"As the month progresses, the smallmouths will spawn, and fishing is usually quite difficult for a week or so because the fish are not focused on feeding. As the water begins to clear and warm the latter part of May, the fish become much more active as they move into their post-spawn patterns. I really like using fall baits such as 4-inch Case Magic Stiks or Yamamoto Senkos in a variety of natural colors. I typically dead drift these baits through riffles and eddies. Fall baits can be very effective because the smallmouth can shift abruptly from feeding on the bottom to feeding looking upwards. Baits that fall slowly above the bass can be very effective."

Stoudenmire adds that typically, smallmouth fishing in May can be very slow and much patience is required to catch citation-quality fish. Numbers of fish are typically caught in the summer months, but the spring produces more citation smallmouths (that is, fish topping 20 inches and/or five pounds) than any other time of year on the New below Claytor. Stoudenmire urges anglers to catch, photograph and release these trophy bronzebacks, as anglers do not need to turn in a dead fish in order to receive a citation from the VDGIF. He also includes this cautionary advice.

"The New River below Claytor Lake holds numerous Class II and several Class III rapids," warned the outfitter. "Typically, the water is higher in early spring and the water and air temperature can vary over 25 degrees. Protection against hypothermia and excellent paddling skills are prerequisite to running the New during the early spring."

On the lower New, Britt Stoudenmire advises that all float fishing trips stop when the river is at 5,000 cubic feet per second and 3.5 feet at the Radford gauge. He also watches the Glen Lyn gauge very carefully and suggests that anglers not go out if the gauge there registers 7,500 cfs. Last spring and summer, there were many times when the river was running at several thousand cfs more at both gauges.

Stoudenmire adds that Claytor Dam releases are very important as well, as it can take 10-12 hours for that water to travel 30 miles downstream to Pearisburg. The outfitter suggests that fishermen also peruse the AEP website. He checks that site every morning before trips to see how much water is being released. The AEP site keeps semi-current data of the releases from Claytor Dam.

"In addition to the levels, much caution is needed when paddling on a big rise of water as the river will tend to push you towards its banks," continued Stoudenmire. "River clarity is also definitely important. We do not put people on a muddy river, no exceptions, because it is very hard to negotiate the normal river hazards because you cannot see them. And finally, if you do not feel comfortable paddling a higher-than-normal river such as the New in May, then wait for the summer."

The Old Dominion has several rivers that include intense, highly demanding stretches of rapids: the Maury River through the Goshen Pass and the James at the fall line in Richmond come quickly to mind. But, in my opinion, no river boasts so many potentially dangerous rapids, especially in the high water of spring, throughout so much of its length, as does the New River. Again, pre-trip planning is advised, as is calling a canoe livery beforehand and checking the U.S.G.S site.

Sam Rorrer, who guides for New River Fishing, takes an analytical approach to working the New below Claytor.

"I divide the water column into four, sometimes three sections: upper, high middle, low mid and bottom," he said. "Look for bedrock ledges that create a hardpan lift, that is, places where the current no longer runs smooth along the bottom, but is forced toward the surface, creating a disturbance.