Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Brook Trout (native)
Size
Small to Medium
Location
Western Virginia – George
Washington National Forest
Nearest Towns
Monterey
Access:
Requires long hikes
Season:
Year-round
Non-Resident License
State of Virgina
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
Fly fishing success is largely dependent on water levels.
Spring:
Springtime is the best time for fly fishing Laurel Fork.
Summer:
The stream levels usually get rather low during the Summer and the fishing action slows down some.
Fall:
Fall is an excellent time to fish the stream although the water levels may still remain low.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing Laurel Fork Creek Virginia
It seems like there’s a Laurel Creek everywhere there’s a trout stream in the eastern United States. There’s more than one in Virginia. so to distinguish it, this is the Laurel
Fork in Highland County Virginia. This one’s a good trout stream and I suspect it’s for one main reason. You have to hike close to three miles to fish this Laurel Fork Creek.
The stream, located in the Alleghany Highlands, is approximately nine miles long, if it was measured in a straight line.
Laurel Fork Creek, usually just called Laurel Fork, is located near the West Virginia border in the George Washington National Forest. It has many small tributary streams including Buck Run, Locus Spring Run, Slab Camp Run, Lost Run, Bearwallow Run, Newman Run,
Molinaux Run, Cool Spring Run, Christian Run, and Knotmaul Run. There’s a Christian Run Trail that takes you to the lower part of the stream but it’s difficult to get to the trailhead and we don’t recommended it.
There are three trails that will take you to this stream that are all off of Forest Road #106. They are Locust Run, Slab Camp Run and Bearwallow Run. Bear Wallow Run is the shortest at just under three miles, but it takes you to the upstream part of Laurel Fork. The others are about four miles each and take you to lower parts of the stream. All of these are very good trails.
Laurel Fork is a good size mountain stream averaging over thirty feet wide. Being a freestone stream, it’s completely dependent on melting snow and rainfall for its
water and the stream levels change drastically during the season. The creek drains terrain from about the 4000 foot elevation level, so the water starts out cool even in the summer. Laurel Fork is lined with rhododendrons that help keep it cool.
This is a rather wild area with bears, deer, rattle snakes and many other animals. There aren’t any roads, building, etc., near the stream, just wilderness country. It’s a lovely stream to spend a day on and chances are good that if you see anyone, it will be a hiker. Anglers rarely go to the effort to fish the stream but rest assured, it’s well worth the effort. It has plenty of large, native brook trout that usually willingly take dry flies. The stream has a good pH level and consequently, a large number of aquatic insects. Hatches are common, especially during the Spring.
Fly Fishing Gear, Tackle and Trout Flies – Laurel Fork Virginia
Fly Line:
You only need a light, floating fly line to catch the native brook trout. Most likely you will
be using small and most likely, dry flies, for the brook trout. We would say the ideal fly
line size would be a 3 weight, floating fly line. If you fish nymphs and small streamers, I
would say a 4 weight fly line would deliver them better.
Fly Rod:
The length of the 3 weight rod could be anywhere from six and a half feet up to eight
feet. A slow to moderate action would be best. The four weight rod should be between
eight and nine feet in length with a medium action.
Fly Reel:
The reel for the light 3 weight line or the 4 weight fly line isn’t all that important as long
as it’s light.
Leaders:
You should probably be using at least a seven and one-half foot leader. Most of the
time you would probably want to go up to nine feet. I would suggest having them in sizes
ranging from 3X for streamers, up to 6X for small dry flies, in both the 7 and one-half
and the 9 foot lengths.
Tippet:
Make sure you have plenty of extra tippet material in sizes ranging from 3X to 6X.
Waders:
Waders are not absolutely necessary for fly fishing Laurel Creek but we would
recommend them. You can wet wade the stream during the summer and you would not
have to use them at that time. Hip waders may be okay when the water is low.
Wading Boots:
Much of the bottom is either gravel, sand or rock. You would not want cleats. Felt soles
are the best for traction.