Update April 5, 2024 at 10:30a.m. The North Fork of the Shenandoah River is still carrying some extra water but the color is almost back to normal. I would say that it is fishable but you need to be extra, extra careful on wading with the extra water volume. If we don't get anymore rain, by Sunday it should be back to normal levels. The South Fork of the Shenandoah River is still too high and muddy for fishing.
Update April 4, 2024 at 8:30a.m. Both the North Fork and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are currently too high and muddy for fishing. We will post updates as the conditions improve.
Posted April 3, 2024 The river water temperature is getting warmer and some of the smallmouths are leaving their deep winter feeding stations. Exactly where you will find them requires some explorations. Experience has shown me that hardly any of these bass will head to the three foot deep river banks where you will find them in July. I do catch some of these smallmouths below the 3-4 feet deep riffles on Murray's Marauder, Olive size 6 and along the 4-5 foot drop-offs along the tapered gravel bars on the Murray's Heavy Shiner Streamer size 6. Just experiment, then remember where you found the bass.
I just recently finished an article on Early Season Smallmouth Bass Fishing on Virginia's Rivers. These covers the smallmouth bass fishing in April and May with recommended flies and techniques.
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