FISH ON THE FLY

The rains came, the streams swelled, but that did not discourage our group of avid fly fishing campers. They spent every waking moment tying flies, setting up and taking down gear, loading gear, traveling, and FISHING! Lots of FISHING!

Learning to cast and practice, practice, practice makes for the best fly fishing success. Learning to set the hook and getting the fish to hand comes next. The best place to get that right is with pan fish in a farm pond. So that is the first place we go. And...it was a success. All of us caught fish. Since the rains had blown out the streams, we tried our luck for trout via kayak on a small lake, fun in and of itself.

As the high elevations streams rid their peaks of water, we decided to start at the top and fish for our endemic native brook trout. We landed a few fish and the falls, scenery, and rock climbing added to the wonders of the Blue Ridge and the sport of “bluelining”. This is the term used when we seek out the small blue lines of a map in search of elusive native fish.

Then there was the majestic New River. What a day we had. A vast 7-mile stretch of green water holding our prime target, the smallmouth bass. It was a long day but a productive one as multiple species of fish were landed; sunfish, bluegill, rock bass, and smallies all to the boat.

It was a fun and memorable experience where friends of years past were reacquainted and new ones made. We couldn’t have done it without the help of two wonderful guides that donated their time to these young men. Thank you to Matt Reilly and Joey Whisnant for your rafts, time, patience, and expertise!

Fly Fishing Camp

Seven young lads joined BRDC for a week of fly fishing in southwest Virginia. They set out to experience all the habitats and environs of the prominent fish species of the area and that they did! Who knows how many fish they actually caught but I know they caught at least 8 species of fish.

We began teaching them the basics of fly casting in a field and quickly let them test the waters of a local pond. They wasted no time catching three of the species: Bream, Crappie, and Largemouth Bass. Even at night, they had it down using no lights and nothing but the sound of their flies "popping" across the dark water.

Each day they practiced and perfected their cast and learned new techniques such as shooting line, roll casting, and hauling; even Tenkara style fly fishing. They made flies by night and cast them to potential fish by day. It was "FISH ON" for the rest of the week as they traveled to stocked trout streams, tailwaters, high elevation streams and the New River. They caught all three species of trout as well as smallmouth bass and sunfish.

They experienced fly fishing to the fullest extent possible in a little less than a weeks time. They ate good food, played games and roasted marshmallows for S'more's...how much better could it get?

Learning about Amphibians & Aquatic Insects

BRDC has been busy with education programs, working with Galax Middle School, Fries School, Fairview Elementary, Grayson Highlands, Independence Elementary.

Grayson County's fourth grade students participated in the Natural Heritage Program with an emphasis on salamanders, toads, and frogs. Students learned about salamanders commonly found in the Blue Ridge.  Using field guides, they researched different species of salamander and presented their discoveries to the class.  The Eastern hellbender was a favorite among the students, as they were shocked by its prehistoric features. Students enjoyed watching a video about the life history of hellbenders provided by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Fifth grade students in Grayson County schools learned about frogs and toads. Students illustrated the life cycle of amphibians, learned the difference between frogs and toads, and listened to the calls of some of Virginia's common species. Many students had heard the calls before, but often didn't know what animal made the calls. The Virginia Herpetological Society's website is a great resource for determining different frog and toad calls: https://goo.gl/v84gqS.

After learning the calls of the American bullfrog, spring peeper, and American toad, students played a Frog and Toad matching game. Using a Peterson Guidebook to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, students matched the species name, picture, and description together. 

Galax Middle School After School program has been learning all about aquatic species. BRDC brought aquatic insects from a local stream to the classroom where students got a first-hand look at the life found in our creeks. Students learned about the life cycle of the insects, and enjoyed fly tying with Executive Director Aaron Floyd. 

In-school programming keeps BRDC's staff busy, but it is great to work with such a variety grade levels and see the enjoyment and wonder on the children's faces. To stay connected with BRDC follow us on Instagram @blueridgediscoverycenter.