The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests comprise 1.8 million acres of public land in the Appalachian Mountains, extending along the entire western border of Virginia, with sections extending into West Virginia and Kentucky. Nearly 80 percent of Virginia’s public hunting lands and 60 percent of the state’s brook trout streams are located here. Many of Virginia’s major rivers have headwaters here, including the Shenandoah, Potomac and James.
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
Native brookies in an isolated setting, within a morning’s drive of the nation’s capital.
“I began hunting and fishing in the George Washington National Forest in my teens,” offered Seth Coffman, Trout Unlimited’s Shenandoah Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative Manager. “I remember the excitement of getting out into the woods, and I still experience that excitement now, hiking in from the gated roads. I’ve had bobcat walk up on me, several bears. It’s amazing to achieve that sort of isolation in such a populated area—you can leave Washington, D.C. and be on a brook trout stream in two-and-a-half hours.”
Some of the rivers flowing in the valleys below the national forests can hold rainbows and browns to 24 inches, but up in the mountains it’s all about brook trout.
“Most of the fish are 6 inches to 8 inches; a 12 inch specimen is a trophy,” Coffman continued. “I like to fish in the early spring when foliage isn’t too thick, so you can really get back in there. The fish are looking up and hungry. I do some Tenkara fishing. It’s a great way to get drag free drifts. Little Stimulators, Humpies and Mr. Rapidan Parachutes all work.”
“It’s amazing to achieve that sort of isolation in such a populated area—you can leave Washington, D.C. and be on a brook trout stream in two-and-a-half hours.”Seth Coffman
Don’t overlook little pockets and deeper runs.
“A lot of guys come into a stream and go right to the pool,” Coffman added. “There are fish there, but they’re in other places, too. If you’re fishing a stream that sees some pressure, you can fish those little pockets and pick up fish even if other anglers have been through.
When the U.S. Forest Service proposed a ban on horizontal drilling of federally owned mineral rights in the George Washington National Forest in its management plan, TU helped rally support for the plan amongst Virginia outdoorspeople to protect brook trout habitat. TU is currently engaged in extensive restoration work on the flood-damaged North River, working with U.S. Forest Service and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The project will restore the channel to pre-flood dimensions, thus maintaining water flows and creating deeper pools to serve as brook trout refugia.
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Hunters and anglers recognize that our country needs energy and we know it is possible to develop resources and protect vital fish and wildlife habitat at the same time. But we also know from experience that irresponsible development negatively impacts fish and wildlife populations and hunting and angling opportunities. Check out this report from Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development to learn more about responsible energy development and go to Standup.tu.org to tell decision makers to support policies that balance energy development with the conservation of fish and wildlife.