Heritage Day for Youth learning to fish on the Rose River
The First Saturday of April - Every Year--April 5, 2025

Day of Learning how to Fish the Blue Ridge Virginia Mountain Streams for Trout

Free Admission & Free Parking
Children Register for Prizes
Rain or Shine

What is Heritage Day?

A day of teaching the young ones how to be on the water, how to fish, how to care for our Mountain Streams.

Fishing - Stocked Trout 
Heritage Day will have sections of the Rose River for Children 12 and under to fish on for both the first Saturday and Sunday of April.

Other areas will be stocked for over 12 years and adults.

Exhibits and food will be available

The Outdoor Mountain Life

Trout Unlimited will be on the river to assist youth with fishing.
Ducks Unlimited with Ducks and Duck hunting and habitat.
Wild Turkey Federation - conservation of land for wild turkeys.
Va Dept of Wildlife Resources - for hunting and fishing guidance.
Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary - rescued wildlife.
Hay Wagon Rides - through Graves Mountain Farm and the Trout Pond Area
 

Vendors
Arts & Crafts vendors will be here with wonderful items to choose from.

Food Vendors 
Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, French Fries, Drinks, Kettle Corn, Funnel Cakes and more.

Start Time
Registration for prizes for Children ages 12 and under begins at 8:00 am at the Sycamore Pavilion at Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges, located along the Rose River.

The Rose River will open up to fishing at 9:00 am.  There will also be sections of the Rose River and the Robinson River for all ages to fish.

This year other activities will provide education and hands-on activities.

Trout Unlimited will have fly casting demonstrations, fly casting classes at a pond for children and adults, insect monitoring in the stream, and helping kids with fishing on the Rose River.

Details

• Registration begins at 8 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. Prizes given away every hour starting at 10 a.m.
• Every child 12 and under will receive a gift for registering.  Graves Mountain Lodge will have food available for sale at the picnic pavilion and also at the Main Lodge.
• Graves Mountain Farm and Graves Mountain Catch -n- Pay Trout Pond.
• Graves Mountain Market-Deli &Tackle (a country store located in Syria) has bait, tackle, sandwiches, snacks, beverages, seeds, fishing licenses and more.
• Children, 15 and under do not need a fishing license.
• More information please call, 540-923-4231.

Activities

• 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM Registration (All children registering receive a free gift).
  Prizes given out every hour starting at 9:00 AM
• 8:00 AM - Graves Mountain will have food for sale
• 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Craft Vendors are open
• 9:00 AM Children fishing starts (Must be 12 years old or younger).
  There will be other areas for fishing for adults
• 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Graves Catch and Pay Trout Pond will be open for fishing.  At the Trout Pond, you will need to pay for the trout that you catch, no fishing license is needed to fish in the Trout Pond.
• 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Trout Unlimited members will be on the river to assist children with fishing, learning about stream health monitoring by studying macroinvertebrates, Catch and Release Monitoring.
• 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Exhibits are open