1. Troutnut Forum
›
2. Fly Fishing
›
3. Fly Rod Chronicles?

Anyone see Fly Rod Chronicles the other day on Sportsman Channel? They were getting these giant rainbows out of a stream called "Little River" somewhere in Virginia. Anyone know where the Little River is in that area? I can't find it on a map.

Howdy, Wyofly
I live in SW VA and you can find the Little River originating in Floyd County. There is a smaller tributary called the West Fork of Little River. The Little River runs through Floyd and Montgomery Counties where it empties into the New River below Claytor Lake Dam just south of the City of Radford.
The section you saw on TV was probably a stretch through private land where an outfitter does some guiding. That outfit is Greasy Creek Outfitters out of Willis, VA. You can view an impressive photolog on their web site: www.greasycreekoutfitters.com. Richard Formato, a noted fly angler and writer, filmed a TV show there a couple of years ago and pulled out some hefty trout. Check out some of the smallmouth bass the Greasy Creek guides put folks onto while floating the New River. I hope this helps.

Thanks Irish! I ran whitewater not far from there. I checked out the Greasy Creek group, good stuff.I also found a link on the flyrodchronicles.tv website from the show I saw to an outfit called Riverbound X-Stream. I think that is who the show used.Have you heard of those guys down there?

The Riverbound X-stream outfitters are based out of Princeton, WV, a little over an hour away from Radford. They're a newer company and I can't believe they don't offer guiding along some of the WV streams, like the Cranberry. I guess the benefit of booking tours on the stretch of Little River is the opportunity for a really big trout.
Where in this area did you hit the whitewater? There's a "Whitewater Rodeo" held annually on the New outside of Blacksburg, VA on a section called McCoy Falls. I believe it's coming up in May.

Hey Guys,
The show you watched was filmed at RiverBound Xtream....they (RBX) have their own hatchery and release those fish just for the show. It makes for great TV but it is "staged". Sure, the host Curtis still had to catch them but I think the show should tell you about the release. If you dont believe me...e-mail the host from their site....bet he owns up to it.

We filmed a show, that I beleive will be called "Fishing the Ghosts of the Civil War" filmed early February on the South Fork of Holston River, near Adwolfe.

It will be show on "Familiar Waters" on Outdoor Channel week of April 24.

The section we fished is called Holston Mills, an old civil war mill site (which made Rebel uniforms) and is privately owned, and is non stocked, and a wild reproduction section with mostly 8 - 12" rainbows.

Mike Pawlawski, the host, was really impressed by our SW VA fisheries, and could not get over how much history our area holds. Stevel Howell was Director of Photography, and Eric Verkowteren, Assoc. Producer.

Hope this helps,

Richard Formato
Wytheville, VA 24382
RFormato@aol.com

I've been to the many miles of private water countless times and they must have staged it each time. The fishing is superb and the fish are large. They were raised in earthen ponds and aren't fed once they are released into the streams. Hold-over fish are quite evident in Little River and Big Cedar. The largest fish landed was nearly 25lbs. and the largest fish they stock run about 14lbs..

Wild brook trout are fun to catch (once) but they are too easy. I'd rather catch a fish that puts a bend in the rod. Besides, brook trout are a char not a trout. Go to Canada if you want catch a real brookie.

Richard,
Thanks for the heads-up on the upcoming show. We sure miss your articles in the Raonoke Times, especially those about waters in SW VA. Are you still writing and, if so, where can I find your articles?

Irish,

Thank you for such a nice comment. I really enjoyed writing for Roanoke.com... it was a fun assignment, and there are some awesome people there like Mark Taylor.

The readers made me a better angler and really made me learn more than I would have on my own...

Probably like you, I check the Roanoke Times daily, looking for anything fly related...and I wish there would be more fly fishing content too!

The column gave me a great forum to write about what I beleive almost all anglers stand for, which is solid conservation policy...respect for the land, water, and wildlife...fellowship, friendships, and our abiding love and gratitude to God, for creating such a compelling ecology, the universe of the trout stream... our life and our world.

Thank you again for your comments... made my day!

Richard,
I saw the "Familiar Waters" show yesterday featuring the South Holston. Great show! You and Mike had quite a productive day. I appreciated your description that for a smaller river there are varying levels of technical skill needed to fish it correctly. Thanks again for showcasing one of SW VA's premier streams. Also, good luck on making the national fly fishing team.

Dear Irish,

I am glad you liked it... these shows are kind of surreal to me because I am so nervous and scared I will not catch anything! The weather was horrible just before, and right after they left, and honestly, we got really lucky with the fishing those 2 days...We also had 100 + CFS water, which helped too.

I fished the Project Healing Waters fund raiser 2 Fly last weekend, and those guys did an awesome job all the way around...In my mind, PHW is one of the most important things that has ever come along to bind fly rodders together for a really compelling cause... and everyone there was focused on the right thing which was a quality experience for the vets.

Secondary, as it should be, was the competition. Thom Hubard from Roanoke was my team mate, and we came in first place/20 teams in the non vet division... and we had a good time, and drew great beats. I also got to spend some time with Mike Hatfield, who I have gotten to know from US Team comps, and he is a great angler... and one of the truest men you will ever know - and we practiced with Mike Hatfield on Friday, which really made my week.

I will be on another FW episode this coming Saturday - fishing reds off Isle of Palms, but I was basically along for the ride (and probably for comic relief) with Mike P on this one. We shot this show the same week we did the Holston show... and Mike out casted the tar out of me in that Atlantic wind... Mike is a great guy, and ex NFL QB and he can really throw line... I have not seen the show yet, but what I remembered the most - was trying to (lamely) hit the schools with the wind smack dab in my face, and not trying to hook the back of my head as usual.

Again, I appreciate your kind words...

Richard

The Little River fished on Fly-Rod Chronicles is leased by Riverbound X-Stream Fly-fishing operated by Jake Musick out of Lebanon, VA. He can be reached at 304-922-4563 for information.

Fly fishing trips filmed at private water for broadcast on TV should provide a disclaimer at the beginning of the segment indicating that there is only private, and limited access to the stream, and if the trout are fed to keep them in that section that should be mentioned.

In the past I fished the lower section of a limestone spring creek in PA owned by a dairy farmer. This water was leased by an outfitter based in VA if I remember correctly. At the time I booked the long weekend I was unaware of the methods employed to keep so many big fish in a section of water.

I caught so many trout in two and a half days that I didn't even bother trying to keep track of fish less than 17". I was told near the end of our weekend that during the off season late fall, winter, early spring the trout are pellet fed along the section of stream I fished to ensure they stay in the section and gain far more weight than would be natural if left to eat only stream born insects and smaller fish.

I'm not down on this type of fising and if someone has the wherewithal to afford belonging to a private club or for whatever reason can not make long distance trips to other destinations then this is the closest they might be able to get to catching big fish. However by no means should anyone ever imagine that this kind of trout fishing can be considered on the par for fishing for healthy wild fish that must fend for themselves all year long. Those are the fish that rip line off your reel and send goose bumps up and down your body. Those are the fish of memories.

One of many, this size and larger, caught on a three day weekend.

Wbranch,
Years ago I had a similar experience.

I won a day trip raffled off at my Trout Unlimited chapter's annual banquet. It was a full day of fly fishing at a local private club. It turns out that the stream was stocked with big brook trout that were incredibly easy to catch but didn't fight worth a plug nickel.

I'd much rather catch nine inch wild Esopus Creek rainbows. What they lack in size they make up for in spunk and acrobatics.

Amen brother!