Copyright 2009 James Marsh
Fly Fishing Gear for the Whitetop Laurel Creek, Virginia
The Whitetop Laurel Creek is a small stream that is easy to wade and fairly easy to fish.
The trout are mostly rainbows and browns that average about eight inches long. The
browns can go up to eighteen and larger. There are some brook trout in its upper
headwaters.
Fly Line:
If you fish the headwater streams for small brook trout, you probably enjoy using a light
fly line to catch them. Certainly you will be using small and most likely, dry flies for the
brook trout. We would say the ideal fly line size would be a 3 weight, floating fly line.
There would be nothing wrong with an even lighter or a 2 weight line. For most of the
stream you would probably want a 4 or 5 weight fly line for most of your dry fly fishing.
If you fish heavy nymphs and small streamers, I would say a 6 weight fly line would
deliver most of those flies better.
Fly Rod:
Assuming you would be fishing for both the larger trout and the brook trout in the
headwaters, then I would suggest at least a rod for each the line weight. The length of
the 3 weight rod could be anywhere from six and a half feet up to eight in length We
think a slow to moderate action would be best for this one.
The four and/or five weight rods should be between eight and nine feet in length with a
medium action in our opinion.
If you are fishing nymphs and small streamers, a six weight fly rod that is a little on the
stiff side would handle the nymphs and streamers fine. It should be eight and a half to
nine foot in length in a medium to a medium fast action.
Fly Reel:
The reel for the light line, the 3 weight, isn't important as long as it is light. The reel for
the 4 and/or 5 weight lines should have decent drags. The reel for the 6 weight line
should also have a good drag, preferable a disc drag.
Leaders:
You should probably be using at least a seven and one half foot leader. Most of the
time you would probably want to go up to nine feet. I would suggest having them in sizes
ranging from 3X for streamers, up to 7X for small midge imitations and dry flies, in both
the 7 and one half and 9 foot lengths.
Tippet:
Make sure you have plenty of extra tippet material in sizes ranging from 3X to 7X.
Waders:
Waders are not absolutely necessary for Whitetop Laurel Creek but we would
recommend them. You can wet wade the stream during the summer and you would not
have to use them at that time. You can reach most all of the water from the banks but
tree limbs make that difficult in places.
Wading Boots:
Much of the bottom is either gravel, sand or rock. You would not want cleats. Felt soles
are the best. We are testing the new rubber soles out and have no comment about
them at this time.
The Whitetop Laurel Creek is a small stream that is easy to wade and fairly easy to fish.
The trout are mostly rainbows and browns that average about eight inches long. The
browns can go up to eighteen and larger. There are some brook trout in its upper
headwaters.
Fly Line:
If you fish the headwater streams for small brook trout, you probably enjoy using a light
fly line to catch them. Certainly you will be using small and most likely, dry flies for the
brook trout. We would say the ideal fly line size would be a 3 weight, floating fly line.
There would be nothing wrong with an even lighter or a 2 weight line. For most of the
stream you would probably want a 4 or 5 weight fly line for most of your dry fly fishing.
If you fish heavy nymphs and small streamers, I would say a 6 weight fly line would
deliver most of those flies better.
Fly Rod:
Assuming you would be fishing for both the larger trout and the brook trout in the
headwaters, then I would suggest at least a rod for each the line weight. The length of
the 3 weight rod could be anywhere from six and a half feet up to eight in length We
think a slow to moderate action would be best for this one.
The four and/or five weight rods should be between eight and nine feet in length with a
medium action in our opinion.
If you are fishing nymphs and small streamers, a six weight fly rod that is a little on the
stiff side would handle the nymphs and streamers fine. It should be eight and a half to
nine foot in length in a medium to a medium fast action.
Fly Reel:
The reel for the light line, the 3 weight, isn't important as long as it is light. The reel for
the 4 and/or 5 weight lines should have decent drags. The reel for the 6 weight line
should also have a good drag, preferable a disc drag.
Leaders:
You should probably be using at least a seven and one half foot leader. Most of the
time you would probably want to go up to nine feet. I would suggest having them in sizes
ranging from 3X for streamers, up to 7X for small midge imitations and dry flies, in both
the 7 and one half and 9 foot lengths.
Tippet:
Make sure you have plenty of extra tippet material in sizes ranging from 3X to 7X.
Waders:
Waders are not absolutely necessary for Whitetop Laurel Creek but we would
recommend them. You can wet wade the stream during the summer and you would not
have to use them at that time. You can reach most all of the water from the banks but
tree limbs make that difficult in places.
Wading Boots:
Much of the bottom is either gravel, sand or rock. You would not want cleats. Felt soles
are the best. We are testing the new rubber soles out and have no comment about
them at this time.
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Whitetop Laurel
Creek, Virginia
Creek, Virginia
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