What Memories This Photo Stirred

It has been nearly 50 years since I fished the waters of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, but many pleasant memories were stirred the other day when I saw this photo of the picturesque river in one of the reports produced by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

Surface run-off from the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, parts of the Allegheny Mountains, Massanutten Mountain, and ground water from the karst regions of the Shenandoah and Page Valleys make up the flow of the South Fork. A fifth-order stream that averages around 100 feet in width, the South Fork flows north for 97 miles, where it meets the North Fork.

The subtrate of the river varies from bedrock to cobble and boulder. Several species of rooted aquatic vegetation are found throughout the river. This vegetation can become quite dense during the summer months.

The South Fork is popular for tubing and paddling. With 20 public access points along the entire length of the river, there is an opportunity to plan many different float trips of varying distances. Except for the public-access points and small sections of George Washington National Forest land on the west bank of the river, the majority of the land bordering the river is private property.

Long, flat runs and pools provide excellent fishing for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and redbreast sunfish. There also are decent numbers of channel catfish and even a few muskies. Anglers will find success by using curly-tailed grubs, spinners, tubes, and minnow imitations.

A float trip on this river is an excellent choice for novice anglers or paddlers. There are plenty of fish, and the river is easy to navigate.

Will never forget the period from about 1966 to 1972, when I was assigned to staff duty in various offices within the Office of the Chief of Navy Information in the Pentagon. The work was challenging and the fishing a dream come true. Many a day I spent fishing a number of different Mepps spinners (and once in a while a Big O) for smallmouth, and many a moonlit night I spent anchored in a riffle, fishing for channel catfish with live bait. I still can hear the sounds of those ol' owls keeping me company from their perches in the trees along the banks.

I can truthfully say the Shenandoah River never disappointed. I always had a couple of smallmouth as table fare for the old-timer, whose johnboat I rented on the banks of the river back in those days. He preferred the fish to his normal $2-a-day rental fee. Life was so much simpler back then.