Spring Trout Fishing SW Va.

[VaTom]

Here in SW Virginia the spring trout fishing season will be ending soon as the stocked waters begin to warm up. I fly fish and being retired I am fortunate to get on the water during the weekdays. We have some delayed harvest waters where fish have to be released prior to June 1st with artificial lures / flies use only. I have been blessed the last two weeks to have caught two massive rainbow trout in local waters on fly rod. Biggest trout I have caught in Va. Thanks to Department of Wildlife Resources for their management of these waters.

 

[Onomea]

That's a good lookin' fish, Tom! Congrats!

 

[Nevada Ed]

Way to go with the ol "Magic Wand".
A great way to have fun with trout on any river.

Looking at the color of that water, I would love to tie on a yellow Humpy
to see what might happen !!

Have a great season.

 

[ameridaddy]

Beautiful fish there, Tom!
Virginia is chock-a-block with rivers and streams - if it's not a secret, which one is in your pic, and how wide is it there?
I used to like to canoe fish the Upper James at Eagle Rock on down to Buchanan, but it's too much for me now.

 

[Green Frog]

I haven’t been trout fishing in about 50 years or so, but when I see a picture like that, I wonder “Why not.” My favorite spots used to be North Creek and Jennings Creek, but in most places they wouldn’t have had room for fly casting. Oh well, an ol man can still dream…

 

[VaTom]

Roanoke River. Both delayed harvest and regular put & take sections. Water levels can rise and fall in the spring depending on rainfall. Has been in pretty good shape the last couple of weeks. Enough rainfall for decent flow and not too clear.

 

[Rudi]

A nice one!

 

[hsguy]

Great fish! I thoroughly enjoy fly fishing and is the only method I use now, great fun.

A story about the second photo: Went for a flick yesterday above the road bridge. There were 2 young Maori boys maybe 10-12 on the other side of the river that saw me playing the fish. They jumped in and swam over to watchVery cold fast-flowing water. Once I landed the fish they said knock it on the head. I told them I was going to release it. They looked amazed! I asked them if they wanted it, they did. I told them I would only give it to them if they promised to eat it and they did promise. They took the fish and back in the river to swim across. One lad held the fish and swam with one arm, I was afraid he would drown!! They made it over and built a little basin in the river with rocks to hold the fish while they swam some more.

 

[JET4]

Very nice trout.

 

[PatriotX]

Beautiful fish, gentlemen.

Here is my first Spring rainbow, caught 4 weeks ago, along with a Michigan-run brown trout




We fish egg pattern beads under floats.

 

[hsguy]

Nothing like catching a big trout in a fast moving river on a 6 wt. rod with a 3X tippet trying to turn them around as they head for the rapids.

 

[hsguy]

One bit of unsolicited advice. If you’re fishing a small dropper on a windy day it’s best to have a cellphone handy. You can take a selfie to help you extricate the errant fly and avoid a long trip to town for removal. I now use barbless hook for tying flies.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Here is one of my pictures, with a tiny nymph, with a correct placement.
(that had to hurt)