I had never fished for trout in my life until some good friends of mine that work at Green Top Sporting Goods invited me along for a trip I won’t soon forget. They took me to a stream called Cripple Creek near Wytheville, VA. This is a stocked stream with most fish (mostly rainbows) exceeding 3lbs.
Glen, Billy and Todd all work at Green Top and have extensive knowledge on all types of fishing but it was apparent by the quantity and size of the fish that Billy was landing that he speaks trout. (In fact if you squint your eyes a little he even starts to look like one).
Billy took me under his wing and within minutes I had a nice 3lb plus rainbow trying to rip the guts out of my reel. I have caught a few fish in my day including large mouth, crappie and several varieties of salt water but nothing has matched the thrill and excitement of watching these fish rip up and down the stream trying to break free of my line. After catching several nice rainbows on Power Baits & night crawlers I wanted to experience another trout fishing tradition, fly fishing! I had taken and old Martin fly rod combo with me on the trip, but the only fishing I had ever done with this outfit was about 20 years ago to catch some bluegills in a local farm pond using top water poppers.
Billy again took me under his wing and gave me a quick lesson on the techniques of casting and fly presentation. I caught my first rainbow on my old fly rod within 30 minutes. It was a 3lb plus fish that, for a moment at least, I thought was going to break my rod. I landed that fish and from that moment on I will never be the same.
Before the day ended I landed another trout on a fly and had several good hits and a few break offs. Billy caught the largest fish of the weekend a 6lb 2oz brute. Glen & Todd caught several that exceeded 4lbs. My largest was 3lb. 15oz.
We landed our limits early in the day and I was on my way home by 2:00pm
My wife and I have enjoyed fresh trout the last two nights and let me tell you it doesn’t get any better.
-James Hopkins