Skip to content I continue to be amazed at where West Virginia will stock trout. On my way back from fishing the North Branch in late March, I did a recon of both Trout Run and Waites Run. In an earlier post, I discussed the disappointment that Waites Run represented. Trout Run is not significantly farther behind. Granted, I have to recognize that the water levels may have been down on the day I visited, but it did not seem like the DNR would be able to put enough trout in this small body of water to make it worth a visit.
According to the West Virginia DNR online mapping application, Trout Run gets one stocking a week between March and May. So, by the time you read this, the trout season will be pretty much over. In particular, a quick look at the pictures below provides a level of understanding why the season would end quickly.
- First of all, there are not that many places close to the road providing access to the stocking truck.
- Second, unless there has been a deluge of water, there will not be much flow in this creek.
Those trout that are inserted would have to be lucky enough to find their way to a pool to avoid the natural predators that would be able to see them in such shallow water and be more than happy to take advantage of their situation.
I drove the length of the stocked area on Trout Run and, while it runs through some scenic country when it gets into public land, it is clearly not worth a dedicated trip.
Bottom line: It’s only another 40 minutes or so to get to the South Branch of the Potomac and that’s where I would rather go than spend time here. Given the shallow nature of the creek, the stocked trout will probably not last long enough to become acclimated to natural food; resulting in a frustrating experience with a fly rod. If you fish this creek after a stocking, spin gear or bait would be the best approach to snake these fish out of the water.
However, you absolutely have to give credit to the West Virginia DNR for running such an aggressive stocking program that must include every conceivable creek in the state that could possibly support a trout. I’m sure this contributes greatly to the tourism industry and generates billions of dollars of revenue for the state. Kudos to them for being so supportive of those of us who are addicted to this sport.
Getting There: DNR: “From I-81 at Strasburg, Virginia take Exit 296 (State Route 55). Follow State Route 55 towards the West Virginia state line. From the West Virginia state line travel about 6.5 miles to the bridge over Trout Run, just past town of Wardensville.”
Google Local Coordinates: 39.051185,-78.634987
Secrets Revealed? No. This is a very public location that is documented in the WV DNR stocking plan.
Date visited: 03/23/2009
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Middle waypoint on map upstream
Middle waypoint on map downstream
View at the southern end
Unless stated otherwise, this article was authored by Steve Moore
