Busy weekend of trout, turkeys, Easter and what else?
I went running on Sunday and just about froze my tail off in the rainy, 38-degree weather. Yesterday I ran at lunch and sunburned my head.
You gotta love spring.
Tomorrow is a busy one with two pretty big events for anglers and hunters.
At 30 minutes before sunrise a bunch of dads (and a few moms) will be out there with their kids for the youth turkey day. It has potential to be an awesome day. Certainly better than the youth day a couple years ago when it snowed. And didn’t it rain like heck last year?
It’s also Trout Heritage Day, the quasi opening day that draws big crowds to the 17 Heritage waters that will be stocked today and early tomorrow.
I considered taking one of my girls out after turkeys, but decided against it. They are just not good comfortable enough (or accurate enough) with firearms to be put in a hunting situation. I don’t want to be one of those dads who holds the kid in his lap, aims the gun, and then says, “OK. Pull the trigger.” That’s me hunting. Not them hunting.
I’ve covered a few Heritage Days, and always get out there in the morning and write about the anticipation and the excitement when the clock hits 9 a.m. — let’s face it, 8:59 — and the lines hit the water. This year I think I may take a different approach, and get out there in the afternoon after things settle down.
A Heritage Day a few years ago provided one of my more vivid reporting experiences when I drove around a corner alongside Jennings Creek and saw an angler lying in the road getting CPR. (Despite the valiant efforts of bystanders and conservation police officers he didn’t make it.)
This great weather has me in the mood to fish. I might hit the stocked section of the Roanoke River in the city this afternoon and see what’s going on. I did some scouting this morning and the water is still rolling pretty well. But it’s fishable. It’s been a while since it got stocked but the water has been so high since that there are sure to be plenty of fish left and spread out pretty well.
I wish everybody a great Easter weekend, and spring break for those of you who plan to take some time off with the kids. Maybe I’ll see you out there.
April 2, 2010 - 10:50 AM
my google-fu is failing me in my attempts to figure out where the roanoke river is stocked. i don’t fish at all but am really wanting to learn, and i’d kind of like to just go hang out and watch people fish. is there a handy map somewhere?
Seth — I like that term, Google-fu. Gotta remember that.
The DGIF has trout maps on its Web site. They aren’t super detailed, but should help you out. If you still need assistance don’t hesitate to call me at the office (number is included with the online versions of my stories posted under the outdoors section at Roanoke.com).
Here’s the link to the maps: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/trout/area-maps/
Mark
Seth: You are far better off to look at and then to fish West Virginia. West-By-God knows how to run a fishing program AND they have the water to do it with. BUT if you insist I strongly suggest you avoid any water in Roanoke unless you like beer cans, broken bottles and a few kitchen appliances along the stream (and if your real lucky, maybe the remains of a dead dog or two). Below is a link to the WV DRN. Not only are primary streams stocked once a week from now until the end of May, they provide you with specific directions as to how to get to the locations stocked. And just in case you feel all that is too easy, consider that some waters are in excess of 30 miles long so you have to actually get out and hunt for the fish. In Virginia, all you need to do is find and fish under any bridge along a stocked stream. Non resident licenses are a bit confusing if you try to get it on line but it’s well worth the money.
http://www.wvdnr.gov/fishing/weekly_fishreport.shtm
Mark, good post. Hopefully, you get some trophy photos from successful anglers and youth turkey hunters and can get those up on the blog this week. It’s an exciting time of year, to be sure.
Incidentally, Saturday was opening day of trout season here in PA. I took Toby and Timmy out and we ended up coming home with six rainbows. All stockies, of course, but Toby hooked and landed three all on his own, and it was a beautiful morning on the stream.
Did you make it out on the Roanoke River?
Good article in the Va Wildlife mag. “Aint No Trout in that Creek”.
While it tries to encourage later post stream stocking fishing the data offered does anything but. Even without knowing the pre-stocking popluation and the number stocked, spring stockings are fish out after 7 day. Yes, fall and winter hold out better but not much.
Christian-As you can see the hero shots from our youth day are rolling in. Good to hear you got your boys out on Saturday. Sounds like you guys had an awesome day. I didn’t get the twins out after all but we hope to hit the stream one day this week as they’re on spring break.
Al-Thanks for the tip on the story. I foolishly let my subscription to Virginia Wildlife lapse but I’ll try to get my hands on one so I can read that piece.