The pH of the water is good and there are several mayflies and caddisflies that reside in the creek that you wouldnt expect to find in most Eastern Appalachian mountain freestone streams. Size 14 prince beadhead nymphs will work all year. Harry Murray's springtime Virginia Wulff flythe Mr. Rapidanis the best-known example. Upon arrival, our smallmouth river was jammed and we turned to Beaverdam Creek for relief. Stovall agrees with the biologist about the length and girth of Whitetops browns. Downstream of Konnarock, Whitetop Laurel, by now a medium-size stream, enters a narrow gorge where access is via foot or bicycle trail only. Was beautiful trail! We caught trout until we tired of it, and saw few of the bikers who normally crowd the trail on holiday weekends. It provides access to some very good fly fishing water. There are no facilities offered on the stocked portions of Whitetop Laurel and limited roadside parking available on route 58. The trails and overlooks that are found along the course of the stream are excellent vantage points to look for trout, which often come close to the surface from the deeper pools along the stream. You will have to hike up or down the stream. Type of StreamFreestoneSpeciesBrook TroutBrown TroutRainbow Trout(Wild and Stocked)SizeSmall to MediumLocationSouthwestern VirginiaNearest TownsDamascus, VirginiaSeasonYear roundAccess:GoodSpecial RegulationsArtificial Only SectionNon-Resident LicenseState of VirginaWeatherNational Weather Service Link. Signs to the parking areas and the Virginia Creeper Trail are along 58 east. It is definitely good enough to take off work so get out there. 09/25/21 Stream levels are a little high. The lower special regulation area runs from the lower gate in Taylors Valley down stream to Straight Branch, a small tributary stream. Head out on this 18.7-km out-and-back trail near Damascus, Virginia. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 54 min to complete. Or, if you prefer digital, our magazines are also available as a, 1275 South Patrick Dr. Suite A-9 | Satellite Beach, FL 32937 | 321.777.2773 |, The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is asking the public, in particular anglers, to report any sightings of any hellbender (water dogs) to the agency. Listen for calls from all directionsthe sounds of Carolina chickadees ring through the forest. There were no other fly fishers. Good hatches, Quill Gordons, Blue Quills, LIttle Brown stoneflies and Little Black Caddis are hatching. Call or send us an email for a recommended fly list. Emailus at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. From October through March, I use acinnamon colored caddis for a dry fly and am successful in the mornings until about noon. Good hatches are underway. 06/12/22 The stream is near a normal level and mostly clear. Quill Gordons start about the same time and last about a month. Summertime is terrestrial time and imitations of grasshopper, ants and beetles. Start with the Quill Gordons, the Little Yellow Stonefly, the Light Cahill, and the March Browns in April. Whitetop Laurel Creek flows from Mt. Whitetop Laurel Creek, More Than Just Fishing In addition to the fantastic fly fishing, the area around Whitetop Laurel Creek offers a lot of fun outdoor activities for people visiting Southwest Virginia. Located in , WebWhitetop Laurel Creek is a creek in Jefferson National Forest, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, , WebDescubra lugares para visitar e explorar no Bing Mapas, por exemplo, Whitetop Laurel Creek Virginia. Good hatches and streamlevels are up.08/12/20 The stream levels are in goodshape and we continue to get goodreports from customers. The stream is a little below normal. Their elusive behavior, expert camouflage and skittish personalities make bonefish the quintessential poster child for shallow water sight-fishing. Use caution to stay hidden from the trout. We received two more good reports from customers this past week. Light Cahills, March Browns and Slate drakes are hatching. 06/24/21 Stream levels are down in good shape and we received two good reports yesterday from the wild trout section. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. perfect place for a good long walk and we also had our baby in a stroller. Located in Washington County in far Southwest Virginia near Damascus and Abingdon, Whitetop features mountainous scenery and classic trout habitat with plunge pools, runs, and pocket water. Whitetop Laurel Creek Fishing Report Updated 04/27/23. 4 Star Fatty Day! 10/25/21 Good stream conditions exist. Use either small soft-hackles or Griffith's Gnats for midging, and carry some larger #4-6 stonefly patterns and smaller #10-16 Copper Johns. You can still fish along the banks of the road. After heading East out of Damascus, turn right and you will soon cross the state line into Tennessee. Awesome scenery! Virginia Creeper Trail: Damascus to Whitetop, Virginia Creeper National Recreational Trail, Appalachian Trail: Buzzard Rock via Beech Mountain Road, Elk Garden to Buzzard Rock via Appalachian Trail, Pond Mountain Trail to Pond Mtn, Stone Mtn, and VA-NC-TN Tri-point, Appalachian Trail: US-58 Summit Cut to Mt. Whitetop Laurel Creek is one of the best Virginia trout fishing streams - perfect for Virginia trout adventures whether . Virginia Creeper Trail (276-783-5196). Doable by almost anyone who can ride a bike, even kids. The South Holston tailwater near Johnson City, Tennessee, is considered by many to be one of the best wild brown trout fisheries in the country. (wild & hatchery supported), Fly Fishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park DVD, Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park DVD, Discovery - The Underwater World of Trout Volume 1 DVD, Fly Fishing with the Quill Gordon Spinner. The Watauga River is the smaller of the two, accessible from the town of Elizabethton, Tennessee, and is known for its hatchery-supported rainbow trout fishing. Whitetop Laurel Fly Fishing Guide:Fly fishing Whitetop Laurel Creek is a pure pleasure. little BWOs and other insects hatching. Little Black Winter Stoneflies start the first hatches of the year in late January. Before heading out to visit a site on the Virginia Bird & Wildlife Trail, be sure to check if that site has any COVID-19 policies or closures in place. Brown, rainbow and brook trout. 