This photo taken with a point-and-click camera shows Brumley Creek the day after the heavy rains from Tropical Depression Lee last week.  Normally, this creek is only about 10 feet wide during low water.  As a point of reference in the photo, the distance from the bank on the right side to the large tree in foreground in the middle of the creek is about 15 feet (and the width of the stream from the tree to the other side is at least about another 10-15 feet).

We went down to the creek in the evening to look around, and to see how high the water would have risen from the storm water runoff.  Usually this section of the creek is quiet, but there was a roar from the water that you could hear as soon as you opened the car door.

How do trout survive in such a rapidly changing environment?  This week over at the Orvis Fly Fishing Blog Drew Price explains.  Simplifying the explanation, the torrential flow we view from surface is moderated at the bottom, and there are places where the fish can hold and stay safe.

A little bit about Brumley Creek:  Technically, it is the closest trout stream to Abingdon.  It’s a small stocked creek less than 10 miles from town.  It doesn’t have a reputation for producing large or many fish, as there are not many holdovers from the previous seasons.  It’s also not regulated, i.e., it’s open to all fisherman who hold a trout license during the stocking season.  As stated above, it’s also small.  It’s still a pretty little creek though.

Note that this description is of the stocked lower section of the creek, which has about 1/2 mile or so of fishable water, on Trout Road.   The creek flows from Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area and down off of Clinch Mountain.