Cedar Creek Fishing Guides
A northern Shenandoah Valley limestone creek that runs cold through a wooded gorge below Winchester, holding trout in its upper reaches and a genuine smallmouth fishery as it drops to the North Fork.
Guides on the Cedar Creek
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About the Cedar Creek
Cedar Creek rises in the northern Shenandoah Valley and runs northeast through Frederick and Shenandoah counties to meet the North Fork of the Shenandoah River near Strasburg. It drains a little over a hundred square miles of limestone valley and wooded ridge, and that limestone geology is the reason the creek behaves the way it does: groundwater entering along its length steadies both flow and temperature in a way a purely freestone stream of the same size never manages.
The creek’s character changes markedly along its course. The upper reaches run smaller and colder, shaded and spring-influenced, and hold trout through the year. Further down the creek cuts through a wooded limestone gorge, widening into a sequence of long pools separated by ledge drops and gravel runs, and this middle and lower water is where the smallmouth fishing is genuinely good rather than incidental.
Smallmouth bass are the main quarry for most anglers and are well distributed through the ledge pools and along the bluff edges. Rock bass are abundant and willing throughout. Brown trout and rainbow trout hold in the cooler upper water, supported by stocking in places, and redbreast sunfish and channel catfish fill out the warmer lower reaches toward the confluence.
History sits heavily on this creek and it shapes access in a useful way. The Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park covers a substantial stretch of the valley, preserving the ground of a major Civil War battle, and that federal designation keeps a meaningful length of the corridor public and undeveloped. Anglers benefit from protection that was put in place for entirely unrelated reasons.
Away from the park much of the land is private working farmland, so anglers should work from public crossings and the park’s own frontage rather than assuming access. The creek is best fished by wading; at normal flows it is too small for a comfortable float. Winchester and Strasburg are both close for lodging, food and tackle, and the North Fork of the Shenandoah below the confluence offers larger water for the same species.
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Access
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park - the federal park covering a long stretch of the valley.
Middletown - the nearest village to the park frontage.
Strasburg - the town near the confluence with the North Fork.
Winchester - the nearest city, with full services and tackle.
North Fork Shenandoah River - the larger river this creek feeds.
Interstate 81 - the main highway following this valley.
Virginia DWR access listings - the authority on public access along this creek.
Seasons
Spring: cool high water and the best trout fishing of the year in the upper reaches.
Summer: limestone inflow holds temperatures down while smallmouth fishing peaks in the gorge.
Fall: low, clear water and the steadiest smallmouth fishing of the year.
Winter: cold and low, with fish concentrated in the deeper limestone pools.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Cedar Creek?
As of Sep 17, 5:45 am, the USGS gauge CEDAR CREEK NEAR WINCHESTER, VA reads 8 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Cedar Creek?
Anglers target Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass on the Cedar Creek in Virginia.
Where can you access the Cedar Creek?
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park - the federal park covering a long stretch of the valley. Middletown - the nearest village to the park frontage. Strasburg - the town near the confluence with the North Fork. Winchester - the nearest city, with full services and tackle. North Fork Shenandoah River - the larger river this creek feeds. Interstate 81 - the main highway following this valley. Virginia DWR access listings - the authority on public access along this creek.
When is the best time to fish the Cedar Creek?
Spring: cool high water and the best trout fishing of the year in the upper reaches. Summer: limestone inflow holds temperatures down while smallmouth fishing peaks in the gorge. Fall: low, clear water and the steadiest smallmouth fishing of the year. Winter: cold and low, with fish concentrated in the deeper limestone pools.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Cedar Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Virginia agency site: https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/