Standing in the middle of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, I heard a commotion downstream. Looking downstream, I discovered that there where many rising bass feeding on the hexagenia mayfly hatch. In one measured minute, I counted seventeen rising bass feeding on the natural hexagenia.
A dimple riseform reveals that the bass is sucking an adult hexagenia from the surface of the river. A splashy riseform results from a bass chasing an emerging nymph up to the surface where its wings will develop and it will fly away as an adult.
When I spot the dimple riseform, I cast a Mr. Rapidan Skater size 8 several feet upstream of the feeding bass so it will drift naturally to the bass. The strike usually comes as soon as the Mr. Rapidan Skater drifts into the bass’es window of vision. When I see the splashy riseform, I tie a size 10 Mr. Rapidan Olive Soft Hackle Nymph to a 24-inch 2X mono dropper below the Mr. Rapidan Skater. This mimics the natural emerger and the bass many take either the dry or the nymph.
This is very exciting fishing and it is usually on every evening from mid August until late September.