Wasn't planning on doing a fall/winter camping trip this year with the conditions VA has been having and then the cold snap hitting quickly, but Doug text me asking if I wanted to do an easy camping trip. Got the green light from the wife and I quickly got rid of Doug's easy plans and changed the trip into a remote rugged country exploratory trip in an area I knew had trout, but was difficult to access. I've had this place on my radar for 5-6 years. Tried working out the access back then, but couldn't figure out how to feasibly do it. Doug begrudgingly went along at first, but when we made a few calls and confirmed a few things, changed the attack plan 3 times, he gave it the green light too.
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LoginHike in wasn't long, and night getting below 30's means you pack a heavy pack.
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LoginHiked in, set up camp, off downstream to begin the search of "does it hold trout".
There was a trail we hiked in on to camp, but it disappeared shortly downstream and it was bushwhacking along ridge to work the way downstream. Gradient here was the steepest I've fished and still held trout. Took forever to make it a little over a half mile below camp. We were planning on hiking 2 miles down, but days are too short for this terrain. Another 3 day trip will be needed.
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LoginOn the hike down I was tempted to test the waters on a nice pool. First fish of the trip.
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LoginMost colored up brookie I caught this trip.
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LoginDoug putting a nice bend on the glass with a brookie.
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LoginA lot of climbing.
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LoginGives you an idea of Altitude and gradient
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LoginBut good fish all the way up.
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LoginBack to camp, hot fire, and warming up chili.
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LoginStayed warm at night with 0 degree bag, underquilt, blanket, and handwarmers at feet for good measure. Also got to hear a little barred owl who cooks for you action.
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LoginBrought a toy for some plinking action.
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LoginDeuce #2
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LoginCoffee
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LoginThe throne.
Packed up camp and hit the road to hit a feeder we drove over on other side of ridge. Piss trickle at top but gains a lot of water short ways down.
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LoginProbably my favorite fish of the trip. On the hike down, Doug stopped to adjust something and I spied this trout holding in 2 inch of water in the back of a tiny pool. This was the piss trickle, I can't believe it holds trout section of this stream. Tied on a dry dropper and snuck below the pool while Doug guided where to drop the fly. Was expecting him to take the dropper, but he glided over and sipped the dry.
Hiked down on an old logging grade, and saw that this stream probably has more elevation loss in a short section than last stream.
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LoginPictures do not do it justice.
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LoginIn we went.
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LoginLots of hang ups on this stream. Lots of flies lost and casts obstructed.
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LoginBow and arrow casts were our friend. This was also right after Doug slipped and fell back first into a pool just big enough to swallow him. Soaked to the bone, we had to hike out pretty quickly as we don't want Doug passing away from pneumonia. Who else can I find dumb enough to go back to these places with?
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LoginGood time was had. Always nice to have a place that you have been wanting to explore for trout for years work out. Another extended trip back there is on the calendar.