Little Stoney Creek

Little Stoney Creek Brookie

Life rarely moves in a straight line and so it was with me Tuesday.   At 0830 I found myself filled with gusto gearing up at the parking-lot-pool of Black Run in the sticks of Rawley Springs, VA a mile from where we've slayed-em on Dry River previously. Trout were rising in the flat pool to a morning caddis hatch and I hid behind a boulder to tie on.  A lonely, hollow feeling spread through my chest as I realized that my dry flies were safely back in the garage. The same awful feeling when I burn a rib-eye or overcook spaghetti. Awful.  I hadn't switched out the shad flies in my vest!  AHrrrrrr!  Mad at myself.    I checked the trees and shrubs for donations to no avail.   With my enthusiasm crushed I de-geared and resolved to drive 40-miles back to Murrays Fly Shop, buy some flies and start over.  With fresh Mr. Rapidans and Adams in my pocket and armed with some local advice I decided to try my luck at Little Stoney Creek.    Little Stoney drains a remote hollow which runs just on the Va side of the VA-WV border and can be accessed from the bottom via RR 675 and 749 and higher up the mountain via 675, 608 (which turns into Forest Service Road 92).   With water running low the recommendation was to park at the bottom and hike up.  After jeeping around several dead ends I found the end of the road marked by a forest service gate, parked, rigged and started fishing immediately. It had been too long.

I was fishing the small tail-water below the Woodstock Reservoir and picked up tiny trout in the 200m of stream before coming on the reservoir dam.  The reservoir is an impoundment of Little Stoney as it pinches between two mountain walls and is quite small, maybe 200m long and 50 m wide.   I found a path up the left side of the dam and then a service road paralleling the north-western side of the reservoir. 

Pool upon entering LS Creek from Parking Lot

Tiny trout below the dam

As the reservoir ended on my right I followed a fisherman's trail into the woods heading for the upper end of the reservoir and found a super-rustic log cabin right pout of the Revenant.   There was tarp in the interior to keep the rain off an occupant and what looked to be something body-length wrapped up in another piece of tarp.  Not wanting my fishing to get interrupted again and being slightly creeped-out I pushed on w/o further examination.

spooky cabin

Here's the view from the Cabin looking up in to the stream that feeds the reservoir

Upstream toward the feeder

another 50m up (Upper) Little Stoney looking back toward the cabin

Cabin is just to the right of that pine tree on the far right point before the water opens up

Little Stoney above the reservoir is far more fishable than below. It's of moderate gradient and flow and reminiscent of the middle of Jeremy's Run or the Piney. The water doesn't feel rushed falling down the mountain, it takes its time at a more gentlemenly pace.  In the half mile I fished above the reservoir there were a few Pet Cemetery-dicey downfalls which were a challenge to climb but predominantly it was a, relatively flat, narrow tunnel with more room than you'd expect for a backcast.

I worked slowly reminding myself that my front cast is only as good as my back and enjoying the full load and smooth slow action of the Superfine. I changed flies for fun but never lost one to the forest.   This stream comfortably fished solo or while guiding.  Two determined anglers would really have to leap-frog to keep from being on top of each other.  

Fatty

The action was steady and primarily on the surface.  Murray said that there was a heavy caddis hatch but I observed swarms of little black flies, both stoneflies and gnats.   They weren't annoying but they were thick enough to settle on my sweaty skin and be brushed off.  I clipped off my dropper after a few tangles as not worth the effort.   I fished a size 16 parachute adams and a Mr. Rapidan and both brought strike after strike in the 54 degree water.  The majority of the Brookies were 4-6 inchers but two 8 inchers flexed my 2wt and the second, taken in the head of a long pool, got put on the reel and SHzzz'ed out some line from my tiny BBS Reel.  

I'm still loving my under water camera

When I hopped off the river the walk back to the upper portion of the reservoir was 11 minutes. Next time I'll walk to that point and keep fishing up as I explore this little blue gem. 

Mr. Rapidan in the jaw

Nice brookie taken from this log guarded pool

Come back soon!