Cool Water Outfitters

This water is reached only on a multi-day backcountry expedition into the Monongahela National Forest, on a stretch of Shavers Fork of the Cheat River the outfitter says can be entered on foot or on horseback and no other way. The company bills it as the first Western-style horseback fishing trip mounted on the East Coast in more than thirty years. The season opens in early spring, when the fishing for big brook trout, browns and rainbows is at its hottest, and carries through June, when the dry fly fishing reaches its peak. Guides take the whole weight of the trip: getting the party in to the campsite, cooking three meals a day and putting anglers on fish once there. Itineraries are tailored to ability in both riding and fishing, from complete beginner to expert, and are built around what each party says it wants from the days. Anglers must carry a West Virginia fishing licence, a state trout licence and a national forest permit, all of which the outfitter links for purchase. The pitch is aimed squarely at anglers who feel they have exhausted the East Coast scene and want distance from crowds.