Richard Formato

Richard Formato is an avid catch-and-release fly-fisherman from Wytheville, Va. When not on the water, he operates a small business there. Formato loves to fly-fish in his native Southwest Virginia because of the great water and wonderful people. He also loves to fish the flats and shallows of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic whenever work and weather permit. He is on the Department of Conservation and Recreation's board of directors and is a trustee of the Shenandoah National Forest and Skyline Drive.

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• Talk fly-fishing

This past week I had the pleasure of introducing a new fly-fisher to the sport. I had fished with Vicki Clark before, but she had an old glass rod the size of hoe handle, and wasn’t able to hook up with it. We fished the Roanoke River at that time, and before wading in, this lady declared, “I guess I’ll just have to catch a trout in my hand.”

I looked over at her a short time later, and to my amazement, sure enough, she had scooped up a 10-inch rainbow in her left hand. Little did she realize how prophetic she had been.

This week we tried a more professional approach, beginning with her purchase of a #4 Orvis Superfine graphite rod, complete with a Battenkill reel and some fine floating line. Tying on a Crowe Beetle, she cast it out on the Cascades, and quickly hooked a husky trout. From the look on her face, I new that a new trout fishing convert had been made. I always find this initiation process one of my most rewarding pastimes.

Cathy, Vicki and I fished the Cascades for a morning, hooking up mainly with 8-10-inch rainbows using small nymphs such as the Bead Head Hare’s Ear Flashback and the Prince. I spoke to Roy Sedge, local guide about our experience and he explained, “The cold water experts at Game and Fish recommended that we ease off on stocking and allow the existing population to reproduce. It seems to be working since we’re seeing a growing population of smaller wild trout.”

I’m accustomed to fishing for brook trout, so size wasn’t a big consideration and I had an enjoyable morning catching and releasing these little fellows. They were much more naïve than the monster stocked variety, who would approach the fly, give it a look, and turn away with disdain.

Later in the day I returned with my big Trident #6 and a #4 tippet, determined to land a big-shouldered fish or two. With some frustration I saw these monsters approach my Black Wooly Bugger, give it a sniff, and then swirl away. Looking in my streamer box I picked out a minnow imitation I had obtained on the Little Schuykill in Pennsylvania. It looked like a hairy mouse with two white eyes, and I had little hope for it. But on my second cast I hooked up with a big stocker which ran like a wild trout. I then repeated that action a couple of other times, hooking a couple of brutes that ran 15 or 16 inches. I asked Roy about this later and he explained, “These big stocked trout here are so accustomed to all the usual flies that they will go for anything unusual that they haven’t spotted before.”

Our second day took us up to Back Creek, which we toured for several miles up to Mountain Grove in Highland County. For some reason, probably power generation, the water was too clear and low for approaching effectively. We proceeded on down to McDowell, where the pay-for-fish facility Vista Valley is located just south of town. Here Vicki used her new Superfine to excellent advantage, hooking up with several large, active rainbows.

I spoke to the owner, Oscar Driver, about the effect of the hurricanes on his stocked population. “I’ve been feeding them regularly to try and hold then when Ivan comes through," he said. "Some will dig under the bank and behind rocks and ride it out, but I know a majority will wash downstream.”

He also maintains a series of spring-fed ponds for catch and keep, which shouldn’t be affected by the storms.

To make a reservation for fishing the Cascades, call the Homestead Resort at (540) 839-1766 and ask for the Alleghany Outfitters fly shop. The cost is $40 per day or $25 for Trout Unlimited members. To obtain information on Vista Valley, look it up on the Internet by that name.