Pound River below Flannagan Dam Fishing Guides
The coldwater tailrace below John W. Flannagan Dam in Dickenson County, gauged for stage and rainfall but not discharge, feeding the Russell Fork above the famous gorge.
Guides on the Pound River below Flannagan Dam
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About the Pound River below Flannagan Dam
The Pound River below John W. Flannagan Dam is a short, cold tailwater in the far southwest corner of Virginia, deep in the Cumberland coalfields of Dickenson County. The dam holds Flannagan Reservoir and drains two hundred and twenty-one square miles of steep mountain ground, and below it the Pound runs only a few miles before joining the Russell Fork near Haysi. That junction matters, because the combined flow is what feeds the Russell Fork gorge downstream, one of the most demanding whitewater runs in the East.
The gauge at this site reads river stage and rainfall, and it carries no discharge series, which is worth knowing before you rely on it. There is no flow figure to check here, so plans should be built on the stage reading together with the Corps of Engineers release information for Flannagan Dam. The autumn releases that create the Russell Fork whitewater season come through this reach, and the difference between a wadeable tailwater and an unfishable torrent is entirely a matter of what the dam is doing.
Between releases the fishing is good and comparatively quiet. The cold water coming from depth in the reservoir supports trout, and Virginia stocks the tailrace, with rainbows the mainstay and browns holding over in the better years. Smallmouth bass and rock bass take over as the water warms downstream toward the Russell Fork, and walleye are present in the system. The reservoir above the dam adds walleye, bass and muskellunge for anglers who want still water.
Access runs off the Corps property at the dam and the roads that follow the narrow valley toward Haysi. This is remote country with limited services, so plan fuel and food around Clintwood or Haysi, and treat the release schedule as the first thing to check.
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Access
John W. Flannagan Dam - the Corps of Engineers structure at the head of the tailwater, with day use access.
Flannagan Reservoir - the lake above the dam, with ramps, camping and walleye, bass and muskellunge.
Haysi - the small town at the Russell Fork junction, the nearest services on the river.
Clintwood - the Dickenson County seat, with lodging, fuel and supplies for the area.
Russell Fork - the river the Pound joins, and the famous gorge run below the confluence.
Breaks Interstate Park - the park on the Russell Fork gorge downstream, the region's main destination.
Pound - the town upstream on the river above the reservoir, a landmark in the upper watershed.
Seasons
Spring: cold and often high with runoff and reservoir management, with stocked trout the main target.
Summer: low and steady between releases, the most comfortable wading and the best trout fishing of the year.
Fall: scheduled releases feed the Russell Fork whitewater season and the tailwater runs hard and fast.
Winter: cold, wet and quiet, with holdover trout possible and access on the mountain roads unreliable.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Pound River below Flannagan Dam?
Anglers target Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Rainbow Trout, Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye on the Pound River below Flannagan Dam in Virginia.
Where can you access the Pound River below Flannagan Dam?
John W. Flannagan Dam - the Corps of Engineers structure at the head of the tailwater, with day use access. Flannagan Reservoir - the lake above the dam, with ramps, camping and walleye, bass and muskellunge. Haysi - the small town at the Russell Fork junction, the nearest services on the river. Clintwood - the Dickenson County seat, with lodging, fuel and supplies for the area. Russell Fork - the river the Pound joins, and the famous gorge run below the confluence. Breaks Interstate Park - the park on the Russell Fork gorge downstream, the region's main destination. Pound - the town upstream...
When is the best time to fish the Pound River below Flannagan Dam?
Spring: cold and often high with runoff and reservoir management, with stocked trout the main target. Summer: low and steady between releases, the most comfortable wading and the best trout fishing of the year. Fall: scheduled releases feed the Russell Fork whitewater season and the tailwater runs hard and fast. Winter: cold, wet and quiet, with holdover trout possible and access on the mountain roads unreliable.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Pound River below Flannagan Dam?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Virginia agency site: https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/