South Fork Shenandoah Biologist Report 2024
During the fall of 2024, department biologists and technicians sampled the South Fork Shenandoah using boat electrofishing equipment. Nine permanent sites are sampled annually. The sites are evenly spread throughout the river, three are located in the upper river (Port Republic to Shenandoah Dam), three in the mid river (Shenandoah Dam to Luray Dam), and three in the lower river (Luray Dam to Warren Dam).
Smallmouth Bass
The South Fork Shenandoah River is known by anglers as a “numbers” fishery, meaning anglers can expect to catch a reasonable number of bass and sunfish on any given day. During our 2024 fall sampling we collected 710 Smallmouth Bass from nine sample sites at a rate of 85 fish per hour (Figure 1). Approximately 26% were 11” or greater, 6% topped 14” and 1% measured 17” and up. Our catch rate was nearly identical to the 2023 sample and down slightly from the long-term average. Despite the recent dip in catch rate, the population looks favorable, with good numbers of quality fish. Overall, our sample yielded high numbers of 8-11” smallmouth, a direct result of an above average spawn in 2021. This is typical for the South Fork, fantastic catch rates with lower numbers of quality sized fish. Our current catch rates would improve if we experienced an above average spawn in 2025. For the past two years we have had very low spawning success due to drought conditions. Smallmouth juveniles have a hard time recruiting to the population when we have extreme high water during the spawn in spring, or extreme drought during the summer. Hopefully we will have more favorable weather in the coming year to help boost the population.
During the spring biologists and hatchery staff raised fingerling smallmouth bass at the Front Royal Fish Cultural Station. This effort is part of a long-term smallmouth bass stocking project. A 16km study site was selected ranging from Newport dam to the Whitehouse boat landing. In 2024, 6,700 fingerling smallmouth were stocked and spread between 6 sites. Each bass was marked using oxytetracycline to help biologists determine the percentage of stocked fish that recruit to the population. Hopefully survival will be high and help bolster the poor year class experienced in 2024.
The South Fork has had its fair share of struggles over the years with fish health problems, but by in large the fishing on the Shenandoah should be excellent in 2025.
Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass also present excellent opportunities for anglers, as this river harbors a quality population. Finding 2 to 4 pound fish should not be difficult in deeper, slower sections when woody debris are targeted. Overall, 60.2% of our sample contained quality sized fish (>12”) with a majority falling into the 10-16” size range. The Shenandoah River is a sleeper largemouth fishery for quality bass. Although there has been a reduction in overall numbers of largemouth, anglers should see a slight increase in the number of 15-20” bass in the coming years.
Muskellunge
There is also the opportunity to catch Musky in the longer and deeper pools. VDWR periodically stocks fingerling-size musky on the South Fork Shenandoah River at 15 sites stretching from Port Republic to Front Royal. It was last stocked in 2024 with 2,983 fingerling musky (approximately 3-4”). There has been limited evidence of muskies reproducing naturally in the South Fork, therefore they must be stocked to sustain a fishery. Musky are stocked to add diversity to the fishery and provide a challenging trophy fish for anglers to target. Adult musky densities are not as high as some of the other rivers in the state due to the lack of consistent pool habitats. However, when you come across a pool on the South Fork, anglers have a good opportunity to encounter one.
Each winter our biologists and technicians sample the river specifically for musky. They sample 4 sites using three electrofishing boats. During the last sampling event in early 2024 they collected a total of 49 fish at a rate of 4.9 fish per hour, with a majority falling in the 30 – 38” range. After a few down years, consistent stocking has had a positive impact on the population. Anglers can expect the number of fish in the 40”+ class to increase in the coming years. Musky grow fast in Virginia, with females reaching citation size (40”) in 5-6 years.
To learn how to fish for musky, please visit: dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/fish/muskellunge/
Sunfish
Another success story for the Shenandoah is the Sunfish population, specifically the Redbreast Sunfish. After a seven-year downturn in the population from 2014-2020, the population has rebounded nicely (Figure 2). For the past three years we have observed catch rates running above the long-term average, with 21% of our catch measuring >6” in length. Our catch was the second highest since we started sampling the South Fork, so anglers should have no trouble hooking high numbers of panfish.
Channel Catfish in the 2 to 6 pound range are common, and anglers should concentrate on the lower South Fork when targeting them. Don’t be surprised if you catch quality-sized Rock Bass, Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Fallfish, or Black Crappie.
Figure 1
Figure 2