Rainbows Are Not Unicorns: Fishing for Stocked Trout in Virginia
Our Rivers Run Through Here Lesson #3.
By Owen Linlithgow Conner
COLUMNIST
For too many years of my life, late fall in Virginia was a bittersweet season. After a summer of wading our local rivers chasing Smallmouth Bass, the waters grew too cold and too windy to continue fishing. My fishing was done for the year.
This was because I wasn’t familiar with our local trout fishing. My only knowledge of the activity came from movies or books that depicted men with elaborate vests using microscopic dry flies on small mountain streams.
When I would attempt to learn more, I was overwhelmed by biology courses on the many life stages of insects—terrestrials, stoneflies, nymphs, spinners, etc. The few locations I did know about were places like the upper Rapidan River, where hiking up miles of mountains for three-inch sized native Brook Trout did not appeal to me. That type of technical fishing required mystical levels of skills. Trout fishing was intimidating.
In reality, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. As the late great Lefty Kreh correctly noted, “a trout does not have a brain the size of a gallon bucket. It does not have a computer in its head to identify and catalog thousands of insects. Trout also do not speak Latin and neither do you.”
Contrary to the popular opinion, they are not unicorns—they are just fish. Like any other animals, they simply want to avoid predators, have a nice spot to rest, and an available source of food that requires as few calories as they need to expend to consume it.
One of the greatest ways for an angler to prove Lefty’s point is to follow the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) daily trout stocking schedule. There you can track where and when large quantities of beautiful Rainbow, Brown Trout, and Tiger Trout will be placed in a large number of creeks, rivers, and urban trout ponds. The two most significant spots for fly fishermen in our area are located at Old Cossey Pond (City of Fredericksburg) and Locust Shade Park (Prince William). These ponds are stocked up to four times a year, beginning in November and lasting until spring.
Whether you are an experienced angler or just learning how to fly fish, these annual trout stockings are an ideal place to hone your craft and break the mythology of catching trout. The parks are easily accessible, do not require expensive wading equipment, and offer a great opportunity for you to practice your casting, fly selection, and presentation.
Pond fishing for trout does have some inherent challenges. Casting from the bank can at times be difficult, especially if you are unable to find a location clear of trees and bushes. This is particularly true at Old Cossey, where despite the DWR’s best efforts to trim back growth, there are often obstructions.
Locust Shade Park in contrast is much easier with acres of open banks. These locations can also become overcrowded with anglers on the first few days after the trout are stocked. Do not let this prevent you from trying, however, as generally after a few days traditional anglers land a large number of the most aggressive fish and the crowds tend to lose interest. Plenty of trout will remain for the rest of us and, more importantly, are more likely to take a small fly over the power baits and spinners used by the other fishermen.
For better or worse, the stocked trout you encounter in urban ponds are also not particularly smart. They do not necessarily behave like better acclimated members of their species, choosing structure and water flow to take up their feeding locations. Instead they tend to wander the water in small groups, cruising around for opportunities to feed. As a result, this type of fishing does require added patience from the fly fishermen.
In regard to technique, I have found the best way to fish for them is with an indicator (known as a bobber to the rest of the uncivilized world), with a leader/tippet suspended about three to four feet beneath it. The best flies are often small midges or nymphs in size 16 to 18:
Or various San Juan Worm patterns:
Since pond water is rarely as clear as river water, bright green chartreuse, white, or black colored flies seem to work best.
Once you have cast out (the trout can be anywhere from the middle of the pond or close to shore) you simply need to work to keep a straight line connection to your line and rod. This is where you will get invaluable experience on properly mending the line, setting the hook, and landing your fish. It requires patience and practice, but once you master the subtle lifting of the rod in your “trout set,” you too will be hooked.
I hope this column helps to encourage you to explore this wonderful form of fall and winter fishing in our area. And I hope to see more local fly anglers enjoying the trout stocking in our area.
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