These are the most important caddisflies. We received two good reports from customers fishing yesterday in the wild trout section. Whitetop Laurel Creekis often called Virginias finest trout stream. Good hatches are still taking place and trout are being caught in good numbers. Troutprostore is here to help you fish smarter by offering the most innovative and highest quality trout fishing products. At the Whitetop Laurel Fishing and Viewing Area, the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Creeper Trail converge, providing easy access to the surrounding forests. Rogers, Appalachian Trail and Virginia Creeper Loop, Beargap Trail to Appalachian Trail to Virginia Creeper Loop, Helton Trail and Elk Garden Trail Loop via Appalachian Trail, Beartree Gap, Shaw Gap, and Beartree Lake Trail Loop, Straight Mountain and Beartree Lake Trail Loop. second half creeper, No conditions reported in the past 7 days. 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. The Yellow Sallies start a couple of weeks later and hatch into the first of July. Guided trips: FeeldTrips Outdoors (276-728-8866); Lodging and dining: Damascus Old Mill Inn (276-475-3745). Browns are the main attraction, but there are some nice size rainbows, too, and a few native brook trout, Stovall says. Fish the wild trout section.Good hatches are taking place.09/18/20 The creek is in good shape andwe continue to get good reports mostlyfrom the wild trout section.10/07/20 The stream levels are fine andtrout are being caught in good numbersby our customers in both sections.10/21/20 The river is stocked and lots oftrout are being caught in the sectionalong the old railroad track.11/07/20 We have received several goodreports from customers recently. Recently, I spent a morning on Whitetop and a major tributary, Green Cove Creek, with Zac Stovall of FeeldTrips Outdoors in Damascus. Catching trout is no problem there. Continue on Rt. 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. This is the point at which many may have literally become Cherokee. The best part of the Whitetop Laurel Creek is the special regulation waters in Taylor Valley. 1. Imitations of sculpin, small minnows and small crawfish will work great at times. Both the section along the old railroad bed and the wild trout section are turning out good numbers of trout. A freshwater fishing license and National Forest Permit is needed to fish the two special regulation sections. Whitetop Laurel flows along 58 east, where it can be accessed easily. Phone: 540-783-4860. Good winter stonefly and midge hatches continue. It offers easy to access areas with stocked trout as well as lots wild trout in secluded areas you can access with a little effort. Whitetop Laurel Creek This stream is up there with some of the best wild trout rivers in the entire Southeast. Whitetop Laurel Creek is a beautiful spot for kayaking, and it's only a short drive from Damascus. At our first stop, I promptly lost one of those substantially larger size browns that Owens referred to. 02/17/22 The stream is flowing a little below normal level in good shape. You will see the trout go nuts over the spinner falls late in the afternoons. 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. From the leafy banks of Whitetop Laurel Creek to the cloud-nestled high country of Mount Rogers to the ridgelines above Burkes Garden, Southwest Virginia is home to some of the most memorable portions of the legendary 2,190 mile footpath. | 12/06/20 Lots of trout are being caughtalong the railroad track in the stockedsection. The wild trout section has really been doing well this past week but good numbers of trout are still being caught in the stocked section along the road and old track. The water along the road is a little too warm to fish good now. Within the stocked portions of the stream there is a seven-inch size limit, a six fish per day creel and a trout license required from October 1, through June 15 in addition to the statewide freshwater fishing license. Inch worms also are plentiful and fall and get blown into the water. There is more rain coming the next two days and it will likely be high. The browns are the major attraction at Whitetop Laurel. Fish the wild trout section or the uppermost section of the creek along the road. 07/26/22 We received three good reports from customers fishing this past week. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 54 min to complete. RealFeel Shade 37. 11/02/21 The stream is a little high but okay. The activity levels of trout and trout anglers both increase greatly with the arrival of spring. Guided trips: FeeldTrips Outdoors (276-728-8866); Lodging and dining: Damascus Old Mill Inn (276-475-3745). Callor shoot us an email for a fly list.03/20/21 The stream levels are high butfalling fast. This hatch is never concentrated but well worth imitating. Quill Gordons, blue quills, little black caddis, BWOs, little Brown stoneflies and Hendricksons/red quills. Streamers are effective in the creek, especially when the water is slightly high and stained. Give a Gift Write review . 05/20/22 Steam levels are just a little above normal level and lightly stained. Highlights: Downhill bike ride, waterfalls on Whitetop Laurel Creek Get a shuttle to the top at 3,400 feet then enjoy this almost all downhill run on the Virginia Creeper Trail. Stream levels are okay and the good winter time hatches of midges, winter stoneflies and BWOs. Very good hatches are coming off. Virginia Creeper Trail (276-783-5196). Call or send us an email for a recommended fly list. Follow us and be up to date with upcoming giveaways & outdoor news! We are getting great reports. 