Rappahannock River Trip

[fish-aholic]

Ok, so the guys take a trip every year. Boy's weekend we call it. We put our canoes in at Kelly's Ford, just outside of Warrenton, VA. We camp just before the confluence of the Rappahannock and Rapidan about 13 miles into the trip and do the remaining 11 miles on sunday. We have a great time drinking beer, BSing down the river and catching more smallmouth than we know what to do with. I'll be doing this trip 8/12-13 this year and can't wait to get back with stories and pictures. Here are some pictures from last year's trip.....We can be an unruley bunch so I had to be careful which pictures to post but you can defenitely appreciate the fun and beauty of this trip. Oh without fail, within the first mile of the trip we ALWAYS see Bald Eagles flying down the river. This trip is not for the timid though as there are plenty of class II and III rapids. Don't let the picture of the confluence fool you, it is defenitely a Class III even though you can't see it in the picture......Once inside the confluence it was neccessary to paddle and control the canoe instead of taking pictures.

[mdram]

great lookin area.

[fish-aholic]

yes, and LOADED with smallmouth. Unfortunately I didn't really get any fishing pictures last year, I think I was too worried about getting into the cooler for my next beer than taking a picture of the fish I just caught. We slayed the smallmouth on mepps spinners last year. Tried for some cats with no luck, although I do knowthat they are in there. Also heard some guys on the river are actually catching stripers in that section now that they blew the dam in fredericksburg

[Sam]

Man, that looks like a blast! Great pictures and story.

[fish-aholic]

I expect you there I got a bed on fri night for you to crash on so you don't have to get up at O-dark-thirty on sat morning......and I got an extra canoe for you to borrow....just gotta get that kitchen pass now

[travis]

that looks like fun.i used to go on float trips all the time when i was younger with my dad.always fun catchin smallmouth on helgramites just picked out of the rivers.

[fish-aholic]

Wow, were we sweating the trip this weekend. The low level at the remmington gauge (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv...te_no=01664000) needs to be 3.2ft to do the trip. As of last night it was about 2.7ft, we were praying for rain and boy have we gotten it. The gauge was 2.79 at 7:15am today, by 8:15am it was reading 4.03ft The Trip is ON!!!!!! We have enough water to hit the river now. With temps forecast for mid 80's this weekend I don't think we could've picked a better weekend for this trip....Can't wait to get back and post pictures and reports.....

[chomper]

Have fun. Looks like a great time.

[fish-aholic]

arrrrgghhhhhh, the river gage was broken :( the river isn't high enough to do the trip

[Sam]

Ah,... Bummer

[fish-aholic]

we're findin a trip somewhere......we've been talking about it all day trying to find someplace........I think we're down to 2 options......oh, and unless good rain comes around in the next 3 weeks, we probably won't be able to do the Freshwater get together......Its insane how low the rivers are....they need to come up at least a foot before they are good for really paddling.....