Merica Day

The 4th of July was fast approaching and my family had some rare time off together.  The brother-in-law was wanting to do some camping and fly fishing and I was wanting to take my baby girl to Kumbrabow State Forest for the first time.  With the holiday fast approacing we weren't sure if we'd get a site but we packed up the gear and headed off early in the morning for the mountains of Randolph County!  We arrived early in the morning and were surprised to find a site for the night so we hurried and claimed it and In no time camp was setup and we were enjoying some time in the beautiful state park.  

It didn't take long to come up with a fishing plan of attack.  We figured fishing an evening session we would split up and fish some different water I'd go high and the brother-in-law and father-in-law would go low.  It was great to see their enthusiasium for wild trout my brother-in-law has been bit with the bug bad and was excited to get into some wild fish and my father-in-law starting out was just happy to be out.  We talked fly selection with brookies at times you don't have to make it to complicated, a good attractor or this time of year a terrestrial fly will do great.  So the 3wt Vandalia Bamboo rod was strung up and a nicely visible beetle was tied on and we were in the water and fishing.  For an early July day a low 60 water temp felt great especially wet wading the Chota sandals came in handy.  It didn't take long just a couple casts and I was into my first fish a nice colored up native brook trout.  This stream thankfully is not stocked and is supported by a wild population.  Currently the WV Division of Natural Resources Park and Wildlife Section, in partnership with the WV Division of Forestry, West Virginia University, and the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, are improving trout habitat in the creek.  This project should improve trout habitat and the quality of fishing in the future.  

Running into a few fisherman ahead of me instead of leap frogging I yielded to them and headed to a section just below where I knew a few good pools were located.  I figured we'd switch things up with a nice cricket pattern and maybe it'd temp a few fish out for a nice evening snack.  To my pleasure the rod was bent in no time and another Brookie was at hand.  I knew it was  nap time for the kid so I had some quality time at hand to take my time and work this section of river good.  It seemed every nice pool had a willing fish that was happy to eat a cricket and before you knew it we were catching fish like crazy it's hard to complain when your on a beautiful mountain stream and even harder when your catching tons of fish.  The guys that fished the lower section didn't have as much luck we thought they may have fished behind someone which always makes small stream fishing that much more difficult!  Two big things for success on a stream like this to me is first make sure you use a stealthy approach so the fish do not see you and fish fresh water that has not been covered.  After a meeting back at camp and some tasty campfire cooked food the plan was to put the brother-in-law on some fish.  Sometimes watching someone else catch fish and see their excitement is just as good as fishing.  We figured we'd put him on a couple runs close to camp as we knew they hadn't been covered.  It took a few drifts but the 3wt was bending and another Brookie fell victim to a cricket pattern.  We managed several more fish but seeing him get into some wild fish and my daughter enjoy some time camping in one of my favorite places made the trip catching a few just added some icing to an already great trip!  It's always great to spend time on a nice mountain stream with the ones you love.  

WVAngler.com Top Moments of 2013

WVAngler.com Top Moments of 2013

 

2013 had a lot of not so good and tough moments but it also had some very memorable moments that will never be forgotten.  Lots of fish were taken throughout the course of the year some monsters as well with some good people on streams all over.  We experienced some loss this yea but also made some great new friends as well.  2014 looks to be an awesome year with some cool new things in store that we are very excited for.  Hope you had a great year and wish you the best in the new one.

7. We were really pumped and excited to able to raffle off a sweet Yeti cooler to help support WV Trout Unlimited.  Yetis are the sweet new thing out and it was awesome to be able to attend the WV Mountain State Trout Festival combined with WVAngler board members and giveaway Yeti Roadie to one lucky winner!

 

6. The page has grown leaps and bounds.  We lost some great friends but gained several new ones as well.  WV trout fishing lost one of its biggest pioneers with the passing of Ernie Nester.  The work and dedication he put into the fisheries of the mountain state will never be forgotten.  If you fish for wild trout in WV more than likely Ernie had a art of it!  We also lost fellow board member Paul Martin tragically as the year ended.  We reached tons of page hits this year with traffic from all over the country.  So many great friends and so many new sponsors that we are proud to be associated with like Risen Fly, Vedavoo, Elk Springs Fly Shop, Vermont Fly Guys, Woodlands World, The Fly Stop, Rio Products, and WV Musky Outfitters to name a few of them. 

 

5. Spending some time on the stream is always a great thing but spending it with friends and good people is always so much better it seems anymore.  Got to spend some time with good friends  this year Nate Rees, Jonathan Paine, Zach Adkins, my brother in law, my father, and most importantly my beautiful daughter.  Fished waters on the fly from the mighty Ohio, to Middle Island musky, to high mountain streams, and lake Erie tributaries.

 

 

4. 11 species of fish on the fly.  It wasn't as many as I had hoped for starting the year but managed brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, sunfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, shad, skipjack, and a crappie in WV then a bonus steelhead in PA.  Several big fish were the highlights of the year on the fly several 20 inch plus hybrids, a 20 inch largemouth, then my first crappie on the fly a 13 1/2 inch fish. 

 

 

3.  WV Mountain State Trout Festival was held at Snowshoe with several visitors and vendors.  Great event that we got the pleasure of being a part of.  Got to share WVAngler with several visitors and talk to them about our little place on the web and talk musky and trout with some cool VA anglers.  Looking forward to next years event!  We had some cool vendors like Hook and Hackle, Vandalia Rodworks, 304 Rod Company, Matt Miles Fly Fishing, Elk Springs, and South River Fly Shop as well as famous author and fly fisherman Ed Engle. 

 

 

2. The WVAngler dinner this year was the biggest and best by far.  First year we had ever held the event in Elkins and it turned out great.  We had a record attendance as well as some awesome things from our sponsors to give out to some happy anglers.  Great food and fishing sure do go hand and hand!  CJ Maggies is definitely on the top of the food list after the dinner!

 

1.  By far the biggest event in 2013 happened April 8 with the birth of my first child Annie May Pittman.  Seeking advice from several friends before hand I wasn't sure if I was prepared or not for what was ahead not that you may ever be prepared.  What I came to find out having a child is one of the greatest most rewarding experience ever and if it takes walking around the local farm pond with a stroller you just learn how to change your fishing habits but its truly worth it in the end!  Not sure what I would do without the beautiful miracle that's came into our life!