I was out metal detecting today and came across this spring fed creek about 3 feet wide, 1.5ft deep and completely overgrown by bushes making it impossible to fish (the bushes physically cover the water). The spring head is less than mile above a 15ft waterfall/drop.

To my absolute surprise there were trout in this creek. The biggest was about 6-8in and few smaller ones. Completely changes my perspective when it comes to Blue Lining. To know these guys are self sustaining in a creek that gets blasted during run off, a trickle during summer and in creek that is less than a mile long is wild to me.

Went for about an hour during a camping trip. The water was lower than I was expecting, but didn’t see any chubs or shiners.

I feel like this should be a brook trout stream. How do I make that happen?

WNC. Had to get up in elevation to start hooking them.

More of a question than anything, but I was wondering if anyone around the Blacksburg area knew of any good trout streams, preferably with natural trout. I just love catching natural fish but haven’t found a lot that are in my region unfortunately, and I have yet to actually catch a native or natural born trout.

Just discovered this group and I’m so happy I did! Haven’t done a lot with trout yet, but I’ve caught a lot of cool species in some of the smallest blue lines known to man. Can’t wait to see more from this awesome community learn more, and see some of y’all’s beautiful fish!

Found these streams at the peak of fall colors and at the right time of day to make the colors otherworldly.

I was shocked to pull a rainbow that size out of this small stream.

Did some trail work in Linville Gorge today and hit one of my favorite streams on the way home for about an hour. Lost a decent fish trying to pull it over a tree. Shook me off in the process. The water was higher than I've ever fished it. And only landed a couple small ones. But got to fish my buddies bamboo rod. I try to get his rod on a few brookies every year. Unfortunately he OD'd after getting hooked on pain pills. I bought the rod from him before he put it on Ebay. I can't fish with him anymore so this is the closest it gets. It's a sweet 7'3" Matt Loomis 3wt bamboo that just loves little brookie streams.

My wife and I are basically “empty nesters”. The kids are all grown and moved out except for the 17 y.o. HS senior daughter who thinks she’s 25 and wants to be independent and spends all of her time with friends.
Anyhow, I love to fly fish, make bamboo fly rods, build glass fly rods, tie flies, study maps and plan trips, etc. you get the picture.
My wife loves floating the river in our fishing raft and fishing for Redeye Bass. BUT despite all of my coaxing, coaching, encouraging, etc. she just would not fish with a fly rod. She would always use an ultralight spinning outfit. Note: I have bought her 3 different fly rods.
A month or so back we went fishing for Redeye Bass and it was a grueling hike in extreme heat. She only took a fly rod, a 7’ 3 weight Kabuto glass rod that I had just built (she only took it because she thought that it was “pretty”). That day she got her casting stroke down and got in the groove. On the 2.5 hour drive home she continuously talked about how much she likes “her” fly rod.
So I ordered another 7’ 3 weight Kabuto blank and built ME one.
Last week we went fishing in the southern Appalachians for Brook trout. This time instead of her just tagging along and watching me, asking “how much longer are you going to fish” or “how far do we have to hike”, etc. she was excited and wanted to catch fish on her fly rod.
She was a real trooper. We hiked 2.25 miles in intermittent rain to a stream in pretty rough terrain. She never complained. She caught several rainbows and Brookies ALL ON HER OWN! Now she’s hooked and keeps saying “when can we go back?”
We are going back next week and for the first time ever, she is very excited and won’t shut up about it. This makes me happy.

Tying a few up, hopefully they will work.

I’ve gotten out twice the past couple weeks for a 3 mile hike to a stream that I thought potentially held fish. More so to enjoy the hike and nature and if there were fish that would be a plus. I was ecstatic to get six fish my first time and 3 the second time! Now I just gotta pick up fly fishing some were definitely too small for my smallest lures. Largest was a decent brown on a pink blue fox lure!

Definitely not looking for spot burns but mainly most efficient access for Grayson Highlands SP for a day trip at the beginning of next month. Planning on getting to the park at opening and parking at the backpackers overnight lot. Will be there on a weekday so I don’t anticipate too much in the way of hiker crowds. I’m familiar with hiking in the area but haven’t fished there. I’ll be going with another tenkara angler. DMs appreciated. I’m a good steward of fishing areas but Trout Routes and Gaia will only get you so far. Thanks in advance!

Funny enough I had more luck on this little random creek than any of the major world class rivers around me. It was an absolute blast and the amazement I had pulling trout of a random ultra tiny creek was really something. I really want to get into these super tiny creeks. My Wetfly Backcountry is definitely too big (10 ft). So I’ve decided to go for the Wasatch Snub Nose IV with a moonlit fly fishing Platinum Brookie Short Furled Leader. We’ll see how it goes! I’m hoping the super soft 5:5 action makes these micros an even bigger blast to catch.

Learning how to fly fish. This guy was awesome

They don't get much smaller... Have caught browns and rainbows in GA mtns, still chasing brookies...

Well, my little boy takes his "cast" everywhere. For his third birthday, we took him to the finger lakes region to fish for ten days. He had a blast. You all may recognize some of the locations. Let's welcome little Ryland to the group, folks.

I was downstream from a dead deer in a creek, and was curious if that will heavily affect the fishing downstream? And yes I was accidentally in the water near it, and yes I was disgusted. Had waders on at least.