Fishing next week along the I-81 corridor? (WV, VA, TN, NC)

[caberguy]

Spring Break is next week, I'm thinking about hopping on I-81 and heading south from Syracuse until I find some slightly better weather, and some open trout fishing. I'm thinking around Monongahela or George Washington and Jefferson National forest area... maybe push it as far as Johnson City or Asheville to drink some good beer and hear some good Bluegrass.

Any suggestions? Preference would be for smaller mountain streams, not terribly pressured.

I know that's a big swath of country, but it's pretty foreign to me, and I'd appreciate any advice.

Is it too early? Will it all be blown-out from snow melt?

 

[vaheelsfan]

Weather in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia isn’t going to be too great next week. Highs around 40 and lows around 20 before some projected warming for the weekend. Snow melt won’t be an issue as there is none. Most streams around me are at average flows or a little below average and running really clear. Harrisonburg is about an hour from the VA/WV state line and might be a decent starting point. It has some good breweries and restaurants, a good fly shop, Shenandoah National Park is a short drive to the east and has a lot of brookie waters, the George Washington National Forest is to the west with plenty of good brookie streams and there’s also a spring creek a few miles south of town with public and private stretches. Feel free to PM me for some more info on streams if you’re interested and good luck with your planning.

 

[jayr]

I fish the GWNF, PNF, SNP and GSMNP and although it warmed up a bit a couple of weeks ago, it’s taken a turn for the cold. Next week is not looking good either.

Pretty much all the freestone rivers in VA are yet low again, the GSMNP has had some rain as has the PNF. But the temps have pushed the water temps back down into the 40’s.

 

[caberguy]

Thanks for the input, guys. I'm kind of sold on Harrisonburg... National Forest on either side, only about a 6 1/2 hour drive.

It's supposed to snow all week in Syracuse... mid 40s and calm is a serious step up.

 

[vaheelsfan]

Cool deal, you should still be able to have a good time even if the weather isn’t optimal. Waynesboro is within an hour of Harrisonburg and has a few breweries of its own and a trout stream with a catch and release section right in the middle of town and a fly fishing only section upstream of town. It’s definitely a different fishing experience from bluelining in the mountains but access is good, the stream is heavily influenced by multiple springs so it stays a little warmer than other local streams, and there are some very nice (but not easy to catch) browns there. Feel free to ask about anything in the area, I’ve lived within an hour of Harrisonburg for the majority of my life.

 

[jayr]

There are two good fly shops in the area. South River fly shop in Waynesboro and Mossy Creek in Harrisonburg. Check them out.

 

[flytie09]

I'd say your first spot should be in Pottsville, PA. Harrisburg, PA has some great spots within spittin' distance of I81. Then a stop at Mossy Creek South of Winchester. White Top Laurel in Damascus on your way from SOHO in Marion, VA and then Bristol, TN/VA area should be others on your list too. There are 2 tailwaters that come to mind that never stop fishing well in TN.

If headed to Asheville......there are several great rivers within 30-45 minutes of there.

If you choose to camp....look up the Federal Park network. You can get away for $10/day. Some with showers and very nice facilities.

Sounds like a fun trip.....keep us updated.

ft09

 

[flytie09]

I don't think you're too early. Trout gotta eat. Flows look pretty much perfect. No snow in our forecast that I know of.

 

[jayr]

I'd say your first spot should be in Pottsville, PA. Harrisburg, PA has some great spots within spittin' distance of I81. Then a stop at Mossy Creek South of Winchester. White Top Laurel in Damascus on your way from SOHO in Marion, VA and then Bristol, TN/VA area should be others on your list too. There are 2 tailwaters that come to mind that never stop fishing well in TN.

If headed to Asheville......there are several great rivers within 30-45 minutes of there.

If you choose to camp....look up the Federal Park network. You can get away for $10/day. Some with showers and very nice facilities.

Sounds like a fun trip.....keep us updated.

ft09

As for the tailwaters in TN, right now and for the foreseeable short term future, they are not wadeable. TVA is sluicing, generating and even spilling at about every dam in the state along with the Corp of Engineers dams.