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. Above the Straight Branch tributary, Whitetop Laurel is a native trout stream. Both sections are turning out trout in good numbers. About two miles East of Damascus is an old railroad bed called the Virginia Creeper Trail. These rivulets flow in and out of private property through a mountain basin located near the hamlet of Konnarock. The trails in this area are relatively open and flanked by numerous wildflowers including bee-balm. During late winter, as spring approaches, a few warm, sunny days in succession may prompt blue-wing olive mayfly hatches, offering anglers occasional spurts of dry-fly action. These birds are often joined by Carolina wren, which also frequent streamside brush. Brown, rainbow and brook trout. Follow this road west for 2.7 miles to US 58 West. Stoneflies, both tiny and large, as well as midges, predominate. It should be good the coming week. 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. Doable by almost anyone who can ride a bike, even kids. Its book perfect, small stream fly fishing. 07/23/21 The stream is still in good shape with normal levels. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. 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 TroutProStore Community is growing fast - join in! We are still getting good reports from customers. Whitetop Laurel in Washington County, Virginia is one of states largest and most beautiful wild trout streams. Recommended Tackle & GearFly Line:4,5or 6weightLeaders:Dry fly: 9to 12ft., 5or6XNymphing:71/2ft.,3or 4X, Streamers 0-2XTippets:Dry fly: 5or 6X,Nymphing: 3 or 4X,Streamer0-2XBest Fly Rods:Perfect FlySupreme Four,SuperbFiveorUltimate SixFly Reels:For4/5/6 fly lineFly Floatants and Misc Items:Floatants, KISS Strike IndicatorsTools & Accessories:Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc. Tennessee Tech found overwintering brown trout per surface area in numbers equaling or surpassing Utah's Green River and the White River in Arkansas. Caddis come in May, and the famous green drake hatch arrives usually in early June. Whitetop Laurel has a huge, very diverse population of aquatic insects that hatch throughout most of the year. During the winter cold-water period, the best flies imitate the nymphs which dominate the trouts diet as this time of year. We received two good reports from customers fishing this past week. Whitetop Laurel Creek is one of State's largest and most beautiful wild trout streams. View Seasonal Observations Submitted to eBird, Site Contact: US Forest Service Mount Rogers National Recreation Area District Office, 276-783-5196, sm.fs.mrnra@usda.gov, 2023 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. A freshwater fishing license and National Forest Permit is needed to fish the two special regulation sections. Follow US 58 East for 10.5 miles to Beaver Dam Ave in Damascus. Beautiful scenery whitetop station down to Damascus. Even with the 12-inch keeper rule, you'll see many larger trout in the Taylor's Valley section, with the Virginia Creeper Trail providing good spotter's access. The pH of the water is good and there are several mayflies and caddisflies that reside in the creek that you wouldn't expect to find in most Eastern Appalachian mountain freestone streams. , 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Recommended to you based on what's popular Feedback. The wild trout section is still the best section to fish. I've had more springtime success with a #12 Early Brown Stonefly and a #12 Quill Gordon Spinner than most other drys. 05/26/21 The stream levels are still low but we continue to get good reports from customers. Trout University will never recommend a generic fly either! We received a good report from a customer fishing two days ago.. 10/27/22 The stream is still in good shape with good hatches. Turn left and follow the Creeper through Taylors Valley and up to Whitetop Laurel Creek gorge to junction with AT at Creek Junction. 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. Whitetop Laurel Creek is one of the best Virginia trout fishing streams - perfect for Virginia trout adventures whether . An official website of the United States government. The town of Damascus, Virginia is located a near Whitetop Laurel offers different locations to dine and purchase needed items. 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. Signs to the parking areas and the Virginia Creeper Trail are along 58 east. Large streamers such as muddler minnows, wooly buggers, and woolhead sculpins are the best choices for the fly angler seeking a big brown. Purple, red and silver bands seem to attract trout any time. There are lots of insects hatching and we are getting some good reports from the stocked and wild trout sections. Whitetop Laurel is at its best during spring, as trout rise to almost any edible-looking dry. Numerous wild rainbow trout are found in Whitetop, a rarity in the Southeast; and also a surprise in a stream where whirling disease has been detected but mostly held in check. Steve Owens, DWR fisheries biologist in the Marion office, says that both wild and hatchery trout can be caught in good numbers throughout the length of the stream. Their elusive behavior, expert camouflage and skittish personalities make bonefish the quintessential poster child for shallow water sight-fishing. Learn to tie the Sparkle Caddis Pupa with master tier Charlie Craven. We hope you give them a try if you havent already done so. . The creek runs through dense rhododendron thickets with old white pine towering over the creek banks. Late spring brings early hatches of Yellow Sallies, and Whitetop Laurel trout hammer #14 Dirty Salliesdark versions of Mike Lawson's Henry's Fork Yellow Sallyall day long. There are also plenty of Light Cahills that hatch in late May and June. It can last for six weeks. However, access is limited, and visitors must obtain landowner permission if they have to cross private property to reach the water. Beyond the scenery, the region is also renowned for celebrating the culture of thru-hiking, famed for . Would do it again. Getting there takes a few turns out of Damascus. My wife and I stayed and dined at the inn, which lies on the banks of Whitetop Laurel. 