I am just starting to get some surface fishing along the shaded banks for smallmouth bass with a Shenandoah Chartreuse Chugger size 6. Cast in close to the bank and fish the Chugger out ten feet by using a 6 inch stripping action every 5 seconds. Make successive casts five feet further down the river and repeat the bug action.
Access #12 (Good's Landing) on the South Fork and access #4 (in Woodstock) on the North Fork are great spots for fishing a chugger.
Both the North Fork and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are in perfect shape for smallmouth bass fishing--clear and fishable.
| Ft | CFS | |
| North Fork (Mount Jackson) | 3.90 | 638 |
| North Fork (Strasburg) | 2.60 | 499 |
| South Fork (Luray) | 3.32 | 909 |