JACKSON RIVER As is true with the Smith River, the Jackson River, in the northwestern part of the state, has experienced a somewhat checkered past. After Lake Moomaw was impounded over 25 years ago, the VDGIF released trout below Gathright Dam and the fish immediately took to their new homes. Indeed, the lower Jackson soon developed a reputation as a budding tailrace fishery of perhaps national importance. On one outing during that early period, my wife, Elaine, and I experienced the best float-fishing for trout that we have ever had in the Old Dominion.

However, some landowners along the lower river claimed that because of a legal concept called King’s Grants from the 1700s, that they owned the stream bottom. Thus, fishermen caught wading in certain sections of the stream would be guilty of trespassing. I am not going to attempt to sort out all the legalities (A history of the King’s Grants decision alone would cover volumes). But here are five things readers should know.

First, the lower Jackson River features an outstanding population of reproducing wild browns and rainbows. Second, a 12-inch minimum size limit and four-fish-per-angler per-day creel limit have been imposed on all trout caught from below Gathright to the Westvaco Dam in Covington. Third, do not wade-fish except at certain designated access points. Next, do not leave your craft and debark upon the bank except at the designated access points.

And, last, know where those designated access points exist. The public areas provide access to 18 miles of legally navigable water to Covington and are located in Alleghany County. They are as follows.

1. Below Gathright Dam off State Route (SR) 605.

2. Johnson Springs, off SR 687.

3. Falling Springs off SR 721.

4. Indian Draft, located off SR 687.

5. Petticoat Junction, off SR 687.

Tom Brown, fishing manager of the Orvis retail store in Roanoke, is exceptionally enthusiastic about the Jackson below Moomaw.

“The lower Jackson is my favorite trout water in Virginia, and I fish that section as often as I can,” he said. “The Jackson offers river fishermen the best chance in the state to go after a population of reproducing wild rainbows and browns. All the fish are wild because the state has not stocked there in some 10 years.

“That’s not to say that the fish are pushovers. Most people are not going to see many fish over 14 inches. But there is a good population of trout over 14 inches and a number of those are between 16 and 18 inches.”

Brown emphasized that a major reason for the Jackson’s productivity is that it is a limestone-based waterway, rich in nutrients and insect life. Additionally, the water from Gathright Dam does not go through turbines, so shad and other baitfish can emerge from the dam in good shape.