Brookies on The Upper Savage River watershed and a couple of Rainbows

We had high water on most of the big rivers in the area this weekend, so as I usually do I hit the upper Savage River to do some brook trout fishing. The water was flowing at a great level and the fishing was awesome! I didn't catch any big brookies, but there were tons of fish in the 6-10 inch range. It was very windy on Sunday, but some big mayflies were coming off the water getting the fish very excited. I couldn't tell if they were Hendricksons or Quill Gordons, but they were size 14. I caught most of my fish under the surface. I caught a couple of rainbows in the brook trout water and took them home for dinner. I encourage everyone to do the same.

Evening Sun on the water

What to do with those Rainbows

Spring Brookies on the Savage River Watershed

I had a chance to fish in a couple of spots on the upper Savage River Watershed over the last two days and the fishing was great. The water temps are in the low to mid 40s and flows are in great shape. There are little black stones emerging, but the fish aren't taking bugs off the surface with any consistency. Nymphing in pockets with slow to moderate current will produce the best results. I did catch a couple of rainbows while in the brook trout water and I took both of them home for dinner. I encourage any one who fishes these waters to do the same. DNR still stocks the lower river just above the reservoir and we do not need Rainbows establishing any sort of self sustaining population. The southern Appalachians have had a serious problem with rainbows out competing brookies and we do not need that here. 

Nice 10 inch Brookie

 Beautiful Waterfall

Please take Rainbows home for Dinner!

Typical Savage River Watershed Brook Trout

Walking Around the Upper Savage

I took a walk on the river yesterday just to look around no fishing. The water was up and cold just a little over 40 degrees. There were a good amount of little black stones flying around, but no rises. I dug around the river and found a variety of caddis and stone fly nymphs. The upper Savage watershed is not your typical infertile freestone stream. The amount of bug life in the stream is pretty amazing and that is why brook trout up to 12 inches are not uncommon.

Lots of these under the rocks

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Places to fish during high water

Most of the streams in the area are still running high from the rainfall we received last week. The head water streams of the Savage River where high but fishable. When the upper Savage USGS gauge is around 150 cfs the feeder streams will be at a good fishing level. I was looking to fish some may fly hatches, but when I got to the creek the water was still pretty high. I tied on a black and olive woolly bugger and put it into every likely spot and there was usually a brookie waiting to pounce. For the next 2 hours I must have released close to three dozen 7-11 inch fat brook trout. It is truly amazing how many fish there are in this river system.