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 | Front Royal Access VA DWR - Warren Co. - hand launch | Access / boat ramp | 38.91369, -78.20974 | Head of the Shenandoah mainstem, at the North and South Fork confluence. Hand launch. |
| 2 | South Fork Shenandoah River at Front Royal USGS 01631000 - real-time stage and flow | USGS gauge | 38.91400, -78.21083 | Roster gauge for this water, on the South Fork at the confluence - it is the best proxy for mainstem flow. |
| 3 | Morgan's Ford Access VA DWR - Warren Co. - hand launch | Access / boat ramp | 38.95783, -78.12171 | Hand launch below Front Royal, Warren County. |
| 4 | Lockes Access VA DWR - Clarke Co. - 1 ramp | Access / boat ramp | 39.10156, -77.96484 | Ramp in Clarke County. |
| 5 | Castleman's Ferry Access VA DWR - Clarke Co. - 1 ramp | Access / boat ramp | 39.12393, -77.89104 | Ramp at the VA 7 crossing - the lowest Virginia access before the West Virginia line. |
Gauge: USGS 01631000 — S F SHENANDOAH RIVER AT FRONT ROYAL, VA. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Redbreast Sunfish, 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.
Port Republic and Island Ford: upper South Fork launches near the forks.
Shenandoah and Newport: mid-valley boat launches and float segments.
Inskeep and Massanutten: state wildlife access ramps.
Bentonville and Karo Landing: the classic lower floats toward Front Royal.
Front Royal: town access near the gauge above the confluence with the North Fork.
Shenandoah River State Park: campground, ramps and river frontage.
Most launches are Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources sites requiring an access permit or license.
April and May: high water, pre-spawn smallmouth, musky fishing at its best.
June through August: the core float season, topwater mornings and evenings.
September and October: the best big-smallmouth weeks of the year, cooling water and fall color.
November through March: musky and cold-water fishing only; most outfitters are closed.