After reading Jin's report from the previous day, I was anxious to fish Holmes Run stream.
There's a lot of trail construction going on at Holmes and I think when it's done it will change the way people utilize this resource. They're putting in wide, paved pathways that can sustain emergency or maintenance vehicle traffic as well as people on bike or foot. The points where the trail crosses Holmes Run have either been bulldozed flat for easy walking or have huge concrete spillways with raised step stones installed. Now you can easily cross all points along Holmes Run stream in water that, at most, will only be ankle deep.
I walked down the new path and crossed Holmes four times before turning around to fish back upstream. Jin joined me later and we fished the normal runs and riffles along upper Holmes Run.
We stayed for three hours and caught a ton of fish, which were all released. All the action was subsurface, using nymphs. We also spotted a couple of largemouth bass cruising the shallows, gobbling down baby sunfish.
EQUIPMENT: 3-wt and 4-wt rods using size 16 nymphs. Fishing was good so I tried a little unscientific experiment. Using the same type of fly the fish were taking, I went down in size. No bites. Then I went up in size. Nothing. Back to the size 16 and I was landing fish after fish.
DIRECTIONS: Holmes Run Stream Valley Park is located on Columbia Pike (244) amid apartments, residential housing and strip malls. As you drive on 244 towards Leesburg Pike (Rt. 7) the road will slope downhill. To your right you will see a large apartment complex and on your left will be the face of the Lake Barcroft Dam. You will drive cross a bridge with a covered pedestrian walkway. At this point SLOW DOWN and get into the RIGHT LANE. The road will begin to go uphill. To your right is a small, paved road that looks like a bike path. THIS IS THE ENTRANCE. It's a sudden right turn so make sure the car on your tail knows you're turning. Park and follow the paved path to Holmes Run Stream Valley Park.