New River

[mudkart]

Out last meandering thread in NOVA got deleted, but, it had, inter alia, a relevant topic I don't want to drop.  The New River.  I want to go.  Let's hear some opinions.

[hokiefisherman93]

I would be down for a canoe/kayak trip come spring time

[NOVA Angler]

Looks like we could get a cabin at Claytor Lake relatively cheap.  I don't mind roughing it in tents, but the idea of a heated cabin is very appealing.

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/documents/feescabins.pdf

I'll start looking for a place to rent canoes/kayaks.

[NOVA Angler]

Canoe/Kayak rental as well as guided trips here...

http://www.icanoethenew.com/

[NOVA Angler]

Here is another outfitter...

http://newrivertrail.com/

[Thai]

Renting some canoes/yaks and a room sounds like a plan to me!

[mudkart]

Canoe/Kayak rental as well as guided trips here...

http://www.icanoethenew.com/

This is Stoudenmire's site, I've seen this.  There was an article about this outfit, and a float on the New, in one of last years VA G&F issues.  I'll look it up.

[NOVA Angler]

If someone wanted to split a guided float with me, I'd definetly be up for that.

[Thai]

If someone wanted to split a guided float with me, I'd definetly be up for that.

How much is the guided float? And if we do this it's going to be a full weekend thing right? So if we do the float there would still be another day of fishing with the other guys right

[NOVA Angler]

That's what I was planning.  Maybe guided float the first day and wading or canoeing the second day.  I think a full day float is $400 total.  Half day is $285.  I also heard the same things as VABasser about Claytor Lake.  I think it would be a waste of time to fish with such a great resource like the New River near by.

[NewAngler]

I'm also down for a weekend adventure. Drive down friday and fish all day saturday and sunday morning, and get back SUnday night...?

Also, I'm interested in following closely behind your guys' guided trip. I'll give you guys $5.

[NewAngler]

List so far of people in: If you need to pull out at any point take this list and take your name off and repost:

General consensus and telling me the New River for some massive smallies; yay, nay?

Mudkart.

Me.- In for smallies at the New

Nova Angler

Hoki.

Thai.

[VABasser]

I'm in since I'll already be down here at VT.  It seems like this is already the consensus but dont waste your time at Claytor, fish the New.  And like I said in my last post before the thread got deleted, I'm on the VT bass fishing team so the information from those guys and my own fishing trips around that time I'm banking on having a good idea of what the fish are doing/hitting.  Hopefully that equates to some big smallies for us all.  And if NOVA and Thai do a float the day before I'm sure they will have good info for us.  Should be a fun time

[hokiefisherman93]

When we looking at doing this?

[A.Do?]

I'm interested but it'd be dependent on the date

[mudkart]

My idea was the full weekend thing, Fri.-Sun. might be easiest for most people.  Depending on the week, i could also go on a Thurs.

When?  March? April?  April is prob. better for me (and Andrew, the 2nd quarter has ended!).  My guess is booking a cabin so far in advance is risky as springtime water levels can wash out the river and our weekend.  If I'm way out of the ballpark, let me know. 

The other option is to put it off until summer for more predictable water levels, but more fishing pressure, etc.

Just thoughts, lets hear some more.

[NewAngler]

Let's shoot for pre spawn or spawn, eh?

[NOVA Angler]

I say we try for early April (2nd-4th or 9th-11th).  What's everyone else think?  I'm not dead set on a guided trip but I definetly want to do a float of some sort. 

[Dan:]

When does the water warm up?

[NOVA Angler]

I guess it depends on what you mean by warm. Warm enough to fish or warm enough to swim? Don't smallmouth spawn in colder water than largemouth? I'm not sure on that but I'm sure someone can chime in. Here is an article that says late winter/early spring is best...

http://proxy.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/members/insider/bmmarchive/story?page=b_fea_fiverivers_BMM0510

Another article that talk about where fishing is best...

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/forecasts-and-reports/smallmouth-bass-river-fishing-forecast.asp

[Dan:]

Warm enough to wade. Canoeing/kayaking is a lot easier and more comfortable if the water is warm, especially with peddle-drive kayaks. I guess it's not a big deal as long as everyone gets a canoe or kayak or whatever.

[NOVA Angler]

Gotcha...I have waders that I planned to wear but I guess I didn't really think about it.  I will say that if we do a float trip I think it would be much easier to float upstream of Claytor Lake as I don't think you have the currents to deal with like you do below the lake.  If you don't have waders so you could stop the canoe and get out and fish some of the fall lines, I think it would make for a frustrating time (I've tried it).  I would say that wading in early April is pretty much out of the question without hip waders. 

[Dan:]

Gotcha...I have waders that I planned to wear but I guess I didn't really think about it. I will say that if we do a float trip I think it would be much easier to float upstream of Claytor Lake as I don't think you have the currents to deal with like you do below the lake. If you don't have waders so you could stop the canoe and get out and fish some of the fall lines, I think it would make for a frustrating time (I've tried it). I would say that wading in early April is pretty much out of the question without hip waders.

Yeah, that was pretty much my concern.

[New River]

Last year, it was mid-May before the fishing got decent enough to call it good fishing at the least.

This year... the water is even colder.

[NewAngler]

Welcome new river, glad to see what seems like an expert posting in here. Do you know the spawn time? Please, stay active in this thread. You seem to be what we need.

I've got an extra pair of waders, Dan. Breathable, though.