Hello from WV!

[cattech89]

Greetings everyone. I've only been a member of this site for a few short weekd and already I can feel myself getting smarter. It is amazing the wealth of knowledge that exists here.
Well, on with it.......
I have been fly fishing, albeit lazily, for about five years now. So my skill level is quite amateurish. (If thats even a word.) However that is about to change, or at least Im going to try to make it change. I don't know why but I got the "fishing itch" last fall and spring could not come soon enough. With the onset of spring however work at work and work at home has kept me from getting my line wet as much as I wanted.
In WV there are some of the prettiest little streams around, as Im quite sure you know. However although I cant reach the much talked about Cranberry River or Williams river without dring a couple of hours, there are some small sterams within a half hour that I try to frequent as much as possible.
I am using a St. Croix 9' 6wt rod with a Cabela's reel. Both of which I received as a graduation present and am very happy with. (I can already hear calculators ticking. Yes I am 23.)
Im still learning. Both fly fishing and posting threads. But, Here I am.
I do have one question that I tried to post in another area but I was trying to do it from my phone and I dont think it took, anyway. Being that spring is, well, over, with the heat of summer coming does anyone have any suggestions as to fly choice for fishing in the heat of the day. Kind of a silly question I know but before most of my fishing was done in the spring and fall, usually during stocking season. Now that I am intensifiying my efforts Im just curious.
Anyway, thanks so much so far and I hope to continue to learn and to participate in anyway I can.
Seth

 

[Ard]

Hello,

WV. is as good a place as any to find some little mountain brook trout streams to take up the summer heat. Sometimes it is impossible to escape the humidity but the brooks are going to be your best shot if you are intending to fish for trout. Keep an eye out for timber rattlers and give them plenty of room and don't forget the Deep Woods Off!

Small streams, dry flies and brookies; it doesn't get much better than that. Welcome to the forum. I'm glad to hear you find it a resource.

Ard

 

[cattech89]

Small streams, dry flies and brookies; it doesn't get much better than that.

I agree. Theres not much better than brookie fishing. Thanks so much.

Seth

 

[axle27]

Glad to see another member from WV. GO EERS!

To answer your question, I'd use buggers or streamers, depending on where you're fishing.

 

[cattech89]

Wow! This keeps getting better. Not only are you from WV youre an EERS fan too! I love it. Where are you located at if you dont mind me asking?

Thanks for the advice.
Seth

 

[jpbfly]

:welcome:from across the pondArd has already given good advice:thumbsup:...as for the flies...anything that floats high and can easily be seen in all conditions(a jpb hivi for example)

 

[mcnerney]

Seth: Welcome to the forum! I'm looking forward to your fishing reports, hope you have a camera so you can post some pictures of your beautiful state! Don't be afraid to ask questions, there are some real talented folks on this forum that are more than willing to help.

Larry

 

[peregrines]

Seth welcome to the forum, glad you found us!

You're in a great state for fly fishing, and you'll have a blast. You've gotten some great advice about hitting the mountain streams for brookies--- generally they're not too picky and will whack most anything that drifts overhead.

You also have some excellent larger streams and rivers, and I'd try and get a hatch chart for waters around you that you'd like to fish-- Better known rivers like the Elk, Yough etc can have have phenomenal hatches.

As an example here is a hatch chart for the Elk--- many of these hatches occur throughout West Virginia. Some like the Green Drake hatch will be much more limited (larger rivers in sections with silty bottoms and slower water). Some hatches, like the Sulphur hatch on the Elk can be epic. In addition to fishing some of the mountain streams whenever, try targeting some of these hatches (note time of day they typically occur) based on the advice of your local flyshop for decent hatches in the water you fish. Here's a hatch chart for the Elk

Hatch Chart For the Elk River

Some patterns that would be great to add to a general box that will cover you for both the fast water mountain streams for brook trout, as well as some of the more wide spread hatches you'll run into between now and the end of summer.

Here are 3 patterns I'd add now:

Ausable Wulff 12-14 A high floating pattern for fast water imitates a lot of mayflies and will cover you for March Browns (usually size 10-12), Gray Fox (usually 12-14) that emerge in May June and Isonychia (usually 10-12) that hatch June through October. It's also a great attractor pattern anytime for searching fast water and mountain streams.

