Ed Mabry-Laurel Gorge WMA

Six miles of secluded mountain trout stream

 

By Lee McClellan

 

          Kentucky anglers, especially those who fly fish, often dream of an idyllic mountain setting to cast for trout without the crowds of the Red River Gorge.

          The new 750-acre Ed Mabry-Laurel Gorge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Elliott County provides such a venue. This cliff-lined gorge with a pristine mountain stream flowing through it is one of Kentucky’s little-known treasures.

          “This area is like walking into a miniature Red River Gorge,” said Tony Wheatley, lands coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “The timber there hasn’t been cut since 1947. Because of the limited access, it should get less fishing pressure.”

Laurel Creek, which flows through the gorge, averages 15 to 20 feet wide. Although mostly shallow, it does offer some deeper holes.

          The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources stocks 3,000 rainbow trout annually in April, May and June, along with 250 brown trout in early spring. “Once you are down in there, you can move up and down Laurel Creek and find some good holes to fish,” Wheatley said.

          The area is part of Laurel Creek Gorge and has rockhouses, waterfalls and moss-covered boulders shrouded by rhododendron and hemlock. The WMA stretches from cliff line to cliff line, making it a long, narrow piece of rugged property. “We are looking at preserving it as much as managing it,” said Steve Bonney, wildlife regional coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “It is a really unique area for our agency.”      

          The Ed Mabry-Laurel Gorge WMA is open under statewide regulations for all hunting and trapping seasons. “It is for the person who wants to get away from everything,” Bonney explained. “It is no honey hole, but rugged and very hard to get around. Some like that kind of thing. They like a challenge.”

          The area’s difficult topography should hold some mature deer. “It is certainly not an easy place to get a deer out of,” Bonney explained. “It is almost all cliff-bound and there is potential for some older deer in there because it is so rugged.”

          The area is closed to all terrain vehicles and horseback riding. Parking is limited pending further development.

 

To get there: From Morehead, take KY 32 east toward Sandy Hook. At the Elliott County line, take Stegall-Cold Springs Road to the WMA.