We didn't have to travel eight hours to catch 5-8 inch fish. There are plenty of streams in God's Country which hold Eastern Brook Trout. But there was a bit of nostalgia going back to the SNP. We've been fishing it on and off for the last three decades. Many times I would light out with USNA colleague Professor Tim O'Brien. Mary would also join me for a trip or two every year while we were living in Annapolis. The draw was catching the only trout (actually a Char) native to the eastern US, but also fishing in some of the most scenic places imaginable.
On Monday Mary and I made the trek to Sperryville, VA, which is kind of the locus for fishing the eastern drainages of the SNP. Most of our past trips were grueling out and ins; on the road from Annapolis at 0515 to miss the I-495 traffic, fish all day, then a long 2 3/4 hour drive home. A few years back we stayed at Graves Mountain Lodge with the Trout Whisperer and Frank and Janie Weeks. This time we opted for Sharp Rock Vineyards (https://sharprockvineyards.com/), an exceptional B&B and winery on the bank of the Hughes River a few miles west of Sperryville. Owners Jimm and Kathy East were gracious hosts, the accommodations very comfortable, the wine fantastic, and the breakfasts could carry you over to dinner.
As we arrived a few hours before we could check in, we hit The Black Twig pub in Sperryville for quick beer (Sweetwater 420 Pale Ale on tap), then decided to drive a few miles up to the Quièvremont Winery (https://www.quievremont.com/) for a quick tasting. The area around Sperryville hosts a good number of wineries (should your companion rather drink than fish). Quièvremont, though, was special because Mike Guervremont, whose family owns the winery, worked with me during my White House tour. Small world. And most excellent wine and hospitality!
If this is looking like a travel log, well, it kind of is. We did get some fishing in Tuesday and Wednesday on the Rapidan and Rose Rivers. But to be candid, we did a lot of hiking and climbing, some fishing, and only a little catching. As I said, the trip was to revisit an old fly fishing haunt and enjoy the scenery. And the rivers proved just as beautiful as they were over the last 30 years.
Conditions were sunny but on the cool side; temps in the high 50s on Tuesday, and low 60s on Wednesday. There were a few bugs coming off; Olives in the morning, Caddis and a few March Browns in the afternoon. Not the conditions you'd find in late-April. But ... true to form, if a pool looked fishy, it more than likely held a Brook Trout, which proved more than happy to pounce on a fly.
We fished dries and dry-droppers. Mary hooked three fish on a 14 Adams Parachute. The three brookies I hooked over the two days took a 16 Beadhead Pheasant Tail nymph dropped off a Stimulator. If there was an issue, it was that the streams proved a bit less accessible than during the halcyon days of our youth. While the rivers are still the most scenic we've fished, our ability to navigate the streams had diminished ... a lot! "Back in the day," a thirty-fish outing was not out of the ordinary. But then, we were a bit more spry, and able to navigate around and over the boulders like a mountain goat to hit all the pockets and runs. You'd essentially get in the water and not leave until it was time to head home. But now, after a few years, you just look for the few spots that are relatively easy to access, maybe catch a couple of trout, head back to the B&B for some wine or bourbon and cigars, and be happy with the day.
Which we were.
A quick note on logistics. Closest city is Warrenton, about 30 minutes east of Sperryville. Plenty of grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, etc., if you want both fishing and civilization. West of Warrenton your down to B&Bs, which is a nice way to go, andl closer to the rivers. Sperryville can be challenging for foodies. There are four restaurants in town. A pizza joint (the old Thornton River Grill), which is only open on the weekends. A burger place we didn't try but has been there forever. A high end place (Three Blacksmiths) that was booked well into the next month, and the Black Twig (the Sweetwater 420 is the highlight). There is an excellent market in town, which has a pretty impressive meat and seafood sections, as well as deli sandwiches, baked goods, snacks, drinks, etc., if you want to do your cooking. Fortunately, we were saved by discovering an excellent Irish Pub, the Dark Horse Saloon, in Flint Hill, about 20 minutes from Sperryville. Excellent table fare, with Guiness, Harp, and Smithwick's on tap.
SNP streams are regulated by the National Park Service. Fishing in the park is C&R. I know for sure that you need a freshwater fishing license, and you do not need a trout stamp. I was unclear to me, though, whether you need a national forest stamp. But it's only $4, so we got them to be safe. I'd suggest purchasing a trout stamp, which permits you to fish the streams outside the park, which are stocked (and easier to access).
Rains have moved into NC PA, and look to stick around (including some snow) over the next few days. Which is okay, because the streams need the water, and I need the recovery time.
Tight Lines,
Mikey D Fishing
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