{"id":21285,"date":"2024-02-09T14:27:52","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T14:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitabingdon.org\/?p=21285"},"modified":"2025-10-20T11:09:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T15:09:19","slug":"special-spots-and-solitude-learning-to-fly-fish-in-southwest-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/blog\/special-spots-and-solitude-learning-to-fly-fish-in-southwest-virginia\/","title":{"rendered":"Special Spots and Solitude: Learning to Fly Fish in Southwest Virginia"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Special Spots and Solitude: Learning to Fly Fish in Southwest Virginia<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I fly fished for the first time in Southwest Virginia. I was guided by a local fisherwoman to a special spot that just a few fly fishers in the area have access to. When we pulled up to the remote spot just outside of Marion, Virginia, we opened the horse gate and were immediately greeted by a couple of chipper farm pups. They happily trotted alongside us as we made our way down to the creek a few paces from the entrance.<\/p>

Once you wade out far enough into the flowing stream, it\u2019s hard to hear anything besides the sound of the water babbling across rocks around you and the chirp of birds in the trees. All I caught that day were a couple of rocks and a tree branch, but it\u2019s one of the most meditative sporting experiences I\u2019ve had.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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| Lally Laksbergs\/Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing |<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Fly fishing is like the sophisticated cousin of the spin fishing (the kind that has a mechanical spinner and endless streams of translucent line). When fly fishing, there\u2019s work to be done and it\u2019s constant\u2014no dropping a line and taking a nap. But the motions are so finessed and repetitive that you get lost in the moment with just you, the water, the line, and the great outdoors.<\/p>

There\u2019s nothing else like fly fishing and nowhere else like Southwest Virginia. Here\u2019s your guide to combining the two.<\/p>

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Trout fishing is available year-round in Southwest Virginia | Virginia State Parks |<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When to Go and What to Know<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Before you hit the water, you\u2019ll need to know whether or not you need a license to fish in Virginia. If you\u2019re not a resident, chances are you do. You can figure it out on the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries\u2019 website<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and they\u2019re easy to buy online. The limit is six trout per day per person and they all have to be bigger than seven inches in length.<\/p>

The trout season is always open in Virginia, but there can be exceptions that are\u00a0listed here<\/a><\/strong>. Even though you can drop a line any time, you\u2019ll have the most success with trout in the spring, fall, and mild winter months. The summertime usually means more difficult fishing thanks to warm water temps and low stream flows but, hey, if you want a challenge go for it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Where to Get Supplied and Services<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Whether you don\u2019t want to haul your own gear around, end up needing extra line or other supplies, or simply want a bit of inside information to improve your experience, there are a host of local guide services and shops to choose from.<\/p>