Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505090053
SECTION: DISCOVER NRV PAGE: DNRV-56 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KENNETH SINGLETARY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
And, local experts say, the fishing has been rebounding in recent years, after heavy use a decade ago decreased fish populations. Recent restocking efforts and an emphasis by anglers on not keeping their catches have seen more varieties and larger stocks throughout the valley, avid anglers say.
Most New River Valley anglers gravitate toward bass fishing, though fly fishing has its local aficionados. Catfish, bluegill and perch are popular varieties.
The appeal, local people say, is hard to describe. But a lot of the lure revolves around the thrill of the chase.
"You have to just learn their habits. They're in different places at different times of the year, and you just have to go find them," said Martin Hanbury, owner of Blacksburg Feed and Seed, which offers an extensive array of fishing equipment.
"That's the great thing about it. There's a lot of hunting to be done."
The two favorite hunting grounds for bass anglers in the New River Valley are the New River and Claytor Lake. Any place on their shores, anglers say, could be a lucky spot, depending on a host of variables, such as time of day and water temperature.
The question of bait also is a matter of preference. Live bait and lures each have their partisans.
Any bass angler will quickly run up against the sport's subtleties, Hanbury said. Largemouth bass like to ambush their prey from their hiding places in tangled branches and thick cover. Smallmouth bass prefer rocks and gravel beds.
"There's a lot to it. There's more than you think," said Hanbury, who has been fishing for 30 years. "There's a lot I don't know yet."
Bass in these parts can reach 5-6 pounds and muskie can weigh in at 30 pounds, said John Zienius, owner of Big Z's in Radford, another well-stocked fishing shop.
Trout fishing is possible in some of the valley's streams, though there is no guarantee such fish will be there. The summer weather warms the water so much that it eventually becomes no longer hospitable for trout. Local authorities restock trout streams, such as Big Stony and Poverty, periodically.
Virginia's decision to open trout fishing year-round means crowds should diminish, said Andrew Dolloff, an assistant professor of fisheries and wildlife science at Virginia Tech. Even so, the best trout fishing in the country still will be found in places like Montana and Idaho.
But fishing in the New River Valley, no matter what kind of fish you might be after, has a bottom line:
"For me, it takes your mind off day-to-day work. All you think about is being out in nature," Zienius said.
Fishing neophytes should be forewarned: licenses are required in many places, and size and number limits also have been instituted. Zienius said the slot limit on bass, which holds that all bass measuring 12-14 inches must be thrown back, has resulted in more fish for everyone. Fish of those lengths are of optimum breeding size, he said.
by CNB