Wolf Creek

Just north of Wytheville Virginia, along I-77, is a small community by the name of Rocky Gap. The community is aptly named, for as you leave the interstate you will notice a shear rock cliff that is cut for the highway to pass. Along the outskirts of the community is Wolf Creek.

Wolf Creek is a freestone stream that stretches from Burk’s Garden in Tazewell County to the New River in Giles County Virginia. If you are coming north out of Wytheville you will travel along side of Wolf Creek for several miles. At one point the stream flows between the north and south bound lanes of the highway.

It was cloudy when I arrived in Rocky Gap on Monday morning and there was not a soul in site. May be this should have been a sign for me. I had hoped for a great day in the water: the skies were gray, the temperatures were mild, the water flows were decent, and I was told the stock truck had ran just before Christmas. The Virginia DGIF stocks the stream six times between October 1 and May 30. I was hoping to find a few of the trout that might have escaped the on slot of egg chuckers, but sadly no such luck.

My weapon of choice was my wife’s 7’ 6” 5 weight that I bought for her about a year ago. I had the rod made for her by a fellow blogger in Alabama. Nathan Kennedy blogs over at the TVAngler. Along with the good quality posts he has about fly fishing in Alabama, he builds rods and does a little photography on the side as well.

The rod is an absolute pleasure to cast. Aesthetically it is very pleasing as well. The green shaft, reddish orange color of the reel seat, and the green and gold wraps all make for a very nice looking rod. He told me he wasn’t pleased with some areas of the rod, but I think it looks great. And more importantly so does my wife.

I started my morning just underneath the new bridge along highway 61. With in thirty minutes I managed to slip on some rocks and fall. I was able to catch my self in the knee deep water but one arm of my shirt was soaked. I knew for sure I would have to call it a day, but the mild air temperatures allowed be to keep fishing.

I fished the pocket water between the new bridge and the old metal frame bridge until my belly began to growl. I had several light strikes on my pheasant tail nymph rig, but I didn’t manage hook set.

If you do go to Rocky Gap to fish Wolf Creek make sure you stop by Woody’s Grocery for lunch. It’s located along highway 52 right where you turn onto highway 61 heading toward Narrows, Va. The BLT and curly fries are great.

After lunch I fished from above the old bridge to just above the confluence of Clear Fork. I consider the afternoon to have been better: I caught one minnow fish, and saw another. The one I saw was of decent size, between 10-12 inches, and bolted when I crowded his space.

This is nothing like what the to old men at Woody’s said it was just a few weeks ago. They said you could stand on the old bridge and watch the trout in the creek by the hundreds. They also let me know that the stock truck had actually ran about the second week of December.

I believe the next time I go to Wolf Creek I will begin fishing above the old bridge. I also will make an effort to get there as soon as I find out the stock truck has run. I wish I could tell you what flies to take with you but after that day I really don’t know. I did manage the one fish on a hares ear nymph, though. I was hoping for BWO’s but saw nary a one.

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Map of Rocky Gap

Virginia DGIF Stocking Info

Closest Weather Station

You May also be interested in my post on Laurel Creek.