To book a float contact Jeff Kelble at:  540-837-1478  or  email:     jeff@fishinginvirginia.net

Save the Shenandoah visit:   www.potomacriverkeeper.org

• I'm the only guide running this float, and you just won't find many other fishermen, except for the occasional summer wader. It's hard to believe this six mile float terminates within earshot of Washington, DC.
• Popular kayak destination due to a half dozen class III rapids.
• The first half contains some excellent smallmouth water in places and remarkable scenery.
• Midway through the float is a deep trench with walleye and smallmouth, seasonal opportunities for some big fish.
• The last half of the float are my home waters, rarely float-fished due to access limitations.  This is one of the few stretches on the Potomac that does not have significant aquatic vegetation, rock ledge and broken rock bottom create great habitat.  This water has yielded impressive results over the past three years and now with shad and stripers making the full migration to Great Falls, the additional sport and forage fish should add a new dimension.
• Occasional striped bass, walleye are common during certain seasons.

• First portion is a constant class I (maybe class II) rapid with smallmouth habitat galore.  A favorite float/wading destination of many locals.
• After the rapids and riffles come several miles of very consistent cobblestone bottom with some minor ledges in the first half and some very attractive ledgework in the second half.  Primary targets are shorelines and laydowns.
• This area was the slowest to recover from the '96 floods but it's back.  I'm the only guide willing to float it in a raft due to somewhat difficult entry/exit portage- so don't expect a lot of company from fellow float-fishermen.

• Excellent float for big fish during fall and spring cold water period.  Fish enter predictable winter locations en masse and are very accessible.
• Wonderful weekday summer float, not selected on weekends due to boat traffic.

• Major Fish Kill 2004-2005 eliminated the Smallmouth Bass fishery.
• Floats range from 5-10 miles
• This guide believes that the Main Stem Shenandoah hides the most big fish in the watershed
• Expect the possibility of a full sun-up to sun-down float on the long ones
• Some of the most textbook-perfect smallmouth water available on the Potomac Watershed. This river is renowned for its ledges, gravel and cobblestone shoals, islands, undercut banks and granite flats with grade, and is heavily vegetated with stargrass during normal or low flow years. 
• Great flyfishing water on this float.  Often this river will account for the majority of 18" plus fly caught smallmouth during my season.
• The banks of these very fertile waters are considered home by eagles, hawks, osprey, heron, kingfishers, beaver, turkey, deer, mink and your guide.

• Major fish kill during 2004 where we lost most of the mature bass and sunfish in this river.
• The N. Fork frequently offers prime fishing conditions when the rest of our watershed is un-fishable, often the float of choice during the spring.
• The first float is unique, as the river rounds the Massanutten Mountain Range.  The other float is more typical of the N. Fork and is punctuated by a large bend in the river which abuts the Mountain.
• Noted for light pressure, this branch of river is misunderstood as a fishery.   The fish in this river are voracious feeders, often triggered in the spring by minor warming trends and in the summer by a good rain.   Average fish typically larger than on the South Fork Shenandoah
• Floats range from 5-7 miles
• Portage of a sheet-flow dam is required on one float, during most river conditions I run it in my raft while the clients walk the short portage trail.

• Major fish kill wiped this river out in 2005.  Some sections saw near complete elimination of smallmouth bass, while there are NO sunfish left to be found in this river.
• I began exploring the potential of the lower South Fork Shenandoah for guiding during 2002.  It has the reputation among many as being crowded, overfished and full of canoers and tubers.  But I began to use the river heavily during the incredibly high water season of 2003 when I found that it's high population of fish overcame any of it's potential negatives. Besides, the floats I've chosen don't suffer from crowding like many of the others. This river helped save my guide season during 2003, and I relied on it heavily during 2004.  So I've grown more and more fond, and have found that my fishermen find the river fascinating and gloriously scenic.  Not only could I count on this float for numbers of fish but also for mid to large size fish.  The ledgework in sections of this float are absolutely stunning. Thank you Trace Noel of Shenandoah River Trips in Bentonville helping me select the right floats and helping me gain access to the river.

Susquehanna River - Montgomery's Ferry to Duncannon - One Day

• Typically targeting water-willow/gravel humps, occasional ledge structure, expansive broken rock/cobblestone flats, and islands
• This river is nearly 3/4 mile wide and not a secret (except for some special spots within the float!)  For that reason I don't mind naming the float destination

Susquehanna River - Duncannon to Marysville - One Day

• Very similar to Montgomery's Ferry to Duncannon Section with the addition of some deep ledge systems and the Dauphin Narrows.
• Dauphin Narrows ledge system and rapids are easily fished with Playing Hookie's Maravia Eco New Wave Self-Bailing Raft.  Sneak among the many available "drop in" pools to fish where only kayakers dare to go.

Playing Hookie block books floats on this river during mid summer and during the typically low flow periods of the fall

• Smallmouth metabolism is slowing as the river cools and fish are getting chunky
• Typically low water levels are ideal for the Playing Hookie Raft, while unsuitable for jetboat guides.  Thus, weekday floaters often find themselves alone and surrounded by smallmouth.
• Without exaggeration, we've seen days where each angler boats many dozen fish, 80% of which are over 14 inches (referred to as "Susky Porkchops" by Dave Motes an MKFS Guide)

If you choose to go on your own please consider staying at the Doyle Hotel ($17.50-$25 per night) in Duncannon - that's where I used to stay when I went up each fall.

• Inarguably Virginia's premier trophy smallmouth river. Home to the new state record caught in March 2003, a smallmouth that weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce, also home to fish that have challenged it!
• Four stretches of river have been selected, depending on river and weather conditions. This is a tremendously deep river featuring productive smallmouth water down to 15 feet in some cases, deepest hole is over 60 feet. If the fishing stinks, the 400 foot cliffs and 100 foot rock spires and columns make this a top five most beautiful stretch of Virginia River.
• Block booked trips only, time period selected for prime prespawn conditions and heavy hungry fish.  Over the years down on the New, we have landed an average of one five pound smallmouth (on certifiable scales) for every four trips  Check out some of the photos in the photo gallery.
• This river is also full of Musky, during the spring they seem to be as inclined to eat a well presented bass lure as anything else. We landed eleven musky in the four weeks of guiding in 2004, several topped 40".

Block booked dates only-please call for reservations early so I can add weeks if required.  The cost for this float in 2005 is $400 and I provide drinks for all, please bring your own lunch..  Booking March 7 - April 8, 2005.  Most anglers stay with me at The Little Sycamore Cabin located on the river for a modest per night fee ($65 - split between anglers)