Trout Streams Fly Fishing Report - Update May 23, 2025

Trout Streams Fly Fishing Report - Update May 23, 2025

Let's start with the stocked trout streams. All of the local stocked trout streams are clear and fishable. Recommended flies for Memorial Day weekend: Olsen's Blowtorch Barbless, Rubber Leg Nymph size 8, Tungsten Bead Marauder size 10, Murray's Crayfish size 10, and Squirmy Wormie size 10. The DWR will not be stocking these local streams again until Fall so take advantage of them while you can. 

Now let's discuss the native brook trout streams.  These small streams were hit hard with excessive damaging rain over the last week and the Park service along with VDOT are working to get roads and trails reopened. Besides the closures below, I would recommend coming into the streams from the Skyline Drive and using Murray's Flying Beetle size 14, Mr. Rapidan Ant in size 14, Mr. Rapidan Dry size 16, Little Yellow Stonefly Dry size 16 and for nymphs use Bead Head Prince Nymph size 14, Perdigon Nymph size 16, and Copper Johns size 16.   For more information on these streams, see my book Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park. 

Posted 5/23/25 9am

More good news -- Whiteoak Canyon Parking Area has reopened! Please stay vigilant of slippery rocks and water crossings. Rocks around waterfalls are extremely wet, slippery and dangerous to climb on. Visitors are reminded to always stay on the trail.
At this time, the following trails and areas remain closed:
Skyland Horse Trail (mile 49.4)
The Appalachian Connector Trail near Hawksbill Gap parking area (mile 45.5)
Old Rag Parking Area (boundary access from Nethers Road)
Please note! Old Rag Parking Area is CLOSED. While Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) works to repair sections of Nethers Road that were washed out, access is restricted to local traffic only. Unauthorized vehicles may interfere with VDOT repair operations and risk further delays or damage. Non-local travel is strictly discouraged. Please respect the closure to ensure safety and expedite critical road repairs.
Sign up for Shenandoah Alerts by texting SHENALERTS to 888777. Any time there are closures, re-openings, or other important safety-related alerts, subscribers will receive a notification via text. You may unsubscribe at any time.

The river washed out a portion of Nethers Road. Virginia Department of Transportation has been working to stabilize it to prevent further collapse, adding large rocks to the area that's washed out. For safety reasons, they’ve asked that only nearby residents access the road.

  For more information on these streams, see my book Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park. 

Little Stoney Creek west of Edinburg is okay to fish by coming in from the upper access. Plan to use the same flies that I recommended for the SNP streams. 

I know it is a long ways off, but we have already formed and posted the Mountain Trout Fly Fishing School dates for Spring 2026. For more information and to register, CLICK HERE.

Holiday Hours:  Please note that we are closed every Sunday and Monday therefore we will not be open on Memorial Day. We will resume normal hours on Tuesday at 9am.

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