Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson River below Gathright Dam USGS 02011800 - real-time stage and flow | USGS gauge | 37.94846, -79.94922 | Roster gauge for this water, at the top of the tailwater. Gathright releases set the whole reach. |
| 2 | Covington Access VA DWR - Covington - 1 ramp | Access / boat ramp | 37.75643, -79.98666 | Ramp at Covington, below the Gathright tailwater. |
| 3 | Island Ford II Access VA DWR - Alleghany Co. - hand launch | Access / boat ramp | 37.77892, -79.93385 | Hand launch below Covington, Alleghany County. |
| 4 | Low Moor Access VA DWR - Alleghany Co. - hand launch | Access / boat ramp | 37.80049, -79.87069 | Hand launch at Low Moor. |
| 5 | Clifton Forge Access VA DWR - Alleghany Co. - 1 ramp | Access / boat ramp | 37.81389, -79.82428 | Ramp at Clifton Forge, the lowest mapped access above the Iron Gate confluence. |
Gauge: USGS 02011800 — JACKSON RIVER BL GATHRIGHT DAM NR HOT SPGS, VA. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass
Regulations: dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
Gathright Dam and the Natural Well: the top of the tailwater, walk-in access.
Johnson Springs: Corps of Engineers access below the dam.
Hidden Valley Recreation Area: upper Jackson access above Lake Moomaw, camping and trails.
Indian Draft and Smith Bridge: mid-tailwater public access points.
Petticoat Junction: the standard lower takeout above Covington.
Covington and downstream: warmer water, smallmouth bass.
Streambed ownership is contested on parts of this river; respect posted reaches and float through.
Year-round tailwater; the cold release keeps it fishing in any month.
March through May: sulphurs and caddis, moderate releases, the best hatch weeks.
June through August: cold water when everything else is warm; check release schedules daily.
September through December: terrestrials into fall, brown trout on streamers, very light pressure.