On 27 Sep 2004 07:46:56 -0700, (Bill McDonald) wrote:

snip
One final observation: Typically wading is
somewhat tricky due to the slipperyness of the rocks. This trip there
wasn't any slickness to the rocks. Was wondering if the river was
scoured of most if not all insect life.
Bill in Va.
Bill,
I appreciate the quick report. I had planned to leave tomorrow morning
to pass through Roscoe headed north but the wife is not up to snuff
after getting her new knee last month so the plans were scrapped.
Your lousy fishing success makes me feel a little bit better about my
failed trip. Thanks.G

If you fish mountain streams in the spring you will find the rocks
have been sandblasted by the solid material carried in the spring
runoff and wading is wonderful but in the summer/fall with fresh algae
growth the wading can be very tricky. It's perfectly normal.
In 1995-96 (if memory serves) the Rapidan suffered through a 100 year
storm that took out the post office and a few houses downstream at
Graves Mill, then another storm in the summer slammed the upper
section, took out both bridges (you can still see the steel girders
wrapped around rocks downstream) and washed out many of the brookies
there (I don't think it has fully recovered even yet). In the fall
when we fished it I frightened one trout the whole weekend, got no
hits, but was astounded at the tremendous amount of insect activity.

I think the bugs will be fine on the Beaverkill as they can usually
find a place to get out of the flow but I suspect the trout population
may have gotten beat up a bit.

Kiyu