Western VA wild trouts

[ColdOnTheShoulder]

I headed on a nice little excursion to a western VA stream Thursday with my friend Gabe. Got there around 8 am and fished in a complete downpour for two solid hours. I managed this unfortunate looking wild bow and then got nothing until the rain stopped.



As soon as the rain stopped, creme midges started hatching off. We started picking up lots of bows on midges dropped off of stimulators. They wouldn't hit any midge dries I had. Caught a lot of these:



Out of water like this:





Then some BWO's started coming off and I had several takes on my stimulator. I switched it up to a size 18 parachute adams and nailed a couple more.

Around noon, we took a break and moved to some different water we wanted to try out. Driving down the road we could see the caddis, always a good sign.

When we got to the other water, we could see caddis, midges, and two or three types of mayflies coming off. The fish weren't too selective, general patterns were the ticket all day.

Gabe and I caught a lot more nice wild rainbows like this one he got:



Out of places like this:



It kept getting better and better. I caught my first double, a brown on a stimi and one on a pt dropper. I wasn't able to get the camera out before one popped off though, they were almost identical, nice browns.



We got to one last large pool we wanted to fish before we had to get out. I put on a streamer I tie up for spring creek browns and got a couple nice bumps. Then finally this rainbow CRUSHED it:



Gabe was working a streamer a little down from me and a couple casts after mine, he hooked up with this beauty:



We figured this was a good note to end on and hiked out in the dark. Now I'm back at work wishing I was still there.

[TROUTMASTER3000]

Sounds like a great trip!!  Wish i could be doing the same...

[ColdOnTheShoulder]

If they are wild trout not only will I will kiss your ass, I'll give you 10 minutes to gather a crowd.

jis sayin.......................

Sounds good. No stocking there since the mid 90's though. Some old ass stockers for their size. Caught plenty in the 3 inch and under range too.

[troutphisher]

Any day out on the water is a good day!

Pretty stream too.

[ColdOnTheShoulder]

Any day out on the water is a good day!

Pretty stream too.

Thanks man. It's actually the King's water you guys frequent in western va except the third stream pic which is a tributary. The first two water pics are up close to the dam where we were forced to do most of our fishing.

[Oldman]

I am with ya Ab. A few just dont look too wild to me but I was not there so I can only look at the pics. Ten year old stockers I guess.

[Fire-Fly]

If thats the Jackson tailwaters then i dont think its been stocked in years, i may be wrong though.

[ColdOnTheShoulder]

It is the Jackson tailwater. So much for keeping it top secret, haha.

[benflyfishn]

I need to get up that way again. I miss fishing the tailwater and a couple of tribs that feed the lake. Have you ever tried for the lakers there?

[9ft4wt]

wild or stocked. looks like you had a good day. Not convinced that is the area below the dam, but you are under no obligation to tell anybody. just keep on fishing on..

9ft4wt

[Trout Chaser]

Good stuff 0--0  I need to get over that way before years end.  It sure doesn't look like they are running much water.

TC

[flyfish_va]

Okay...Some of them are wild and some stocked...They still throw some fish in over by the spill way from time to time...Most of the fish you catch is gonna be wild.
The bows up there are the prettiest i've ever seen, there fins glow orange and the sides are silver and bright pink..There are browns up there over 6lbs!

[flyfish_va]

ask the guy in the grey ford escort about 6 pound browns...he goes around to all the canoe launches and the dam throwing rapalas at them, and then he keeps them...seen this with my own eyes. And a few years ago somebody caught a giant tiger trout up there too....

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/varp/citations.asp?waterbody=jackson+river&year=2007