01/24/22 Levels are still near normal and the water mostly clear. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Good hatches are taking place. Whitetop Laurel Creek, Virginia Fishing Report. Plus, two special regulation sections exist as well as three segments managed as stocked trout water. The Whitetop Laural Creek can be easily fished all year long. Whitetop Laurel just might be the most unique trout stream in the Old Dominion. Reviews (30) Photos (324) Activities (27) Completed (41) 5: 4: 3: 2: 1: 4.8. We lost them when we had a computer failure. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. one outlet known as Grass Creek. There are some great hatches.06/09/20 The stream is in good conditionin all respects with levels a little belownormal and lots of hatching insects.06/21/19 The stream levels are a littlelow but trout are being caught in goodnumbers on some good hatches.07/03/20 Good numbers of trout arebeing caught in both sections, wild andstocked, of the stream.07/13/20 Conditions are still okay. A 1990s river survey by Tennessee Technological University documented what local anglers had been saying for years; that stream-bred brown trout dominated. Good fall hatches are taking place and we are getting good reports from customers fishing both the stocked and wild trout sections. Trout are being caught along the stocked section and wild trout sections. 12/06/20 Lots of trout are being caughtalong the railroad track in the stockedsection. We did a side trip at the north entrance to Whitetop. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the If you mountain bike this would be your jam, great alt bike loop. LP gas available. There is a 12-inch minimum size limit using artificial lures only, with a number limit of 6 per day. The low-elevation sections are within the boundaries of the Jefferson National Forest. They start about the first of March and can last until the middle of April. Plus, two special regulation sections exist (12-inch minimum size limit, six fish-per-day creel limit, single hook artificial lure only) as well as three segments managed as stocked trout water. The Straight Branch area receives more fishing pressure than Taylor's Valley due to its proximity to Damascus. There is more rain coming the next two days and it will likely be high. Watch and wade with us as we chase bonefish on the sand flats of the Bahamas and tag them on the grass flats of the Keys. After Stovall and I finished plying Whitetop Laurel, we went to Green Cove Creek and caught rainbows, considerably lessening my misery about losing the large brown. Size 14 prince beadhead nymphs will work all year. 06/10/21 More good reports from customers. We always recommend Perfect Flies. 06/03/21 The stream is flowing near a normal level and clear. Both the stocked and wild trout sections should turn out some trout. But as pristine as the setting is, the Virginia Creeper Trail runs along much of the stream, making it one of the most accessible wild trout fisheries in the state. However, access is limited, and visitors must obtain landowner permission if they have to cross private property to reach the water. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Share. Epeorus is the dominant mayfly in the South, and imitations ranging from the Mr. Rapidan to a spent Quill Gordon pattern to a #12 Parachute Adams provide great fishing. It flows off the mountain down to the Virginia Creeper area. Above the Straight Branch tributary, Whitetop Laurel is a native trout stream. Whitetop Laurel Creek is one of State's largest and most beautiful wild trout streams. I like to hit them during the summer with small hopper and beetle patterns, which the trout slurp with amazing regularity. 19 golf courses and Michigan Space Center nearby. The upper special regulation area runs from the first trestle located above the upper gate in Taylors Valley upstreamto Green Cove Creek. 04/10/23 We are still getting some very good reports from both the stocked and wild trout sections. Thestream is a little low and you have to stayhidden from the trout.07/27/20 Conditiions are good and weare getting some good reports fromcustomers. The best times to visit this trail are April through September. For one reason they have both the true Sulfurs and the Eastern Pale Evening duns, both called sulfurs by the locals. A National Forest Permit is required on some sections of the stocked portion of stream. Fishing the wild waters in the higher elevations will be most rewarding. Good BWO, slate drake and Cinnamon caddis hatches are taking place. . About two miles East of Damascus is an old railroad bed called the Virginia Creeper Trail. 02/18/23 Stream levels are high but will fall out fast. There are two wild trout regulated sections, single hook artificial only: The top one runs from the first trestle above upper gate in Taylors Valley to the Green Cove Creek Junction. Good hatches continue to take place. Give a Gift One of the first mayflies to start hatching are the Blue Quills. In high-flow conditions, a bulky streamer or flashy spinner can produce impressive results. Tied on a stout jig hook and using black bead chain eyes for weight instead of the usual slotted bead, the pattern rides hook point up on the bottom without fear of snagging and those big eyes square off the head shape nicely, furthering the accurate silhouette. