Mikey2006
Active member
I’ll probably get down there in 2025. Wait for it to rain and then fish the entire thing with streamers over the course of a few days. Sleep in my car if I have too 😂
Why do we fish?
- Thread starter Traveling Trout Co
- Start date
wildtrout2
Well-known member
Sounds like a good plan, and lodging might not be an option. Since it's in one of the poorest counties in WV, I don't see much demand for hotels/motels. For some reason, I hear banjo music when I think of WV.
caddisflyer
Well-known member
Someone mentioned that raw sewage enters the Elkhorn. I am no expert on that creek but it may be producing big fish because of the pollution. Some of these creeks that are from springs emerging from mines are actually improved by the fertile sewage. It is my understanding that it buffers the acidic mine water.
wildtrout2
Well-known member
That's a fact. I watched a YT video of a guy fishing the EH, and it clearly showed a sewer pipe coming directly from the house that was on the bank, emptying right into the Elkhorn, in real time.
I have heard that exact same thing regarding the Elkhorn before. It actually makes sense, in a strange kind of way. I'd love to hear what Mike would have to say about the subject, he'd know better than anyone else.
I enjoyed the answers on this thread. All are understandable and it means something a little different to everyone yet it all comes back to some common points too.
As far as myself, my dad and grandpa took me fishing from the time I was able to remember. I got hooked early, and it has never let up. I’ve went through phases, especially a while back where I was after different species or sizes or whatever, but the bottom line is my free time has always come back to fishing. Even to this day, at age 43, every fish I hook still gets my heart pumping like it did when i was just a kid. Just seeing fish gets my heart pumping for that matter lol.
Now, my son who is almost 10 is becoming a fishing addict too, and we go several times each week. It’s one of the greatest treats in life watching him develop as an angler. I have the time of my life, every time we go, and that’s the truth.
As far as myself, my dad and grandpa took me fishing from the time I was able to remember. I got hooked early, and it has never let up. I’ve went through phases, especially a while back where I was after different species or sizes or whatever, but the bottom line is my free time has always come back to fishing. Even to this day, at age 43, every fish I hook still gets my heart pumping like it did when i was just a kid. Just seeing fish gets my heart pumping for that matter lol.
Now, my son who is almost 10 is becoming a fishing addict too, and we go several times each week. It’s one of the greatest treats in life watching him develop as an angler. I have the time of my life, every time we go, and that’s the truth.
Because it's the entrance to reality.
It's a means by which to be free of forced socialization.
It's a way to mentally observe and see the differences.
The differences between reality and ego-specie creation.
A means by which to see and explore, the life of the planet outside of the polluting and nature-killing of the tunnel tube of human activities, and forced enjoyments.
Fishing provides a walk through a window, a swipe of the curtain. It defies the egocentric human restrictions - the restrictions that provide fewer options for learning, enjoying, breathing air along the banks and streams.
Because fishing provides the bridge to knowledge and embracing of all the aquatic creatures, the geology, geography, plants, animals and environmental history and activities of the sources of the eventual surface flows; the flows that continuously provide supporting habitat that display new links to understanding the nature of life, effects of the weather trends, the physics of the activity, the sport, the smell and beauty of the fish, and how it provides a hint of the reason for human existence and human's affects.
Not because it's a competitive activity. But because it's not a competitive activity.
And because it's always the best kind of chess game - the chess game with god - and it's all for saturation in joy.
It's a means by which to be free of forced socialization.
It's a way to mentally observe and see the differences.
The differences between reality and ego-specie creation.
A means by which to see and explore, the life of the planet outside of the polluting and nature-killing of the tunnel tube of human activities, and forced enjoyments.
Fishing provides a walk through a window, a swipe of the curtain. It defies the egocentric human restrictions - the restrictions that provide fewer options for learning, enjoying, breathing air along the banks and streams.
Because fishing provides the bridge to knowledge and embracing of all the aquatic creatures, the geology, geography, plants, animals and environmental history and activities of the sources of the eventual surface flows; the flows that continuously provide supporting habitat that display new links to understanding the nature of life, effects of the weather trends, the physics of the activity, the sport, the smell and beauty of the fish, and how it provides a hint of the reason for human existence and human's affects.
Not because it's a competitive activity. But because it's not a competitive activity.
And because it's always the best kind of chess game - the chess game with god - and it's all for saturation in joy.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
You might be able to find more lodging than you think if you fish the EH. McDowell Co. has seen a boom as of late from the side by side/atv industry. Lots of folks come into the area to ride the trails, and it's brought some money in.
