Virginia trout stocking info for the past week is below my minor rant here…
Gotta say that I really appreciate what the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries does. We have a lot of great fishing opportunities in this state, many in remote areas and most maintained in a very natural, often primitive condition, which makes a great fishing experience in my opinion. However, their counterparts at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation could take some tips from the VDGIF. I experienced the downside of their efforts to “upgrade” certain places last night, namely the pond at Sky Meadows State Park in Paris.
I arrived at the site about an hour and a half before sunset and noticed the improvements such as monofilament disposal tubes, nice benches and signage. I got to the parking area and saw one of the upgrades that was a surprise — a new $3 parking fee ($4 on weekends). I’m not opposed to paying for the privilege of fishing and I support fishing efforts in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and other states by paying for annual licenses, access fees, buying tackle locally, etc. I paid the new parking fee and got to fishing, casting a blue size six Shenandoah popper on my five weight. Got two small largemouths and one bluegill in the wind and light rain, not nearly what I was hoping for but a good time nonetheless. The final park “upgrade “I experienced was the park police in their brand new pickup truck pulling into the driveway and barking on the bullhorn, “THE PARK IS NOW CLOSED.” It closes at dusk and since it was exactly sunset I guess they were technically correct. I spent many great evenings there in the past, but not sure I’ll be going back there very often now. A bummer since it’s a nice spot, but I don’t need a chaperone barking on a bullhorn at the end of a peaceful evening of fishing, and paying $3 to fish for an hour and a half just isn’t worth it.
Anyway, here are the stocked trout streams this week:
- Amherst Co.
- Pedlar River (Lower) (05/21)
- Augusta Co.
- Braley Pond (05/22)
- Elkhorn Lake (05/24)
- Hearthstone Lake (05/22)
- Bath Co.
- Jackson River (Rte.623) (05/24)
- Botetourt Co.
- Jennings Creek (05/22)
- Craig Co.
- Potts Creek (05/24)
- Floyd Co.
- Burkes Fork (05/24)
- Giles Co.
- Wolf Creek (5/18 Evening)
- Grayson Co.
- Big Wilson Creek (05/23)
- Madison Co.
- Hughes River (05/24)
- Robinson River (05/22)
- Rose River (05/24)
- Page Co.
- Hawksbill Creek (05/23)
- Roanoke Co.
- Roanoke River (City) (05/23)
- Smyth Co.
- South Fork Holston River (Lower) (05/19)
- South Fork Holston River (Buller Dam) (05/23)
- Tazewell Co.
- Lincolnshire Lake (05/22)
- Little Tumbling Creek (05/24)
- Washington Co.
- Big Tumbling Creek (05/24)
- Whitetop (Upper) (05/22)
- Whitetop (Lower) (05/22)
- Wythe Co.
- Rural Retreat Lake Pond (05/18 Evening)
- Cripple Creek (Ravens) (05/23)
