# Caught lots of wild trout in WV (lots of photos)



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I had 2 goals for the trip: land a wild rainbow and my first wild brookie. I met both goals, and far exceeded any hopes I had for the trip. Here are a some of the better pictures I got from the 2 day adventure.

This was the 1st cast of the trip, at least I didn't get skunked:










First wild bow of the trip, gorgeous coloration:










Best wild bow of the trip, caught this fish on a #14 pheasant tail nymph in a narrow, fast run:



















Caught these two rainbows on a #12 tan elk hair caddis on almost back-to-back casts in consecutive runs:



















Stopped off at a C&R section close to camp on a stocked river and caught this 14-15" stocker rainbow on a glo-bug egg I tied:










First wild brookie!










Another brightly colored rainbow:










2nd wild brook trout:


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

And the fish of the trip, at the last stop of the trip, this is a very nice brook trout for the area and size water I was fishing. This fish also took down an elk caddis dry fly, and when I set the hook, air-mailed itself straight up about 2' out of the water:


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## wabi (Jun 14, 2008)

Great pics! (love the underwater shots!)
Congratulations on meeting your goals, I'll bet the trip was very entertaining as well as relaxing.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

wow! awesome pix! lucky you! I wanna get some brookies and rainbows that are wild. also looking for a brownie too!


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

Nice fishes and trip! I can get you into some much bigger brookies so the next time you plan on heading down just PM me.


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## glacier_dropsy (Mar 28, 2007)

Congrats on the catches. Your pic of the brook's side is my desktop background now. 

And that first 'bow reminds me of the goldens I met up in the sierras when I was a teen, nice pic and nice fish. Thanks for the post!


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I may do that soon, flyfishdog, because I'd like to head back down again in a week or two. It's so much nicer down there after the spring stockings are done. The truck-chaser crowd is gone (if we fish a stocked stream), campgrounds are less crowded, and the fishing is great. We want to do a smallie trip sometime this summer, too, probably either to the New, Greenbrier, or somewhere on a branch/fork of the Potomac.


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

Have you fished the Elk? You have to be careful with the didymo... spreading that to new water may as well be a capital offense haha. But other than that it's good fishing.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Great pics!! Thanks for sharing.


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## bigduck10 (Feb 15, 2009)

Great pics and what a great trip. I catch native brown in New York. They aren't very big but man they are full of fight.


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## tractor5561 (Aug 17, 2008)

im moving out to WV this august to go to college at davis and elkins, which is in elkins. I know the two main places to fish down there are the cheat and shavers fork. Does anyone have any info on whereabouts the good spots are?...

p.s. b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l fish, just spectacular colors. I love brookies, such a fight and such a sight!


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

tractor5561 said:


> im moving out to WV this august to go to college at davis and elkins, which is in elkins. I know the two main places to fish down there are the cheat and shavers fork. Does anyone have any info on whereabouts the good spots are?...
> 
> p.s. b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l fish, just spectacular colors. I love brookies, such a fight and such a sight!


I can tell you being in Elkins will put you in good position to catch a lot of fish. I haven't stopped there, but there is a nice fly shop/outdoor store on US33 on the Seneca Rocks side of Elkins that a buddy tells me is very helpful. I was told they also have a great selection of fishing gear.

I think I am heading back down that way this weekend, I can't get enough...


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## SweetFeet (Aug 7, 2006)

tractor5561 said:


> im moving out to WV this august to go to college at davis and elkins, which is in elkins.


I was in Elkins this time last year...without a rod, of course. I was out there shooting a video for the hospital there. Beautiful area! Best of luck to ya.

BTW, what camera did you use for the underwater shots? Neat perspective!


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

It is a Pentax Optio W60. I think they claim it is submersible up to 13' for up to 2 hours. This was the first time I have played with the waterproof feature. What I wanted to do was get an overhead shot, underwater, of any wild trout to show the near camo coloration...I tried 3 or 4 times and every time the trout sped off or flopped out of my hand before i could snap the picture!


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

Yeah, trout camo is absolutely crazy! They just... disappear.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

TheCream said:


> I can tell you being in Elkins will put you in good position to catch a lot of fish. I haven't stopped there, but there is a nice fly shop/outdoor store on US33 on the Seneca Rocks side of Elkins that a buddy tells me is very helpful. I was told they also have a great selection of fishing gear.
> 
> I think I am heading back down that way this weekend, I can't get enough...


You are talking about Hunter Havens, Yea a big selections of fishing stuff but does not have much fly fishing stuff. The Wheelers gun shop does have flies if you dont tie.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

tractor5561 said:


> im moving out to WV this august to go to college at davis and elkins, which is in elkins. I know the two main places to fish down there are the cheat and shavers fork. Does anyone have any info on whereabouts the good spots are?...
> 
> p.s. b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l fish, just spectacular colors. I love brookies, such a fight and such a sight!


When you get into town this fall then PM me! I can give you some great info and fish it as long you practice C&R. I live in Belington.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Flyfish Dog said:


> You are talking about Hunter Havens, Yea a big selections of fishing stuff but does not have much fly fishing stuff. The Wheelers gun shop does have flies if you dont tie.


It was Wheelers, I couldn't remember the name of it. I go by it on every trip, you'd think I'd know it by now. 

I may stop this weekend to check it out for myself.

What about the other place on US33 past Wheeler's on the left, is it Middle Mountain Outdoors or something like that? Big place, looks like a little more of a convenience store from the outside, but I've never stopped there, either.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

TheCream said:


> It was Wheelers, I couldn't remember the name of it. I go by it on every trip, you'd think I'd know it by now.
> 
> I may stop this weekend to check it out for myself.
> 
> What about the other place on US33 past Wheeler's on the left, is it Middle Mountain Outdoors or something like that? Big place, looks like a little more of a convenience store from the outside, but I've never stopped there, either.


Nothing much pertaining fly fishing, I haven't been in there since last year so it wouldn't hurt to stop in as you never know. Most of rivers should be good and fishable. Hunters Havens which on your left like you going to Walmart has fly fishing stuff, mostly older stuff as they had stop catering to fishing altogether.


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