# wv rivers?



## big ugly stick (Nov 29, 2010)

I just started fly fishing last august and have really caught the bug!! I've already done the lake erie steelhead run, michigan salmon run, and lake run smallmouth spawn but now I would like to add a west virginia trout fishing trip to my experiences. Which wv trout river would you suggest going to over 4th of july weekend?!? I would like to backpack for a couple days somewhere while catching trout and smallies along the way. more than willing to get off the normal path if possible and go deep into the hills. These trips get really addicting !! Thanks


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

For trout and smallies you're going to have to fish mostly stocked streams, and that means not in isolation from other anglers. So that is a catch. If you want just to catch wild trout, which will be smaller, you can fish a lot of coldwater streams in a watershed that are feeders to the larger streams and catch fish and usually not see a lot of anglers. So for example, fishing South Branch of the Potomac would get you stocked trout and smallies. Fishing some cold streams that feed the larger rivers could produce smaller wild trout and fewer people. I don't find wild trout and smallies in the same water where I fish down there. Of course if you wanted just smallies you could go to the New or Greenbrier and be in the middle of awesome smallie fishing.


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## big ugly stick (Nov 29, 2010)

Thank you very much for the reply. that made this decision really tough lol, I'll probably end up going after smallies on the greenbrier or stocked trout somewhere. Have to wait for a final decision as soon as my buddy im going with gets back from army orders... Cream do you by chance ever do any seminars or anything? I see you on here and wvangler all the time and seems like you know A LOT about fly fishing and would love to sit down and listen to some of your stories sometime.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

big ugly stick said:


> Thank you very much for the reply. that made this decision really tough lol, I'll probably end up going after smallies on the greenbrier or stocked trout somewhere. Have to wait for a final decision as soon as my buddy im going with gets back from army orders... Cream do you by chance ever do any seminars or anything? I see you on here and wvangler all the time and seems like you know A LOT about fly fishing and would love to sit down and listen to some of your stories sometime.


I've presented at a few shows and expos at the local fly shop but that's it. I usually do something for their Tying Expo and Fly Fishing Expo. This summer we may be doing a Carp Expo, also.


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## oldman from the hills (Mar 29, 2013)

Canaan Valley-Dolly Sods area has some native trout and is beautiful. This a winter ski area and has several camping areas for summer rec. Contact WV DNR about wilderness camping areas. Enjoy!!


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## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

Cream has some great info. Some other items to consider I will mention. This time of year the water levels are the issue. No rain means low water. Watch the stream levels on stream gauge site. If you want to catch fish go to the catch and release streams but not on Sat & Sun. or the 4th of July. Lol. You will have a good time and know for sure there will be fish. Go on Wv. DNR site and get the names of catch and release areas. Those streams also hold some good size fish. Regular stocking for all other streams ends the first part of June and most of those fish are usually caught except for fish that get moved into remote sections. If you want to fish for smallies then check the Potomac over and above Romney Wv. also. The Trough is a section you can not get to only by canoe or Yak. Some of the area is accessed by foot but a canoe is good to move along from stretch to stretch. Camping in most campgrounds may be hard to get over the holidays. You are picking a tough time of the year to get away from the crowd. The 4th of July is going to be crowed in most places where you can get a vehicle in. Get on WVAngler.com and post and you may be able to hook up or get some good info from them. Good luck


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## big ugly stick (Nov 29, 2010)

Wow thanks a lot for all that info. That helps Out a bunch. this is really tough to figure out what I should do. So many options to ponder. I heard the cheat river is a great river to float for smallies also from a fellow employee. Lol I guess this is a good problem to have, having so many great rivers to chose from. Cream if you do have another seminar please post on ogf. thanks again

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

big ugly stick said:


> Wow thanks a lot for all that info. That helps Out a bunch. this is really tough to figure out what I should do. So many options to ponder. I heard the cheat river is a great river to float for smallies also from a fellow employee. Lol I guess this is a good problem to have, having so many great rivers to chose from. Cream if you do have another seminar please post on ogf. thanks again
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I500 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


There was talk about a carp seminar/workshop this summer but I haven't heard anything on that lately.

Good luck on your trip!


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## goatfly (Jun 21, 2013)

Elk river, Shavers fork, Cherry, Cranberry and North Branch of the South Patomac for trout.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

goatfly said:


> Elk river, Shavers fork, Cherry, Cranberry and North Branch of the South Patomac for trout.


I've fished all of those besides the Elk, and I can tell you I encountered lots of fishermen at all of them. NF of the South Branch and Shavers are insanely pressured thanks to being right beside easy road access, and the Cranberry was a zoo every time I went there (which is why I'll never go back there). It won't be as bad after the stocking season is over, but then you tend to have fewer fish in the river that the put-and-take crowd didn't turn into dinner. The Williams River and Glady Fork should be added to the same list. Easy access, stocked streams, lots and lots of people. 4th of July weekend I would expect a lot of fishermen out, too!


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## goatfly (Jun 21, 2013)

I agree, 4th of July weekend will be a nightmare. I would only fish the main rivers during the week. The OP said he wanted to backpack and fish, I was merely giving him some good rivers to get him in a good area. If it were me, I would fish the tributaries to some of these good main rivers.


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## samiam (Jan 6, 2011)

just outside Lewisburg you can hike and camp the Greenbriar trail. There is some awesome fishing in that section. My in laws live there and I have had 60+ bass days there if you count the redeyes.


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## big ugly stick (Nov 29, 2010)

wow, I'm really starting to reconsider this trip now... i'm used to fishing with crowds as i fish the maumee walleye run every year but dont want that for trout fishing. well this stinks lol


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## big ugly stick (Nov 29, 2010)

Thanks a lot for the heads up everybody!


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

big ugly stick said:


> wow, I'm really starting to reconsider this trip now... i'm used to fishing with crowds as i fish the maumee walleye run every year but dont want that for trout fishing. well this stinks lol


Shavers Fork always had a lot of fish, so I used to put up with the crowds. My last trip there a few years back, I was walking down the bank from the road to one of my favorite holes in one stretch. Another angler down at the river a little upstream of that spot saw me walking down, and literally took off running to beat me to that spot. He then made a few casts, caught nothing, and waded across the stream right through the stretch I was going to fish. Not only did he have to beat me there, he also ruined it for anyone else by wading through it. And like I said, that was the last time I went there.


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