The stream was stocked on April 2 by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries with help from members of the Northern Virginia chapter of Trout Unlimited. I figured the fish must have settled into their new environment by now so I hit the upper part of the stream off Columbia Pike (244) near Lake Barcroft dam.
I began fishing just past the first crossing. I started with a size 18 brassie but drew no hits. After working the seam just outside the fast water for awhile I switched to a size 16 flashback pheasant tail and on the second cast picked up a very nice rainbow trout. Very fat and very healthy. No marks around the mouth so I was the first to catch him. After releasing this fish the action really picked up.
On the next eight casts I caught eight rainbows. I would cast upstream, let the fly sink, mend, then just when it was parallel to me I'd get a strike. After working this area for a bit I decided to move on downstream so I moved about 20 yards and continued to cast to the deep water and continued to pull in fish on every second or third cast.
I decided to try the deep pool at the second crossing and decided to use a size 14 flymph. This spot seems to have been stocked with a lot of brook trout because I must have caught six or seven of them and only a few rainbows.
I wanted to go further downstream to try fishing at some of the other spots but I used up all of my time just playing around on the water between the first and second crossing!
EQUIPMENT: I used a medium action 4-weight rod and double-taper line with 7 feet of leader tapering to 5X. The killer fly was a size 16 flashback pheasant tail and size 14 flymph.
DIRECTIONS: The upper section of Holmes Run Stream Valley Park is located just off 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 cross a bridge with a covered pedestrian walkway. At this point slow down and get in the right lane. The road will begin to slope 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 path to Holmes Run.
