Douthat State Park

[CpRiver4]

Anyone fish Douthat State Park or Wilson's Creek which feeds into the lake?

[flyfish_va]

Ohh yea!  that place is plum eat up with trout!
I caught a 2 1/2 pound brookie and a 3 1/2 brookie  and put my buddy on another 2 1/2 pound brookie..........all in one day up there....3 citations in one day! it was nuts....the week before i caught a giant rainbow up there.  They was schooled up in shallow places all over the lake, and all that salad out there in the middle of the lake holds a bunch too...If you dont have a boat you can rent one for $35 all day with a trolling motor ....

when i was out there it was still under having to pay to fish, but i think now its just a lisence and $2 to park....You can stand on the bridge below the kids section and pick them off with nymphs...I caught around 20 out of it one day....

[CpRiver4]

Good to hear. I fished there as a little kid. I will probably be all over there this week seeing that my house is about ten minutes away.

[emmodg]

Why are you holding those Brook Trout with a BOGA grip? 'Bout the worse thing you could use!

[Fire-Fly]

Why are you holding those Brook Trout with a BOGA grip? 'Bout the worse thing you could use!

From the looks of them they were dead anyway.

[Trout Maharishi]

Ummmm..........................stocked Brook Trout. :angel:

[emmodg]

Why are you holding those Brook Trout with a BOGA grip? 'Bout the worse thing you could use!

From the looks of them they were dead anyway.

COOL! There's a couple fish that NOBODY will have a chance at again! Way to go!!

[rockroller]

Did you even read his post?  It was a pay-to-fish spot.  This from the state website:

"Fee fishing is offered from the first Saturday in April through June 15 and Sept. 15 through Oct. 31. When stocking is suspended, the daily permit fee is not required and fishing is open until 10 p.m. (Virginia fishing license still required.) Feel free to contact the park for status.
The lake is stocked twice per week, water conditions permitting. Requirements include purchasing a Virginia fishing license and a daily permit. They are sold at the park."

This isn't a catch and release wild trout fishery.  Ever seen a Virginia wild brook trout look like that?  See the tail?

This friendly board ain't the place for that sarcasm.  At least, that's my view.

Douthat isn't my kind of place.  But let those who enjoy it, enjoy it.

[flyfish_va]

Let my client keep the fish.....i usually take people up there when they wanna catch fish to eat...That place gets stocked 2 times a week as a pay to fish, put and take.......If i hadnt caught it and kept it, the next guy would've......If it wouldve been anyplace else, some place where it would get to grow larger and older....I would have never taken it out of the water, much less gripped him......since i was keeping them and they have huge teeth i gripped'em.......

[Oldman]

A Citation Stocker.... Thats what I'm talkin about. Woo hoo.

[rockroller]

I got "smitten" over saying it was ok for a guy to keep a fish in a pay to fish water?  Pathetic.

[emmodg]

Did you even read his post?  It was a pay-to-fish spot.  This from the state website:

"Fee fishing is offered from the first Saturday in April through June 15 and Sept. 15 through Oct. 31. When stocking is suspended, the daily permit fee is not required and fishing is open until 10 p.m. (Virginia fishing license still required.) Feel free to contact the park for status.
The lake is stocked twice per week, water conditions permitting. Requirements include purchasing a Virginia fishing license and a daily permit. They are sold at the park."

This isn't a catch and release wild trout fishery.  Ever seen a Virginia wild brook trout look like that?  See the tail?

This friendly board ain't the place for that sarcasm.  At least, that's my view.

Douthat isn't my kind of place.  But let those who enjoy it, enjoy it.

Actually, I have seen VA wild brook trout with a tail like that... Not too far down the road from there on the Jackson as a matter of fact! And the "other way" in the Gorge!

Stay up north in NOVA "rockroller"! Get your fish at Whole Foods!

[flyfish_va]

they stock brookies in Hidden Valley aswell.....but there is some natives in there too, and muddy run is 100 % dried up now by the way......as for the whole tail thing... you cant really justify a fish as  solely by its tail, head, colors, jaw or whatever......all you can do is really make an educated assumption...and its very well possible that you did catch a wild fish with a beat up tail, they fan the gravel when they spawn in the fall.....

[CpRiver4]

Good to hear. I fished there as a little kid. I will probably be all over there this week seeing that my house is about ten minutes away.

You live 10 minutes away and you are asking questions about it??

jis wonderin............................

Just out to see what other people think about it. I don't really need to leave my house at all to fish since I live on the Cowpasture and a quick float trip to the James headwaters.

[emmodg]

they stock brookies in Hidden Valley aswell.....but there is some natives in there too, and muddy run is 100 % dried up now by the way......as for the whole tail thing... you cant really justify a fish as  solely by its tail, head, colors, jaw or whatever......all you can do is really make an educated assumption...and its very well possible that you did catch a wild fish with a beat up tail, they fan the gravel when they spawn in the fall.....

You are correct! They do stock brookies at Hidden Valley and they're all getting pushed up farther and farther towards Poor Farm. I used to take clients to Hidden Valley for the hike to S. Regs.. Back in the day the fishing was GREAT! Then TU put the Jackson on their list of 100 Best Trout Waters and the word was out - been lackluster ever sinse. And yes, most "bedding" fish will scar and "broom" their tail. Trout, Fall Fish, Bass, etc.... How long you been guiding? How's business? I've seen a drop in the number of clients and I've been doing a lot of half days!