It is not until the stream inches nearer to West Virginia that the percentage of catfish begins to match the fishery above Claytor, continued Copeland. Of course, another reason for the superior fishery may be that the New above Claytor receives far less fishing pressure than the lower section does.

In any event, look for the upper river channels and flatheads to lie in deeper pools during the day and to move shallower later in the evening, as the cats congregate in flats off the main channel and in cuts along the shoreline. Between 8 and 9 p.m. on a July evening is a golden time to catch these fish, although, of course, night-fishing can also be quite productive.

AUGUST
Bowfin: Chickahominy Lake
The bowfin is probably one of the least appreciated fish in the Old Dominion, but that's because of a flaw in us fishermen, not the fish itself says Harry Byrd.

"Bowfin strike viciously and are phenomenal fighters," he said. "One of the best places to fish for them is Chickahominy Lake, and the best time to go there is the whole month of August and the early part of September -- the hotter the weather the better. A citation is 30 inches, and my friends and I catch a lot of fish between 26 and 30 inches.

"Lots of times when I hear Chickahominy fishermen complaining about losing huge maybe state-record largemouths that fight so deep that they never see them, I am willing to bet what they really lost was a big bowfin. Another thing I like about bowfin is that they are one of the oldest fish on the planet and unlike a lot of popular Virginia fish are actually native to our state."

Byrd says that bowfin are extremely difficult to tire and, because of their teeth, can be treacherous to land. Harry either lands them under the belly or lips them while he is wearing heavy-duty gloves. But this species is not through fighting even when it arrives inside a boat.

"Bowfin have lungs, so they seem to become reinvigorated when they get inside your boat," continued Byrd. "They never seem to stop thrashing around, so don't bother to wait for them to become tired."

Because of those lungs, bowfin flourish even in hot, muddy water. On Chickahominy Lake, Byrd concentrates on sluggish, steamy backwaters in the back of creeks and also in main-lake coves. Watch for fish lazily finning about and "sipping air" he said.

SEPTEMBER
Channel Catfish: Upper Potomac
James "Catfish" Apperson, a guide from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, maintains that late summer is an excellent time to duel with channel catfish on the Upper Potomac.

"The end of summer brings a burst of activity from the channel cats," he said. "I fish for them from near the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac downstream to Point of Rocks. During the day, I find the fish on long dropoffs along the main channel. At night, the cats move up close to the banks on gravel bars. Weedbeds can be good anytime.

"An average channel will run around 6 pounds, but I have caught them up to 12 pounds and 33 inches long. Rarely will I catch one under 4 pounds because of the size of the baits I use."

Interestingly, Apperson believes that anglers who employ light tackle will catch more and bigger catfish, a precept that he learned from his late father. So the guide uses medium-heavy spinning rods and 8-pound-test mono, which results in his baits finning about in a livelier manner. For guided trips with Apperson, contact him at (304) 724-7373, or e-mail catfishcruiser@aol.com.