Mile-for-mile, fishing writers have said the New River produces more citation smallmouth bass and muskie than any other river in Virginia. What does that mean for you? Every time you make a cast in the New River, your chances of hooking into a trophy smallmouth are better than anywhere in the state of Virginia. The New River holds four state records for smallmouth (8 lbs, 1 oz.), muskie (45 lbs 8 oz), and hybrid striped bass (13 lbs). Claytor Lake also holds the state record for spotted bass (3 lbs 10 oz).
Whether you’re parking for the day and wading, or camping for a weekend you can have access to – what we think – is the best smallmouth fishing on the New River.
One of the reasons the smallmouth fishing is so good here is that the Junction established a strict catch-and-release policy for fishermen (and women) in 1993, and extended that policy to all NRJ visitors including tubing and campers in 1995. Fish numbers were dwindling 30 years ago, but today numbers are higher than ever.
Whether wading, tubing, canoeing or kayaking, a typical day can easily result in landing 50-75 smallmouth bass. Add in the many red eyes along with an occasional catfish, or a muskie that steals your favorite plug, and that will make for a pretty good day of fishing.