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries. Each fall Mossy is stocked with fingerling brown trout. These fish grow quickly and the individuals that last a few years are as wild and wily as any stream born trout. Contrary to the information given in some regional guide books, Mossy is an extremely challenging stream and is not recommended as a place for beginners. Dry fly fishermen, familiar with Mossy's moods fish it carefully and slowly, often crouching or kneeling along the bank. Surface action can take place all year with tiny Olives hatching sporadically throughout the winter. By mid April hatches of larger blue winged olives and sulphurs become regular. Trico action usually begins around Memorial Day and can last until Halloween. It is the summer dry fly fishing for which Mossy is most famous. Most of the public section runs through open meadows. By late July trout are used to seeing grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, and ants and the fish become very aggressive on the surface. The average fisherman has his best chance of seeing and hooking really big fish in Mossy at this time. Streamer fishing on Mossy can also bring about some action from the largest fish. The best opportunity we usually see for landing the largest browns of the year is during a high water event. Heavy spring rains or tropical systems that move over the area dumping multiple inches a day will stain the water and increase the flow. The biggest browns will emerge from the undercuts and holes and move to the shallow moss beds and ambush disoriented bait washing downstream. Don’t be afraid to throw flies in the 4-6 inch range to entice a strike by some of these monsters. Access to Mossy Creek is available with a FREE permit that is allocated at the Verona office of the VDGIF. The permit is good for 1 year from the date of issue.

Nearest Airport:

Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport

Hatches:

Sulphurs in the evening hours, BWOs, and tricos.

Best Time to Fish:

Early Morning Hours

Best Stretch:

The closer you are to the main springs the better the fishing

Best Access:

There are only 2 public access points: 1 at the Mossy Creek Church, and 1 at the 42/747 bridge.