Look into "Rider's Paradise" in Herndon. I think it's about a 30 minute drive from the EH. Those are full cabin rentals, might be a little more money than what you're looking for, but they're very nice and you'd be supporting a home grown WV business. There's also Wild Willy's ATV Rezort. You may be surprised at how many places there are to spend the night, actually. Search around Welch, it's probably the nearest "town" (or what's left of a town!)
PS-yes, raw sewage is real. Wear your waders (don't wet wade) AND, a lot of the creek is paralleled by short line RR, so from those videos, you probably couldn't narrow down the stretch just by lookin' for the tracks.
Look into "Rider's Paradise" in Herndon. I think it's about a 30 minute drive from the EH. Those are full cabin rentals, might be a little more money than what you're looking for, but they're very nice and you'd be supporting a home grown WV business. There's also Wild Willy's ATV Rezort. You may be surprised at how many places there are to spend the night, actually. Search around Welch, it's probably the nearest "town" (or what's left of a town!)
PS-yes, raw sewage is real. Wear your waders (don't wet wade) AND, a lot of the creek is paralleled by short line RR, so from those videos, you probably couldn't narrow down the stretch just by lookin' for the tracks.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
You all got me excited, think it's time for me to take a drive down to Welch for some fishin'
wildtrout2
Well-known member
If I lived in WV, or even much closer than I do, I'd have already fished that stream. Granted, it isn't the most visually appealing stream I've seen, but I could overlook that because of the quality of the fish that are in there.
I mean, how many streams do you know that have both wild browns and wild rainbows? I've only ever fished one, and it's a six hour drive west from where I live.
The EH is on my list of things to do before I'm too old to make it happen.
Big Spring, Trindle, East Licking at one time had both browns and bows, Spring Creek, and I'm sure the list goes on and on.
The three above listed spring creeks all have well established rainbow populations. The freestoner I mentioned was only turning up wild bows for a couple of years, but.....
Do those western PA rainbow creeks have wild browns?
wildtrout2
Well-known member
Yes, a few of them do. I realize there are other Pa streams that have both wild bows and wild browns, but there aren't a ton of them. I stand corrected, I've fished two of them in western Pa.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
The scenery doesn't bother me. It literally looks like almost every other stream in deep Coal Country. Not terribly different, even, from some of the tribs that flow into the New River. But the quantity and quality of the fish DOES set it apart.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
Interesting EPA report on the situation in McDowell Co. It's very easy for us to get upset w/ the residents for what's happening, but most of us (if any) truly understand the economic conditions (as well as topographical) that would lead to the "straight pipes" dumping crap into the crick.
caddisflyer
Well-known member
I was looking at videos on the Elkhorn and it looks nice compared to many of the valley creeks I saw in Kentucky at the bottom of those ravaged mountains. They are totally scoured out and same situation with straight pipes. I think what is saving EH is the cold water coming from the deep mines and possibly a gentler topography than mountains of Kentucky.
The lifestyles of people in some of the mountains in West Virginia and Kentucky would shock many Americans. We were in a house with a family that still had dirt floors.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
Yes. I have folks in our church who are just a generation older than me who grew up in conditions similar to that of my GREAT grandparents. "Poor Appalachia" is very much real.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I've never fished the Elk horn, and am enjoying reading these posts about it.
The small blurbs I've seen about it beforehand, have piqued my interest in it a bit
Seems to have similarities to the Lackawanna, which I have been fishing a bit lately.
Several spots I've been on there have large pipes along the waters edge, warning of raw sewage discharges.
Was fishing in a riffle just above one of those pipes last year, when it starting putting out some brown, very smelly discharge.
Then I hooked a nice fish - in the 20 inch range - that ran down into that brown plume of water.
And I had to play it out awhile in that spot before netting it.
Strange stuff...
The small blurbs I've seen about it beforehand, have piqued my interest in it a bit
Seems to have similarities to the Lackawanna, which I have been fishing a bit lately.
Several spots I've been on there have large pipes along the waters edge, warning of raw sewage discharges.
Was fishing in a riffle just above one of those pipes last year, when it starting putting out some brown, very smelly discharge.
Then I hooked a nice fish - in the 20 inch range - that ran down into that brown plume of water.
And I had to play it out awhile in that spot before netting it.
Strange stuff...
goose54cdd
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2021
- Messages
- 335
If you have to ask you missed the reason.
wildtrout2
Well-known member
Really appreciate that link. Now, I have a very good understanding of the situation that exists, and exactly how it came to be, all those years ago. The folks who live in that region have my respect, it has to be tough living with those conditions.
