North River Fishing Guides
A limestone valley river draining three hundred and seventy-six square miles of the Shenandoah above Bridgewater, gauged near Burketown for flow and stage, with trout in the headwaters and smallmouth on the valley floor.
Guides on the North River
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About the North River
The North River is one of the principal headwater rivers of the South Fork Shenandoah, draining three hundred and seventy-six square miles of Augusta and Rockingham counties. It begins high in the George Washington National Forest on the Allegheny front, drops through the gorge below Elkhorn Lake, and then flattens out onto the limestone floor of the Shenandoah Valley past Bridgewater and Burketown. Those two halves fish so differently that it is worth deciding which river you are going to before you leave the house.
The gauge near Burketown sits on the valley reach and reads discharge and stage, which is what a wader or a canoeist needs. The limestone geology underneath is the reason the river holds up better than its size suggests in a dry summer, because valley springs and karst seeps keep feeding it after the mountain tributaries have dropped away. A moderate reading is the sweet spot; a high one turns the valley river turbid and pushes fish to the banks.
Down on the valley floor this is Virginia smallmouth water, and good smallmouth water at that. Bass hold on ledges, current seams and the limestone shelves that define the channel, and rock bass, redbreast sunfish and fallfish fill in around them. Up in the national forest above Elkhorn Lake the river is a mountain trout stream instead, with wild brook trout in the feeders and stocked and holdover browns and rainbows in the gorge water.
Access is genuinely good by Virginia standards. The national forest covers most of the upper river and allows open wading, while the valley reach is reached through public bridge crossings and a handful of access points around Bridgewater, where Virginia’s float-fishing tradition on the Shenandoah system begins. Canoes and kayaks handle the lower river well at moderate flows.
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Access
Bridgewater - the valley town just downstream, the natural base with services and river access.
Harrisonburg - the regional city north, with tackle shops, guides, lodging and everything a trip needs.
Staunton - the city south in Augusta County, another full service base for the upper watershed.
George Washington National Forest - the public land covering the headwaters, with open access and the trout water.
Elkhorn Lake - the small mountain reservoir on the upper river, with trout fishing and a defined access point.
Todd Lake Recreation Area - a forest service site in the headwaters with camping and swimming.
South Fork Shenandoah River - the larger river the North joins, with celebrated smallmouth floats downstream.
Seasons
Spring: the best all-round window, with smallmouth active on the valley reach and stocked trout in the gorge.
Summer: limestone springs keep it fishable, with smallmouth best early and late and the headwaters the cool option.
Fall: falling water, cooling temperatures and aggressive smallmouth make this the most reliable float season.
Winter: cold and often high, with trout in the upper river the only consistent target.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the North River?
As of Oct 18, 4:45 pm, the USGS gauge NORTH RIVER NEAR BURKETOWN, VA reads 192 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the North River?
Anglers target Blacknose Dace, Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Fallfish, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Redbreast Sunfish, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Sucker on the North River in Virginia.
Where can you access the North River?
Bridgewater - the valley town just downstream, the natural base with services and river access. Harrisonburg - the regional city north, with tackle shops, guides, lodging and everything a trip needs. Staunton - the city south in Augusta County, another full service base for the upper watershed. George Washington National Forest - the public land covering the headwaters, with open access and the trout water. Elkhorn Lake - the small mountain reservoir on the upper river, with trout fishing and a defined access point. Todd Lake Recreation Area - a forest service site in the headwaters with campi...
When is the best time to fish the North River?
Spring: the best all-round window, with smallmouth active on the valley reach and stocked trout in the gorge. Summer: limestone springs keep it fishable, with smallmouth best early and late and the headwaters the cool option. Fall: falling water, cooling temperatures and aggressive smallmouth make this the most reliable float season. Winter: cold and often high, with trout in the upper river the only consistent target.
Where are the fishing regulations for the North River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Virginia agency site: https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/