Fishing Report: Clinch River and Big Tumbling Creek

Over the 4th of July weekend, I took a trip down to Southwest Virginia to see friends and to fish. I got a recommendation to first check out the fee fishing section of Big Tumbling Creek below Laurel Bed Lake. While the area was beautiful and the stream reminded me a lot of the other creeks in the area (Big Stony and Little Stony), the fishing was hardly respectable. I find it a shame that such a wonderful stretch of water was turned into a section used for the cheap thrills of catching stocked trout. Granted, the fish were much better than the usual stocked fish you find around Virginia.

One of the beautiful falls marred by the masses of worm cans and broken off fishing line.

I also got some funny looks from the locals as I fished in my waders and with my flyrod. Although they in return got some funny looks from me as I wondered what could possibly be exciting about sitting around a small pool with a worm on a hook or perhaps some powerbait. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against that form of fishing. In fact, I'll throw a worm out every once in a while but it doesn't make sense to do it in a would be an awesome brook stream.

The view looking out onto Laurel Bed Lake

So after I hooked a few browns and returned them safely back into the water for a few more days of life before someone else thinks they are worth removing (for bragging or eating?), I headed back down the mountain and went to check out the smallmouth population at the Clinch River. For the hour I was there at the Nash Ford, I caught quite a few smallies most of which were small but there was the occasional large one. All in all, I think it's a fantastic river. I wish I had had more time and my kayak with which to explore it. I apologize for not taking pictures, I was in a hurry and would rather catch fish then record them.

My styrofoam bass poppers delivered on this trip as they have on others. I'll have the instructions up soon.