Eastern WV - Stream Recommendations

[Schaefer406]

Hello!

I am attending a work event in Charlottesville, VA and I will be driving from York County down to there. This leaves me passing through eastern WV, close to Martinsburg, and then obviously anywhere in line with Charlottesville. Anyone have a good wild trout stream recommendation for these areas (if they exist)? I checked the WV DNR interactive map but it is definitely not as good as the PA ones, so I was left a bit puzzled. Thanks

 

[Schaefer406]

Hello!

I am attending a work event in Charlottesville, VA and I will be driving from York County down to there. This leaves me passing through eastern WV, close to Martinsburg, and then obviously anywhere in line with Charlottesville. Anyone have a good wild trout stream recommendation for these areas (if they exist)? I checked the WV DNR interactive map but it is definitely not as good as the PA ones, so I was left a bit puzzled. Thanks

And yes before someone chimes in, I will be buying a guest license. If they don’t offer them, then I will just buy a full license and make some camping trips there this fall 😁

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Right-WV does NOT publish the lists of wild trout streams. Is this good or bad? That's up for debate. I found it somewhat discouraging when I moved here, because I wasn't sure where to even start. At the same time, the "locals" like it because it gives the appearance of protecting their little gems. I can't help you in the far east, sorry.

 

[Schaefer406]

Right-WV does NOT publish the lists of wild trout streams. Is this good or bad? That's up for debate. I found it somewhat discouraging when I moved here, because I wasn't sure where to even start. At the same time, the "locals" like it because it gives the appearance of protecting their little gems. I can't help you in the far east, sorry.

I think them not posting them is definitely a benefit in the long run, and it probably adds to the “wow” factor when people locally put in the time to discover them. I kinda wish this is how PA was. Thanks for the input! I may still just pick somewhere and give it a try! I love exploring even if I come out skunked

 

[silverfox]

You'll probably drive right through Hagerstown so there's Beaver Creek (MD). Check out precision fly. They bought the Beaver Creek fly shop a little while back.

Then going south (assuming you're going down 81, the worst road on the planet), Mossy Creek, and just west of Harrisonburg you've got Dry River and you're basically going along the Blue Ridge Parkway which is full of wild brook trout streams (Some BRP waters outside SNP have wild browns too). A lot of the streams coming off the west slope of Monongahela National Forest are brookie streams.

I go through WV to get down there since it's a more direct route for me from where I live in PA (south and left of center). If you're in Eastern WV, down that way Seneca Creek is one of the coolest streams around. Wild brook trout and wild rainbows. A lot of smaller creeks in that area on national or state land have wild brookies. Blue lining down there can be fun! The lack of gps directions from the state makes it a challenge.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

Stick with VA all the way. Used to live there. Charlottesville is an awesome home base. Take a look at the link I provided to get an idea what is around you. https://dgif-virginia.maps.arcgis.c...ndex.html?id=441ed456c8664166bb735b1db6024e48

The South River (2 separate Spec Reg areas...1 C&R and the other is 1 fish >20") flowing through Waynesboro, VA is excellent.

In Shenandoah National Park, I highly recommend the Conway River and Devil's Ditch. Both are mixed wild browns/native brookies. You also have the famed Rapidan River a few more miles north of the Conway for excellent brookie fishing.

If you like terrestrial fishing in a spring creek, Mossy Creek and Beaver Creek (stocked and wild bows) in Mt. Solon, VA are excellent.

If you want to explore the BRP, I really like the N. Fk. and S. Fk. of the Tye River (Rt. 56 through the park). Almost every blueline has trout here.

Last pick is the St. Mary's River near Steele's Tavern in St. Mary's NF Wilderness Area. The brook trout tend to run larger here than many other area streams and the scenery/surroundings is breathtaking.