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. Approximately seven miles are stocked trout waters located on both private and public lands with an additional five miles of special regulation waters flowing through the Mount Rogers National Recreational Area. It should drop down verysoon.01/17/21 Conditions are good. The browns are the major attraction at Whitetop Laurel. 07/16/21 The stream level is near normal and the creek in good shape. We received three good reports from customer fishing the wild and stocked sections in the last few days. There are lots of insects hatching and we are getting some good reports from the stocked and wild trout sections. Stovall says he prefers a 3-weight fly rod with a 7-foot, 6-x leader for Whitetop and Green Cove Creek. It slowed down a little due to the colder weather but should be very good within the next few days. He adds that most wild rainbow trout range from 9 to 11 inches while brown trout can reach substantially larger sizes. Whitetop Laurel is at its best during spring, as trout rise to almost any edible-looking dry. It can last for six weeks. The activity levels of trout and trout anglers both increase greatly with the arrival of spring. There are also plenty of Light Cahills that hatch in late May and June. Both parking areas are can be accessed from route 58. But I have to say that Whitetop Laurel Creek in Southwest Virginia is one of the best places to fly fish for trout in the US. Creek Junction, an access to both the Virginia Creeper Trail and the Appalachian Trail, is reached by the dead-end Creek Junction Road, just east of Damascus, Virginia. Within the special regulation sections of Whitetop Laurel the stream is managed as catch and release, in addition to a single hook artificial lure-only regulation. Easy ride down to Damascus from WH Station. Phone: 540-475-3831, 2014 Whitetop Laurel Angler Survey Report, 2012 Whitetop Laurel Special Regulation Trout Section Biologist Report, 2010 Whitetop Laurel Special Regulation Trout Section Biologist Report, 2023 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. The Wilderness Society has designated the area as a "Mountain Treasure". From there you can hike up and down the stream as there are no trails in this area. The Silver Shadow. The most consistent hatch is the usual Blue-winged Olives. The low-gradient first mile of Whitetop Laurel below Creek Junction has numerous large pools, and access for handicapped anglers. For more information:https://dwr.virginia.gov/waterbody/whitetop-laurel-creek/. We also market what we call the Whitetop Box, a custom fly box with patterns for throughout the year.. Explore this 8.6-mile out-and-back trail near Troutdale, Virginia. They have proven to work great on Whitetop Laurel Creek on many occasions. Emailusat (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. East of Damascus, the trail parallels Whitetop Laurel Creek, one of the state's best streams for stocked trout. Whitetop Laurel is the primary fishing stream of the recreation area's west end. Located in Washington County in far Southwest Virginia near Damascus and Abingdon, Whitetop features mountainous scenery and classic trout habitat with plunge pools, runs, and pocket water. Whitetop Laurel Creek at Konnarock, VA - USGS Water Data for the Nation Important Inventory Page Hydrograph Alert No IV or field vist data is available Monitoring camera There are no cameras currently available at this monitoring location. The trails in this area are relatively open and flanked by numerous wildflowers including bee-balm. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 54 min to complete. Catching a cooler full of seatrout can sometimes be downright easy. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive a free ebook download and to get additional news and updates! Walk the trail along the creek checking the creekside brush for Louisiana waterthrush, which can often be seen flying along the creek. 08/07/21 The stream is still turning out some good catches for our customers in the wild trout section. 03/11/23 The stream is still turning out some good fish. 11/02/21 The stream is a little high but okay. Good BWOs, Blood midge, and Mahogany dun hatches. The fishing is great. 11/10/22 Stream levels are just a little below normal but okay. Green Sedges are fairly plentiful in the creek. While rainbows dominate the Taylor's Valley section, browns appear in equally high numbers down to Straight Branch. Whitetop Laurel just might be the most unique trout stream in the Old Dominion. As a fly fisherman, I'm going to tell you something that I shouldn't. I hate to publish this. We have been getting lots of good reports from customers fishing the stocked and the wild trout sections. We were getting goodreports from customers prior to thehigher level. The creek runs through dense rhododendron thickets with old white pine towering over the creek banks. At Taylor's Valley, a road-accessed section of hatchery-supported water divides the two special-regulations areas. Whitetop Laurel Creek Location:Washington County, VA Available Fish: Wild and Stocked Rainbow and Brown Trout Access: From I-81 south take exit 29 (Glade Spring) to 91 east towards Damascus, in Damascus take 58 east. For anglers, the place to begin on Whitetop is the 6 miles of stream below Konnarock beginning at Creek Junction, near the confluence of Whitetop and Green Cove Creek. Mayflies Caddisflies Midges Stoneflies Streamers Terrestrials Miscellaneous Collections Pre-Rigged Dropper Selections. The land, part of the 19th century Mexican land grant of Rancho Caada de Pala, was donated . Even with the added traffic, many large wild trout swim in the Straight Branch area. Coastal Angler Magazine and our interior (freshwater) publication, The Angler Magazine, are monthly editions dedicated to fishing, boating, and outdoor enthusiasts. new restaurant ocean springs, is melody cooley still alive, is cousin micki related to jimmy kimmel,