02/25/22 The stream is flowing at a high level. Both sections are turning out good numbers of trout. We received two more good reports from customers this past week. 01/08/22 The stream is near a normal level in good shape. The spinner fishing with these mayfly imitations is especially effective in the late afternoon. In the late afternoons, especially during cloudy weather and in the faster moving waters, try the spinners in the seams and the pocket waters. We recommendthe upper wild trout section.08/30/20 We continue to get some verygood reports. Weather, flows are worthy. Rogers National Recreational Area located in southwest Virginia and it flows down to Damascus, Virginia where it meets the Tennessee Laurel. Current fly fishing conditions are good! The stream in near a normal level and we are getting good reports from customers. 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. Because of the prolific nature of the winter stonefly hatches, pay close attention to the possibility of good mid-winter dry-fly fishing during periods of low water and warmer weather. We received three good reports from customer fishing the wild and stocked sections in the last few days. Green Sedges are fairly plentiful in the creek. A now retired fly-fishing magazine editor once told me, "The crowds go out West and fish elbow-to-elbow on the Big Hole, and leave the Southeast deserted for people like you and me.". There are several neat places to stay and eat in the area. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. The Straight Branch area receives more fishing pressure than Taylor's Valley due to its proximity to Damascus. Both the stocked and wild trout sections should turn out some trout. 19 golf courses and Michigan Space Center nearby. Emailusat (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. Up north appearance with large shaded sites. 04/24/22 Good conditions continue. 728 for 1.0 mile to parking area at end of road. Those big browns dont have much room to roam when you hook them. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. The headwaters are in the Konnarock portion of the Mt. Rogers down into the Holston River. This stretch has excellent pocketwater fishing. The best time to fish the stream would be during the months of March, April and May when there are a lot of hatches Good BWOs, Blood midge, and Mahogany dun hatches. In the late 1830's, Sizemores are said to have taken in Cherokees who escaped the Trail of Tears. Listen for calls from all directionsthe sounds of Carolina chickadees ring through the forest. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Use the Blue Winged Olive, Giant Black Stonefly, and theterrestrial patterns later in the summer. one outlet known as Grass Creek. Catching a cooler full of seatrout can sometimes be downright easy. Even on the rare day when the trout refuse to cooperate, the experience of being on one of Virginias most beautiful streams makes any trip worthwhile. The latest Costa Film "Hooked On: Bonefish" explores the pursuit of this prized gamefish, which requires expert marksmanship and delicate execution to be successful. 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. There are very good hatches taking place and we have been getting good reports from customers fishing. While Beaverdam is smaller than Whitetop Laurel, its fishing rivals that of its larger neighbor, especially for wild browns. Midges hatch throughout the entire year but are most important during the winter. We received three good reports from customers fishing this past week. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. My wife M. J. and I wanted to avoid crowds on a recent Labor Day weekend and planned a first course of some big Virginia smallmouth bass, followed by Whitetop Laurel Creek trout fishing for dessert. 05/03/21 Still receiving good reports from customers from both the section along the old railroad track and the wild trout sections. Winter fishing is usually a matter of dead-drifting small generic nymphs like Princes, Pheasant Tails, and Lightning Bugs, as well as smaller #10-12 Woolly Buggers. I like to hit them during the summer with small hopper and beetle patterns, which the trout slurp with amazing regularity. A National Forest Permit is required on some sections of the stocked portion of stream. 06/10/21 More good reports from customers. Of course the Whitetop Laurel Creek can be accessed fropm the Virginia Creeper bike trail. All the standard fly fishing tactics are applicable as insect hatches swing into action. Whitetop Laurel Creek Fishing Report Updated 04/27/23. Go through Damascus and continue on Highway 58 for approximately 9 miles to a sharp right turn off Highway 58 that leads down to the Creek Junction Accessible Parking Area on the Virginia Creeper Trail. Other patterns such as ants, beetles, Parachute Adams, and #12-14 Stimulators work equally well or better on Whitetop Laurel, depending on the season and water level. The stream is flowing a little below a normal level with clear water. I spent a morning on Whitetop and a major tributary, Green Cove Creek, with Zac Stovall of FeeldTrips Outdoors in Damascus. Walk the trail along the creek checking the creekside brush for Louisiana waterthrush, which can often be seen flying along the creek. The terrestrial become important about the middle of June through September. 10/03/21 The stream is a little above normal level in good shape. 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. Little Black Winter Stoneflies start the first hatches of the year in late January. Through tagging and conservation efforts, the quality of many historic bonefish fisheries is improving, as is our understanding of the species' movements and patterns. We were getting goodreports from customers prior to thehigher level. The Story of the Whitetop Laurel Band of Cherokees Whitetop Mountain, located at tristate VA, NC, TN border. We have been getting lots of good reports from customers fishing the stocked and the wild trout sections. The fishing is great. Trout are rising. They have proven to work great on Whitetop Laurel Creek on many occasions. Weather moved in overnight, providing the mountains with a welcome soaking. Rising in the confines of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Whitetop Laurel Creek begins as two tiny feeder streams: Little Laurel and Big Laurel. 19/15/21 Stream levels are in okay shape again with clear water.