Only two listings for trout streams stocked this past week in West Virginia…
January 31, 2012
- Little River West Fork Greenbrier River
- West Fork Greenbrier River
Fishing News
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The latest trout stocking info for Virginia. Short list this week…
- Amherst Co.
- Little Irish Creek (01/31)
- Pedlar River (Lower) (01/31)
- Albemarle Co.
- Moormans River (S. Fork) (02/01)
- Bath Co.
- Douthat Lake and Wilson Creek (02/01)
- Floyd Co.
- Little River (01/30)
- Grayson Co.
- Hales Lake (02/01)
- Wythe Co.
- Gullion Fork Ponds (01/31)
- Shenandoah Co.
- Mill Creek (02/02)
- Stony Creek (02/02)
As a new feature of the Brook Trout Fishing Guide, I am going to try to post the West Virginia trout stocking schedule regularly. I live close enough to the Mountaineer State so that this is overdue from my point of view.
There are a lot of renowned stocked streams in the state, notably the North Branch of the South Fork of the Potomac. Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia together contain the area comprising what Trout Unlimited calls the headwaters of the Potomac, a region significant for just what the moniker implies — this is where the Potomac watershed begins and is a sensitive area targeted for protection. It is important not just for the waters that flow into the Potomac River but also is notable due to the extensive populations of brook trout that exist here.
So without further delay, here is the latest for West Virginia (for the past month):
January 27, 2012
- No waters stocked today.
January 26, 2012
- No waters stocked today.
January 25, 2012
- Cranberry River
- South Branch (C&R section)
- Williams River
January 24, 2012
- No waters stocked today.
January 23, 2012
- East Fork Greenbrier River
- Little River East Fork Greenbrier River
January 20, 2012
- No waters stocked today.
January 19, 2012
- South Branch (Franklin)
January 18, 2012
Due to weather, no waters stocked today.
January 17, 2012
- James P. Bailey Lake
- Shavers Fork (upper section)
- Watoga Lake
January 13, 2012
Due to weather, no waters stocked today.
January 12, 2012
- Hurricane Reservoir
- Spruce Knob Lake
January 11, 2012
- Blackwater River
- Glady Fork
- Krodel Lake
- Lick Creek Pond
- Shavers Fork (Bemis)
- South Branch (Smoke Hole)
- Wayne Dam
January 10, 2012
- Anderson Lake
- Bullskin Run
- Cacapon Park Lake
- Cedar Creek Lake
- Elk River
- Evitts Run
- Fitzpatrick Lake
- Gandy Creek
- Laurel Fork (Randolph)
- Little Beaver Lake
- Middle Creek
- Miletree Lake
- Mill Creek of Opequon Creek
- New Creek
- North Fork of Patterson Creek
- Opequon Creek
- Rocky Marsh Run
January 9, 2011
- Tomlinson Run
January 6, 2012
- Summit Lake
January 5, 2012
- Anthony Creek
- Barboursville Lake
- Chief Cornstalk Lake
- Chief Logan Lake
- Curtisville Lake
- Huey Lake
- Knapps Creek
- Laurel Lake
- Lost River
- Ridenour Lake
- Rollins Lake
- Trout Run
- Turkey Run Lake
- Waites Run
January 4, 2012
- North Fork of South Branch
- North Fork of South Branch (C&R)
- Pennsboro Reservoir
- Shavers Fork (lower section)
- Tracy Lake
January 3, 2012
- Larenim Park Lake
A change from how it used to report when it stocks trout streams, Maryland now has a PDF for the 2012 trout fishing seasons that lists when it plans to stock streams in the state. The current version as of January 29, 2012 is for the spring season (“pre-season” to May 2012). It lists the streams and the number of fish planned for stocking in each period (typically but not always a week), all broken down by county.
I’m not sure when “pre-season” begins, but I assume it’s very soon given that the first period listed is “March 11-31.” I guess in some ways this is better than the states like Virginia that just publish this info on their websites for a week or so up to and including the current date.
Hard to believe it’s January here in Virginia. Temps have been in the 50’s for days and the warm trend will persist well into next week. Last night I don’t think it dropped below the mid-forties. Go get ’em.
I would even be tempted to wet a line in the Shenandoah this weekend. It will not be fast fishing but with this long stretch of warmish weather it’s worth a shot in some of the deep holes with some heavy nymphs. It might be worth dead drifting a woolly bugger, or small Clouser minnow after this rain last night, too.
- Albemarle Co.
- Moormans River (North Fork) (01/25)
- Moormans River (South Fork) (01/25)
- Sugar Hollow Reservoir (01/25)
- Carroll Co.
- Crooked Creek (01/23)
- Little Island Creek (01/23)
- Chespeake (City of)
- Northwest River Park (01/24)
- Floyd Co.
- Goose Creek (01/26)
- Franklin Co.
- Pigg River (01/23)
- Runnett Bag Creek (01/23)
- Giles Co.
- Wolf Creek (01/25)
- Greene Co.
- South River (01/23)
- Swift Run (01/23)
- Lee Co.
- Martins Creek (01/25)
- North Fork Powell River (01/25)
- Newport News (City of)
- Lake Biggins (01/24)
- Roanoke Co.
- Roanoke River (Salem) (01/25)
- Rockingham Co.
- Slate Lick Lake (01/25)
- Slate Lick Run (01/25)
- Dry River (01/26)
- Scott Co.
- Stock Creek (01/25)
- Smyth Co.
- Middle Fork Holston River (Upper) (01/26)
- Staley Creek (01/26)
- Tazewell Co.
