INDEPENDENCE, Va. (WFXR) — The first thing you notice on the upper New River is how quiet it is. All you hear is the sound of birds and water, and maybe a little wind.
The Upper New is one of the last wild streams left in Virginia. While there are access points near Independence, Virginia and Galax, Virginia, it is only navigable by float craft, canoes, and kayaks. It is narrow, tree-lined, and shallow.
It is also one of the prime smallmouth bass and muskellunge fisheries in Virginia and North Carolina. The stream straddles both states.
“There’s a lot of big fish in this stretch,” said fishing guide Chase Bowman of New River Charter. “Don’t let the depth fool you; we’ve seen 45-inch musky this morning, we’ve seen 18-plus-inch smallmouth.”
Standard musky and smallmouth baits and techniques will work, but the smallmouth seem to really like topwater baits, especially early in the morning.
There are plenty of fish, and most days, you will have the river to yourself.
“You won’t run into many people,” Bowman said. “We’ve seen one kayak today. You’re off the beaten path. It’s just you and nature out here.”
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