Tan Caddis 14-16 These hatch on most streams June through September. It's also a good fast water mountain stream searching fly.

Sulphur Sparkle Dun size 18 a big hatch of yellow/orange mayflies in May and June. This is a huge hatch most years on the Elk and they’re pretty common throughout trout streams in the East.

There are a lot of other good pattern to add down the road, including recommendations from your local shop to match specific hatches on the waters you fish.

If you haven’t zeroed in on a shop yet, other fast water flies that are both good fast water searching flies and imitate specific hatches are Haystacks and Variants.

Dun Variant, Brown Haystack, or Ausable Wulff, and Leadwing Coachman Wet 10-12 are great imitations for the Isonychia hatch that occurs from June through October in fast water streams.

Cream Variant or Cream Haystack 10-12 Easily seen at lowlight, these are good for the dusk-dark hatch of large cream colored mayflies (Potomanthus distinctus) in June –July

And here are some patterns that should be in your box for the summer to imitate some of the more common hatches you’ll probably run into that you can add.

Light Cahill 14 For the several light body/light wing mayflies (Stenonema) that hatch June-July

Blue Wing Olives 14 May through August typically early morning, but can be anytime during day. BWO's imitate many different species in various sizes from 14-24 are a very wide spread. The size 14 imitates a very common summer hatch (Ephemerella cornuta)

Nymphs for searching riffles when fish aren't hitting dries

Golden Stone Nymphs size 8, live in riffles and fast water runs, and are most active late June-July when they move to shore to change into adults

Green Rockworm 14 imitates free living caddis larva found in riffles (Rhyacophelia)

 

[cattech89]

This is great. Thanks guys. I cant tell you how much this helps. Especially the Hatch Chart. I hadnt thought of that.
Most of my close fishing (something I can hit up in the evenings) is Paint Creek. TU takes care of the upper section and is quite impressive considering. I guess growing up 1 to 2 hours away from the "good trout streams" has warped my thought process in thinking that good trout fishing has to be way up in the mountains. Settling in to the life of fly fishing though has forced me to change my opinion. I have found out about so many little streams that I never would have known about had I not started asking around. Have to say though that the Cranberry and Williams rivers have to be my favorite over all. Thus far............

 

[axle27]

I grew up in WV, but I don't live there now. I've been over almost all of the Mountain State. Still have some relatives that live there.

 

[HuronRiverDan]

Mark gave you a great start on fly selection; let me add to the list, Ants in various sizes and beetle patterns. If you're thinking of getting in to tying; both these are fairly simple patterns with foam.

Dan

 

[jcw355]

Welcome from an Oklahoma Mountaineer. Have you checked out WVangler.com? Lot of info there too. They are tight lipped about some of their fishing holes which I can't blame them. They don't want some of "their" info to be public knowledge. Lot of irresponsible people will ruin a good thing.
JCW

 

[cattech89]

Again, Wow! I cant beleive the info and support Im receiving. Its like having family all over the world. I cant believe I waited so long to join. Thanks again! I plan on trying all of your advice.

Dan,
I have never fished with any type of foam imitation. I have to ask, do they handle like a large heavy nymph like a BH Woolybugger or are they pretty light like a dry or small nymph?

 

[peregrines]

Seth, as far as foam goes, you can make simple ant, beetle or hopper patterns that will float like corks all day long. In trout sizes they're great for panfish too and larger ones like hopper size are great for big/smallmouth bass.

You can buy foam patterns in shops, but as Dan said most are pretty easy to tie, especially stuff like ants and beetles. Along with hoppers they're great patterns to throw under shady areas in streams midsummer.

You can pick up packs of 2mm foam at Micheals, Hobby Lobby, Walmart etc- usually 20-30 8 1/2 by 11" sheets of several colors for 5-6 bucks (as opposed to a much smaller single 4x4" piece from a fly shop for 2.00 or for 6 or so preformed foam bodies). Using a straight edge ruler and a razor blade you can cut strips of foam to make the bodies of flies. (Lots of step by steps on the web if you decide to jump into fly tying.)

 

[cattech89]

Thanks again guys!