Hello , welcome to the February edition of our newsletter!
It’s been brutally cold here in the New River Valley as of late, and portions of the river have actually frozen over. Needless to say, we haven’t been running very many trips the past few weeks and are eagerly looking forward to getting back on the water with the warm-up ahead! Walleye are already on the move and will begin staging to spawn later this month and next. February and March are excellent months to target both walleye and muskie on the same float, so give us a call if you’re interested in booking a “hybrid” trip. Over on the Smith River, trout should start looking up soon with the emergence of caddis and small black stoneflies. For the trophy hunter, our private trout water is loaded with big rainbows as well. Check out our website for more information.
Fishing Reports
Upper New River (above Claytor Lake)*: The New is flowing around 1100 cfs at Allisonia. We’ll be starting up our pre-spawn walleye float trips in a couple of weeks, anchoring up in the staging areas on the river between Buck Dam and Claytor Lake. For folks with a jon boat, Foster Falls State Park is an easy access point and a productive spot to fish.
Lower New River (below Claytor Lake)*: The New is flowing around 1200 cfs at Radford. Muskie fishing is the ticket here this month. Fish should still be holding in the long, slower moving, deeper pools for now.
*WARNING: There are currently sections of the New River that may be impassable by watercraft due to excessive ice.
Smith River: Punxsutawney Phil predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but fishing should start to heat up on the Smith in the next 30 days or so.
We are currently seeing very low flows in Bassett (around 75cfs) and cold water temps. That will last for another few weeks as the lake continues to rise. Once lake levels return to guide curve, expect flows of 250 cfs again. This is an excellent time to start floating the “in town” section of Bassett where there are plenty of stocked and wild fish to be caught.
Early March brings the big fish in the lower river section to the surface for caddis flies. Nymphing will also be productive in deep buckets and pockets where anglers can be rewarded with some nice wild browns. There are only a few dates left, so book now!
Now is also a good time to start thinking about spring trips and getting ready for the sulphur hatch. Prime time is May through July. Don’t miss out on a great season of dry fly fishing!
Private Trout Water: Once the creek thaws out, expect to find trophy-sized rainbow trout that are eager to take a fly!
Hosted Trip: Our next group trip will be to Swain’s Cay Lodge located near the middle bight of South Andros Island, Bahamas in November. This area is renowned for its excellent flats fishing for bonefish and other species. There are only 6 spots left, so if you’re interested please give us a call or send a text for more information.
Mike Smith | New River Fly Fishing
P.S. If you would like to book your next trip or just want to find out more about us, you can do so by visiting our website here.
