Rainbow Trout Stocking in Stoney Creek: WPOA-Issued Permits Needed
/Updated May 17, 2016, June 7, 2016, February 21, 2017, March 16, 2018, February 17, 2019.
The rules of use for the pond are straight forward:
(1) Every property owner wishing to fish at this pond must have a Wintergreen Property Owners Association-issued special fishing permit. The permit, conspicuous orange in color, must be displayed at all times when fishing. This requirement applies only to this trout pond. (No permits are required for any of the other WPOA ponds.)
Permits will be available at the WPOA Community Office Building. Keep in mind that all anglers, whether fishing at this specially designated pond or elsewhere in Stoney Creek, must also have in their possession a valid Virginia fishing license.
(2) Family members and guests are welcome to fish, but they must be accompanied by a property owner displaying the WPOA-issued special fishing permit.
(3) Typically each authorized angler may keep three trout per day. All other trout that are caught must be safely released, which means minimizing trauma or damage to the fish.
(4) To minimize trauma or damage to fish, only single, barb-less hooks are allowed. If you normally use barbed hooks, you must use pliers to pinch and remove the barb. There are no exceptions to this rule.
(5) New in 2019: Only flies and artificial lures may be used. Power bait is not allowed, nor is live or food bait of any type (worms. minnows, corn, etc.).
(6) All anglers at the pond are asked to report their total trout catch and indicate if a trout was kept as permitted, by emailing that information to the special email address shown on the WPOA-issued fishing permit. We encourage everyone to do this. Knowing catches and takes are essential if we are to properly manage this pond now and into the future for our mutual enjoyment.
(7) Protecting this pond and its trout for the enjoyment of all Wintergreen Property Owners and their families and guests is paramount. Accordingly, exclusive access to and use of this pond by property owners and their families and guests will be protected and strictly enforced by Wintergreen Police. Police patrols to the pond will be visible and frequent. When using the pond, be alert to unauthorized anglers and report violations of trespass immediately to the Wintergreen police.
Wintergreen Property Owners fishing wanting to fish the Trout Pond are required to display a special angling permit. Wintergreen Police will be regularly checking the property. The permits are available from WPOA. (Guests Permits are available from WPOA for $20 a day.)
WPOA’s trout pond can be accessed via Deer Run or Lake Monocan. Details HERE.
The first of stocking trout was facilitated by the Wintergreen Property Owners Association in collaboration with WSC on February 25, 2016. A team of WSC volunteers feed the trout.
The stocked pond is one of the results from the six-pond research project completed in the fall of 2015 by WSC in cooperation with Lynchburg College and WPOA. The pond, located immediately adjacent to Lake Monocan and at the drainage end of a three-pond series, was selected for the stocking because of its numerous physical and biological attributes. The pond has signage in place designating it as a special fishing area.
The pond was open to fishing on March 3rd, 2016 by all Wintergreen property owners, their families, and guests.
In the fall of 2016, with the cooperation of WPOA and donations from the community coordinated by the sporting club, aerators were added to the trout pond.
