Trout Streams Fly Fishing Report - October 1, 2024

I have been watching Big Stoney Creek out of my office window and it is coming down slowly. All of the local stocked trout streams are currently high and muddy. I expect Big Stoney Creek, Passage Creek and the Hidden Valley of the Jackson will be fishable by the weekend. The VA DWR starts stocking the streams this month so make sure you have up to date freshwater license, trout license and National Forest permit (if needed). Picture is of Big Stoney Creek in Edinburg, VA on October 1, 2024. We will post updates as the conditions improve. 

I have had numerous anglers calling about fishing the native brook trout streams in the Shenandoah National Park.  The brook trout start spawning this month so I personally do not like to fish these streams during the next few months. The Park has had significant amounts of rain and some of the roads on the lower boundaries are closed. Some trails have downed trees and crews are working on cleanup. Check their Facebook page or website for updates. The best water levels are by coming in from the Skyline Drive and fishing the upper reaches of the streams. Again I do not recommend fishing during the spawning season but if you must, please mash the barbs down or fish with barbless hooks and do not keep the brook trout out of the water very long. Do not move the brook trout from one pool to another and watch that you are not stepping on the beds. Every little thing that we can do to preserve the brook trout this Autumn will help the fishing for Spring 2025.  Beetle and ant patterns are recommended.