Holy mackerel, you say, there’s trout fishing in Arlington? You bet your bass there is.
On Saturday morning more than 100 anglers showed up at Bon Air Park, not far from the high-rises of Ballston, for the beginning of Arlington County’s trout season. From 9:00 a.m. to noon, the kids 15 and under has free reign of the prime fishing spots along Four Mile Run, without adult competition.
Arlington’s trout season lasts about six weeks, effectively ending when all the trout have been caught. Trout cannot naturally survive in Four Mile Run due to the lack of cool, shady spots during the summer, so the county parks and recreation department contracts with a fish hatchery in West Virginia to stock the stream from Barcroft Park to Bon Air Park every third weekend in March. An annual Four Mile Run stream clean-up, every second weekend in March, is timed to coincide with the beginning of trout fishing season.
The trout program has been around for nearly 20 years, but was nearly canceled this year due to the county’s budget problems. The go-ahead for this season came in at the last minute, which caused a drop in attendance on Saturday due to the lack of advance notice, according to veteran park ranger Lynda Kersey. About 600 anglers from all over the area will take advantage of the trout fishing by the end of the season, Kersey said.
Volunteers from Trout Unlimited were on hand Saturday to help park rangers stock the stream, answer questions and set up fishing lines. Volunteer Dan Kelly said he could only think of three or four other stocked trout streams in the immediate Alexandria/Falls Church/Fairfax area.
Trout caught locally can be eaten but should be thoroughly cleaned and cooked first, according to the parks department. Anglers over the age of 15 must have a Virginia State Fishing License, available for sale at National Pawnbrokers (3100 Lee Highway) or at the Sports Authority in Potomac Yard.
Recent Stories

Need help dealing with anxiety, depression or stress?
If you’re struggling to cope with anxiety, depression or stress, our virtual psychotherapy services can help. We offer a confidential and convenient service that’s tailored to your needs.
In our practice, cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT) is an important tool we use to provide effective relief for those facing anxiety and depression. We believe that cognitive change can be used to improve behaviors and emotions, thus allowing you to achieve mental wellness. By understanding the cognitive distortions that lead to negative thought patterns, we are able to create interventions tailored to each of our clients. This empowering approach can help you gain control of how your own thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors impact your experience. With CBT, our service provides an effective treatment that can bring long-term change and mental stability.
Book a free consultation today and see how we can help you live a happier and healthier life.

St. Charles offers a play-based curriculum in a welcoming, Christ-centered environment.
Our program focuses on socio-emotional development and kindergarten readiness through hands-on and engaging activities. Our programs offer different schedules ranging from 7:30 am-5:30 pm for students, ages 2-5. We feature a full-day Jr. kindergarten class for older 4’s/5’s. Our facility includes a full-sized gymnasium, school chapel, and library. All of our students enjoy music and physical education weekly. Children have an opportunity to participate in enrichment classes such as soccer, basketball, ballet, and science.
We offer Summer Camp with weekly themes and twice a week water play, including Fun Friday moon bounce. Please join us for our Open House Feb. 3 at 9:30 am and 11:00 am. Click here to sign-up.
For more information or to schedule a tour, visit us at www.stcharlesarlington.org or call (703) 527-0608.
Almost, Maine
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, join us for a series of vignettes that revolve around the theme of love. Taking place in an almost-town called Almost, Maine, we will show you different, but important, facet of love in each
First-time Moms Meet & Greet
The truth, your first pregnancy and new mom months are full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and lots of questions! None of us really know the best way to do it – we just figure it out, together…