Big Stony Creek Trout Fishing (VA – Below Columbia Furnace)

On the way back from fishing the Dry River, we were cruising north on I81 when the sign for the Edinburg exit popped up. Someone in the car mentioned that Edinburg was where Harry Murray hung out in his fly shop and then someone else commented that that’s where Stony Creek was stocked as well. Given the combination of those two items, we decided to pull off and go check out the fly shop and then go look at Stony Creek; maybe even fling a fly or two.

This late on a Saturday (around 1630), the fly shop guys were doing the only logical thing — they were gone, and hopefully, they were fishing. That left us without Harry’s advice on picking the appropriate patterns and guidance on how to find the stocked section of Stony Creek. We drove around lost for about half an hour until we finally got on 675 north towards Columbia Furnace. We drove up and down this road looking for the stocked water signs but did not see any. Growing frustrated, we decided to stop at a bridge crossing south of Columbia Furnace and fish there.

I worked upstream from the bridge crossing and was successful in picking up bluegills and a number of smallmouth bass on various terrestrial patterns. The creek here was reasonably deep — about thigh high — and flowing fairly quickly. It was the least 50 to 60 feet wide and offered plenty of places for fish to hide. There was the overhanging structure on both banks, and I could see a riffled area a hundred yards up that oxygenated the water. About a half-hour into the event, it started to sprinkle rain, so we decided to end our day here and pile back into the car.

Big Stony Creek Trout Fishing Bottom Line: The lesson learned is to take the reference books with you when you go fishing. After all, you never know where you may end up that might look good. If we had taken Murray’s book with us, we would have known that the best place on Stony Creek is above Columbia Furnace, a place we never got to. Murray goes on to say that Stony Creek is one of the best-stocked trout streams in Virginia!  He does mention that the section from Lantz Mills up to Columbia Furnace is stocked although we did not see any signs or public access points that were obvious. There are a few bridge crossings between these two towns and we drove down to look at them but did not see any place that looked like a good parking area. Granted, we were a hurry and eventually just settled on the bridge crossing shown on the map above.

I have to give this one the benefit of the doubt. In any case, it’s a good excuse for a return trip. Now that I have become a fly fisherman, I also realize that I shortchanged Little Stony Creek in a report I did on it in early 2006. Both of these locations need additional reconnaissance and focus. I did revisit Little Stony last month – here is that report.

Getting There: From I81, take exit 279 and turn west on Stony Creek Road towards Columbia Furnace.  Follow that road until you cross the creek. We parked on the far side where there is a wide spot.  According to Murray’s book, the stretch above Columbia Furnace is good as well.

Google Local Coordinates: 38.870654,-78.63061

Secrets Revealed?  No.  This is a very public location that is documented in the Virginia VDGIF stocking plan and in Virginia Blue-Ribbon Streams 

Upstream from the bridge

Downstream from the bridge

Typical small smallie I picked up here

 

Unless stated otherwise, this article was authored by Steve Moore

Articles on this site are out of date since some go back to 2006. Regulations and property ownership may have changed since publication. It is your responsibility to know and obey all regulations and not trespass on private property.

Disclaimer and Warning:  The contents of this site reflect the opinion of the author and you, the reader, must exercise care in the use and interpretation of this information.  Fishing is a dangerous sport.  You can slip and fall on rocks and sustain severe injury.  You can drown.  You can get hooks caught in your skin, face, eyes or other sensitive places.  All sorts of bad things can happen to you when to go into the woods to visit the places documented here.  Forests, streams and lakes are wild areas and any number of bad things can happen.  You must make your own judgment in terms of acceptable behavior and risk and not rely on anything posted here.  I disclaim all liability and responsibility for any actions you take as a result of reading the articles on this site.  If you do not agree with this, you should not read anything posted on this site.

Disclaimer and Warning:  The contents of this site reflect the opinion of the author and you, the reader, must exercise care in the use and interpretation of this information.  Fishing is a dangerous sport.  You can slip and fall on rocks and sustain severe injury.  You can drown.  You can get hooks caught in your skin, face, eyes or other sensitive places.  All sorts of bad things can happen to you when to go into the woods to visit the places documented here.  Forests, streams and lakes are wild areas and any number of bad things can happen.  You must make your own judgment in terms of acceptable behavior and risk and not rely on anything posted here.  I disclaim all liability and responsibility for any actions you take as a result of reading the articles on this site.  If you do not agree with this, you should not read anything posted on this site.

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