Fishing the New River Valley: An Angler's Guide (Paperback)

by M. W. Smith (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"I care not, I, to fish in seas Fresh rivers best my mind to please Whose sweet calm course I contemplate And seek in life to imitate. - Izaak Walton

Product Description
M.W. Smith launches readers on an informative journey to the best fishing spots in and around the New River Valley. Covering a wide range of prime fishing territory across western Virginia, Smith's guidebook explores techniques designed to increase the day's catch and locations certain to enhance an angler's enjoyment of the region's natural beauty.

'Fishing the New River Valley' includes lists of stocked trout streams, tips for successful wintertime fishing, live bait approaches, and spinning and fly-fishing suggestions. Smith offers helpful tips on fishing Claytor Lake for striped bass and walleye during cold-weather months and for smallmouth bass during the spring, summer, and fall. He also provides excellent information on float trips, wading, and fishing from boats at key points along the New River.

The book features a comprehensive map of New River Valley streams and specific fishing locations along with extensive listings of local guide services, tackle shops, rod and reel repair shops, boat dealers, and more. Whether you are a novice or professional angler, a visitor or a longtime resident of western Virginia, Fishing the New River Valley will tell you where, when, and how to catch more fish.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 94 pages
• Publisher: University of Virginia Press (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813920981
• ISBN-13: 978-0813920986
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,104 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hunting & Fishing > Fishing > Regional Guides > United States > South
  #8 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > West Virginia
  #13 in	Books > History > United States > State & Local > West Virginia

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Nothing New on the New: Big Fish On!", June 8, 2002

By	William Deaver (Savannah, GA USA) - See all my reviews

Mike Smith provides informative tips for fishing the New River, its tributaries, and Claytor Lake in this delightfully concise book that should fit into a tackle box, glove box, or back pocket when folded up. He tackles times of year, water conditions, bait selection, lure presentation, and methodology (whether wading or paddling a canoe) to help readers make a more informed decision about where and how to fish in order to change the act of fishing into the action of catching. Moreover, Smith goes into species specific strategies as well as more general tactics called "Big Fish Tips" such as my two favorites from the book, which are found on pages 32 and 57: "Practice stealth" and "One word--topwater." You can tell that Smith knows his fish and his prose flows effortlessly and steadily like the river he details. From time to time, he punctuates his tactics with anecdotes that range from nostalgic musings about trips with his grandfather to more recent waxings on conservation and the plight of trout and smallmouth as civilization encroaches on their habitat. I read this book on a flight from Atlanta to Lexington, KY and was impressed with the scope of Smith's knowledge in such a brief work. It really made me homesick for Virginia and a float down the New where I have seen and caught some of the big fish for which Smith gives his expert tips. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fishing and more particularly to anyone who will be fishing in southwestern Virginia.