This river in southwest Virginia has unexpected trout options!
On The Fly Freshwater
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August 2025
Article and photos by Jimmy Jacobs
A visiting angler standing on the shore of Virginia’s Smith River for the first time would find it difficult to believe that it is even trout water. This is the oldest tailwater in the Old Dominion, as it cuts through the lowlands just northwest of the small city of Martinsville. Indeed, virtually all of this tailwater below Philpott Lake in Henry County is the only trout water in that county.
The flow is sluggish, with very minor riffle areas and crystal-clear water when little power generation is taking place. Additionally, the entire length of the trout water is in an urban to suburban landscape. Included in the structure the trout use for hiding can be old tires or even shopping carts. If that doesn’t sound to you like much of a trout angling destination, you’d be wrong.
Philpott Dam on the Smith River.
From the foot of Philpott Dam downstream for 31 miles to the County Road 636 (Mitchell Road) bridge, the Smith River provides the best tailwater trout fishery in Virginia and some of the top wild brown trout fishing found in the eastern U.S. The dam at Philpott was completed in 1953 and the next year trout were first stocked in the river. It was soon observed that the brown trout began reproducing in the flow. In fact, 60 percent of all the water in Virginia that supports stream-bred browns is in the Smith River.
In 1974 the river started to gain a reputation for yielding browns in the 14- to 18-pound range. Those fish topped out with Bill Nease’s June 1979 catch of an 18-pound, 11-ounce fish that stands as Virginia’s Historic State Record for the species.
Those out-sized brown trout were supported by large numbers of stunned alewives flushing through the dam’s generators. For unknown reasons, that bonanza of forage disappeared in the decade of the 1980s. Today those giant fish are no longer present, but brown trout of low double-digit sizes are taken annually.
The Smith River has 60 percent of the Old Dominion’s wild trout water.
Due to the quality of the angling, all of the Smith River tailwater is managed under special regulations. To prevent confusion, here’s the actually wording of the regulations regarding gear and harvest limits: No brown trout 10 to 24 inches, only 1 brown trout per day longer than 24 inches. The length limit for rainbow and brook trout is 7-inch minimum. The creel limit for all trout combined is 6 fish per day, and only one brown trout can be larger than 24 inches. The use of bait and any combination of artificial lure is allowed throughout this section of river. (A trout license is required in the Put-and-Take, stocked sections of Smith River October 1 through June 15). Bait allowed.
As noted in the regulations, there are two stretches of the river that are stocked. Those releases are dominated by rainbows, with some brook trout as well. The first of these runs from the foot of the dam down to the mouth of Town Creek that enters the north side of the river. Through here virtually all of this section of the river forms the border between Henry and Franklin Counties, and is stocked five times from October 1 to May 15.
The second put-and-take portion runs from the Trenthill Drive bridge at North Bassett down to the community of Villa Heights. Here the river received planting of fish eight time from October 1 to May 31.
While the angling possibilities on the Smith are outstanding, don’t expect the fishing to be particularly easy. The river is up to 100 feet or more wide throughout its course. Almost all of it is wadable. But, be aware that stealthy wading is difficult. The water is so calm that any quick movement will send waves coursing out across it and wary fish will take cover.
The Smith is noted for providing some of the best dry fly angling in the Old Dominion. That’s based on massive afternoon hatches of Light Cahills, Hendricksons, olive midges and caddis flies in May and June. During those hatches the browns will become quite focused on the predominate insect and the correct size. Those are often in size No.16 to 20. If there is no obvious surface feeding, your best bet is to try a Blue-Winged Olive pattern in sizes as small as No. 26. In summer through October, attractor terrestrial beetle or ant patterns are the ticket. Black or cinnamon ant imitations as small as No. 26 are great options.
Like most tailwaters, the Smith is not wadable during releases of water from Philpott Dam. Just below that structure a 3-foot wall of water sweeps downstream when the generators start turning. Farther downstream when the rise has had time to flatten a bit, big brown trout begin to stir. Tossing big streamers from a boat or shore can fool some very good browns.
Public access to the tailwater is good just below the Philpott Dam. On the south shore a parking lot is at the trailhead for Smith River Trail. This path runs a half-mile along the river with several entry points. On the north side there’s also a half-mile of access. Here you find a parking lot, canoe launch and restrooms. Along County Road 727 (Stoneybrook Drive) that parallels the water as it approaches the main access – first as a paved road, then gravel – there are several turnouts for parking and entering the river.
Bridge crossings offer some good access to the Smith River trout fishing.
Farther downstream several bridge crossings provide limited parking and access. The best of these are at CR 674 (Philpott Drive) bridge in the Philpott community, just upstream of the mouth of Town Creek. Also in Bassett, the VA 57 (Fairystone Highway) bridge and CR 673 (Bullock Drive) bridge provide access points. Finally, the T.B. Stanley Highway Bridge between Stanleytown and Bassett Forks is a good one.
Additionally, there are 11 canoe and kayak access points along the Smith River Blueway in the trout fishing area. For a list of those, click here.
