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.

Recent columns

• What about Bob?
• Notes from the Charlotte Fly Show
• A chance meeting
• A wish for Jack

• Column archive
• Talk fly-fishing

In July, fly-fishing for trout fishing normally slows down. This year, the summer days have been hot, but so has the trout fishing. 

You can't expect fly rodding to be good though in the lower elevations, and consequently, in many of the stocked streams which are picked for their public access and the fact that they will not hold trout during the non stocking period, which is from June to mid October.

But with these “dog days” still come opportunity. With ambient light still visible until after 9 p.m., you can still leave work, or the house and within an hour hit some pretty substantial water an evening of fly-fishing. Late evening is “prime time.”

With a waning sun, water temperatures start to cool, and trout will seek the water that feels the best to them, usually below 70 degrees, which mean the clear mountain streams of Southwest Virginia. I find these streams less crowded too.

In July, with Bass and other fish competing for the angler’s time, this alleviates the pressure on some of the best mountain streams.

Also a lot of anglers will not bushwhack the streams, and some of the best streams become very challenging because of thick brush and overhangs.

But with brush and the canopy of trees (called Riparian growth) come cooler water, abundant food, and this means productive fly-fishing.

I fished a spring creek in Floyd County on Monday. At 3 p.m. it was blazing hot outside. By 7 p.m., it was time to grab the rod, and test the waters.

Fishing a mountain spring creek stream that was less than 10 inches wide in one location is something only a die-hard would do.

This stream looks like a drainage ditch or at best. a “cute little creek” from the road, but it holds wild brook and rainbow trout, and it is cool to catch any fish in a stream that my 4-year daughter can jump across.

My guest on Monday thought at first it was a joke that we were going to fly-fish it, until I cupped a nice 10-inch Brookie in my hand, and “showed him” why we were fishing it.

A few years ago, a local guide told me, “don't be surprised if this stream holds fish, a lot of them do, and they are the ones that aren't obvious, and this keeps the pressure off, and sustains the fishery.”

Bushes and weeds dominated the banks, and in some cases completely covered the stream

In other places, the small gap of water in the middle was strung with spider webs, which can fowl a stealthy cast more than you realize.

No matter, by the time the chicken was ready, we had caught and released 14 brooks and one wild rainbow.

In the last week, I have trout fished in Wythe, Smyth, and Craig. All streams were producing big rises, and very frisky trout, in spite of the hot days. At almost every place it was almost 90 degrees outside.

How do these fish survive? For starters, on every trip we had a rain shower that instantly cuts 20 degrees off the temperature, and sweetens up the water with some nice cool water.

Secondly, you have to get high -- meaning at least 2,600 feet or higher.

In Western Floyd County, at almost 3,000 feet, there were three cold springs feeding this run, and a slight elevation decent to produce highly oxygenated water, and plenty of weeds and wild roses to hide the sun, and produce terrestrials.

In Smyth, cold springs and aquifers from Sugar Grove fuel the Holston River, and the Holston’s water temperature was 62.

The Holston is also wrapped by huge tress, which is the best asset for a good trout habitat, because trees abate erosion, produce cooling shade, and have great root systems that hold “the big boys.”

In Craig, the stream I fished was a steep gradient stream, and with waterfalls and with plunge pools come pretty deep-water pockets of cold water and plenty of oxygen.

For July trout, you have to play the odds which means fishing at elevation and scouting for the deeper runs and faster sloughs that will be in the trout’s comfort zone.

I like to hopscotch pools (even the good ones) and keep the pressure down.

The best part of a late day trout trip is it starts and ends late, with just enough time for you to feel the summer heat abate, the mountain night air filter in, and feel the rumbling storms above that usually leave a clear twilight for the ride home.

Hoppers are working great, Beetles, and Elk Hair Caddis are all yielding terrific takes, and have me looking forward to the next day of fly-fishing on the trip home.

For you anglers who haven’t yet gone up the trail and off the stocked sections yet, this is a perfect time to head to Grayson Highlands, or North Creek, or Stoney Fork, and test the waters for some great fly fishing for mountain Brooks and Rainbows.

Tight Lines,
Richard