Every organization we link to: local tourism offices, the state and federal agencies that manage the land, the nonprofits and clubs that keep access open, and the universities doing the research.
Elk River Fly Fishing Weekend
Cold tailwater below Sutton Dam holding wild browns, a sulphur hatch worth planning around, and smallmouth downstream when the trout water gets busy. Central, quiet water that sees little fishing pressure for how good it is.
Day by day
The tailwater
- 8:00 amCheck the release schedule, then fish the catch-and-release section below Sutton Dam.
- 1:00 pmLunch in Sutton, then work new water upstream.
- 7:00 pmEvening sulphur hatch in season. This is the reason to be here in May and June.
Downstream
- 9:00 amWork downstream toward Clay where the river transitions to smallmouth.
- 2:00 pmFish from a kayak if you have one; access points double as launches.
- 6:00 pmCamp at Sutton Lake or stay in town.
Lake or hills
- 9:00 amSutton Lake for bass and muskie, or Burnsville Lake nearby.
- 1:00 pmOr drive to Holly River State Park for stocked water and a hike to Upper Falls.
Before you go
Book ahead
- A license and trout stamp from WVDNR, online before you travel
- Lodging in Sutton or a campsite at Sutton Lake
- A guide for a first visit, since access points are not obvious
What to bring
- 4- or 5-weight for the trout water; 6-weight for smallmouth downstream
- Sulphur patterns for the evening hatch in May and June
- Wading staff. The tailwater bed is uneven and flows change with releases
- Check the dam release schedule before wading
If releases blow out the tailwater, the Cranberry and Williams rivers are 90 minutes southeast and rain-independent.
Outfitters and lodging on this route
Itinerary pages carry the highest booking intent on the site. Placement is sold per route.
List your business hereWhere you'll be
Elk River
One of the finest and least-known trout fisheries in the Appalachians.
Sutton Lake
A 1,440-acre Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Elk River in Braxton County, with several campgrounds, quiet coves and the dam that creates the Elk tailwater fishery below.
Holly River State Park
West Virginia's second-largest state park at 8,101 acres, in a narrow valley of hemlock and hardwood with waterfalls, cabins and a rugged trail network.
Elk River Rail Trail
A developing rail-trail on the former Buffalo Creek & Gauley and Elk River Railroad grades, opening a long, remote corridor along the Elk between Gassaway and Clendenin.
Burnsville Lake
A 968-acre Corps reservoir on the Little Kanawha with the Bulltown Historic Area on its shore — Civil War earthworks, a preserved farmstead and a well-regarded campground.
What you'll be doing
West Virginia has roughly 1.5 million acres of public land and a handful of places that carry almost all of the attention. The consequence is that a great deal of very good ground sits nearly empty, usually for one of three reasons: nobody has heard of it, the road in is gated or rough, or it is undeveloped and has nothing to advertise. Those are the places below — of them across regions.