- Lincolnshire Lake (01/26)
- Lake Witten (01/26)
- Wythe Co.
- Cripple Creek (Ravens) (01/24)
It all happened this past week. If you didn’t get out today because of the icy roads, try one of these streams tomorrow…
- Albemarle Co.
- Mint Springs Lake (Upper) (01/18)
- Mint Springs Lake (Middle) (01/18)
- Alleghany Co.
- Clifton Forge Reservoir (01/19)
- Bath Co.
- Cowpasture River (01/17)
- Back Creek (01/18)
- Bland Co.
- Wolf Creek (01/19)
- Botetourt Co.
- Middle Creek (01/17)
- North Creek (01/17)
- Grayson Co.
- Elk Creek (01/17)
- Fox Creek (01/20)
- Middle Fox Creek (01/20)
- Helton Creek (01/20)
- Henrico Co.
- Dorey Park Lake (01/18)
- Henry Co.
- Smith River (Lower) (01/19)
- Madison Co.
- Robinson River (01/19)
- Page Co.
- Hawksbill Creek (01/20)
- Patrick Co.
- Rockcastle Creek (01/18)
- Ararat River (01/20)
- Clarks Creek (01/20)
- Richmond (City of)
- Shield Lake (01/18)
- Smyth Co.
- Comers Creek (01/18)
- Cressy Creek (01/18)
- Dickey Creek (01/18)
- Hurricane Creek (01/18)
- South Fork Holston River (Buller Dam) (01/18)
- Wise Co.
- Middle Fork Powell River (01/17)
- South Fork Powell River (01/17)
I am going out this weekend to catch my first fish of 2012. Only in the thirties for the highs this weekend? No problem. Like the Scandinavians say, “no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” And where to go? Might be Shenandoah National Park (and this weekend admission is free at all National Parks), might be near some power plant on a big river, or might be one of the places below.
This is a great time of year to fish for trout. Certainly the stocked fish are abundant (if you get there before they get taken) but also the trout are active so long as it’s not too cold. Murray’s Fly Shop reports hatches of midges coming off some streams this past week. Generally you can best find fish if you’re nymphing, a drawback bigger than the weather if you ask me, but it’s almost always effective. This cold snap is pretty new so our streams should still be above the dead cold that makes the fish really lethargic. And the best part is everyone else stays warm by staying home. I’ve often had entire streams to myself this time of year, depending on the stream. Notable exceptions like Passage Creek exist and will always have some folks fishing. I see a bunch below that are worth checking out…
- Alexandria (City of)
- Cook Lake (01/09)
- Amherst Co.
- Davis Mill Creek (01/11)
- Pedlar River (Upper) (01/11)
- Augusta Co.
- North River (Upper) (01/10)
- South River (Ridgview Park) (01/11)
- Bath Co.
- Jackson River (Hidden Valley) (01/09)
- Bedford Co.
- Liberty Lake (01/10)
- Botetourt Co.
- Roaring Run (01/11)
- Dickenson Co.
- Cranesnest River (01/10)
- Pound River (Flannagan Dam) (01/10)
- Russell Fork River (Haysi) (01/10)
- Russell Fork River (Bartlick) (01/10)
- Floyd Co.
- Burkes Fork (01/11)
- Fredericksburg (City of)
- Old Cossey Pond (01/09)
- Giles Co.
- Big Stoney Creek (01/11)
- Montgomery Co.
- Craig Creek (01/12)
- Poverty Creek (01/12)
- Patrick Co.
- Dan River (below Powerhouse) (01/10)
- Prince William Co.
- Locust Shade Park (01/09)
- Rockbridge Co.
- Irish Creek (01/12)
- Rockingham Co.
- South River (Grottoes) (01/11)
- Scott Co.
- Big Stony Creek(01/12)
- Little Stony Creek (01/12)
- Smyth Co.
- Middle Fork Holston River (Marion/Chilhowie) (01/07)
- Washington Co.
- Beartree Lake (01/11)
- Wythe Co.
- Cripple Creek (Rt. 94) (01/12)
I was searching for a way to quickly thin some head cement so I didn’t have to drive to the store (a drive to anywhere from my house is not a short trip), and I stumbled upon Fly Anglers Online. The tying tips articles archive is a fantastic resource. It has tips for nearly everything, from making your own head cement, general proportions for dry fly components, how to store threads and tools — almost anything you can think of and a ton of things you never have.
Anyway, I ended up using some denatured alcohol to thin some lacquer based head cement that’s been here for two years. Hope I didn’t screw anything up but it seems to be working fine.
Just got notified that the Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition in Massachusetts is accepting dues and payment for limited edition artwork on their website:
Hi Folks, The Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition website is now set up to accept Paypal for annual dues and sales of the limited addition James Prosek print of the Red Brook salter. Please visit the SRBTC website for more information.
They also indicate on their website that they are “actively seeking sponsors and members.” It’s a good cause if you are interested in conserving this wonderful strain of brook trout, which run to and from the ocean and get quite large for brookies.
First Virginia trout stocking report of the new year for me. We’ve had a few cold days and now we have a couple days in the 60s, just in time for the weekend — go fishing!
- Alleghany Co.
- Pounding Mill Creek (01/04)
- Smith Creek (01/04)
- Amherst Co.
- Piney River (S. Fk. and Proper) (01/05)
- Augusta Co.
- Braley Pond (01/03)
- Falls Hollow (01/05)
- Hearthstone Lake (01/03)
- Rockbridge Co.
- Maury River (01/05)
- Mill Creek (01/05)
- Staunton (City of)
- Lake Tams (01/04)