Barry Loupe of Saltbill prepares to land a brown trout from the South Fork of the Holston. Photo by Bruce Ingram

Largemouth bass are the pot-bellied bullies of the playground, striped bass the angry agitators of the back alley, flathead catfish the top dogs of a street skirmish. But there is something different about a trout -- something primitive, pure, and even poetic. One of the strongest months for trout fishing in Virginia is April; as you plan your trout outings for the spring, consider one or more of the following 13 Old Dominion destinations.

BUFFALO CREEK
Late last January, I began my trout-fishing year by venturing forth on Rockbridge County’s Buffalo Creek with guide John Roberts of Lexington and his niece Sidney Huffman from Roanoke. Roberts, who along with his wife Ellen, operates the Llewellyn Lodge B&B, is an outstanding guide and flyfisherman.

We were fortunate to have a relatively warm January Saturday to be outdoors, something that doesn’t occur often in midwinter. Huffman outperformed both Roberts and me, landing the best fish of the day -- a beautiful 14-inch rainbow. Similar size fish are common on the Buffalo as portions of it come under the designation of Special Trout Stream areas.

Specifically on this creek, the special regulation section is from the confluence of Colliers Creek upstream 2.9 miles to the confluence of North and South Buffalo creeks. On this portion, a 16-inch minimum exists, as does a two-fish-per-day restriction. As a whole on special trout areas, only single-hook artificial lures may be used unless otherwise noted, and no bait may be in possession. Other streams feature different minimum size and creel restrictions.

Buffalo is a picture-worthy creek, flowing through scattered woodlots, fields and farms. Husbands and wives, as my wife Elaine and I did, may enjoy combining a guided trip with a stay at the Llewellyn. For guided trips and reservations, contact Roberts at Llewellyn Lodge, (800) 882-1145 or (540) 463-3235, www. LLODGE.com. For information on visiting Lexington and Rockbridge County, call Rockbridge Regional Tourism, (877) 453-9822, (540) 463-3777, or www.lexingtonvirginia.com.

NATIVE BROOK TROUT STREAMS
The past several years I have become more interested in visiting the western Virginia mountains to fly-fish for native brook trout. This is one of the most relaxing, soul-renewing experiences an angler can have. According to a recent Trout Unlimited report, Eastern Brook Trout: Status and Threats, both good and bad news exists in this area.

The good is that Virginia hosts the strongest remaining populations of brook trout in the Southeast. The bad news is that brook trout have been eliminated from almost 40 percent of their historical habitat in the state (an area nearly the size of Connecticut) and greatly reduced throughout more than 50 percent of their historical habitat. Only 9 percent of historical habitat contains significant populations. These are concentrated in the Shenandoah National Park and the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forests.

These results reflect the condition of brook trout across their entire Eastern range. Traditionally, brookies thrived from Maine to South Carolina, but habitat loss and land use changes have resulted in isolated populations, often restricted to the headwaters of high-elevation streams.

The report also contains comments from Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) trout biologist Larry Mohn and Gary Berti, Trout Unlimited’s Eastern Brook Trout Campaign Coordinator.