Even for the posted lands, a lot of landowners are very nice and will let folks come down to the river and fish. Again, just be sure to ask, and you'll be surprised at how cooperative the landowners are."

As Scott stated, the Greenbrier does feature numerous access points throughout its length. From upstream to down, those access points are at Renick, Anthony Bridge, Caldwell, Ronceverte, Fort Spring, Alderson, Pence Springs, Talcott Bridge, Barger Springs and Willow Wood Bridge. The last access point is just a few miles above where the Greenbrier flows into the New River at Hinton.

Both in the winter and in other seasons, I have bank-fished and wade- fished from a number of these access points. If you plan to wade the river, Mark Scott offers some sound advice.

"I strongly encourage people to consider wearing a lifejacket," emphasizes the biologist. "Any flowing water, at any season, can have an undercurrent that could prove dangerous."

Of course, any river, including the Greenbrier, must be treated with respect, particularly during the wintertime. If an individual slips and falls now, he may experience extreme shock to his nervous system as the cold water strongly and negatively impacts (perhaps slams would be a better word) a submerged body.

Scott also maintains that anglers should always keep their lifejackets on if they plan to float the river now, and I strongly agree. I have written about this incident before, but it bears repeating. A decade or so ago, a friend and I were float-fishing a river in very early spring. The water and air temperature were both around 50 degrees.

To slow his canoe down so that he could more thoroughly work the best sites, my buddy began dragging an anchor. The anchor began to hang along the bottom, causing the craft to periodically lurch violently. I begged my friend to bring in his anchor, but he refused. A few minutes later, the anchor lodged on a rock, and the two of us were promptly propelled from the boat.

When the 50-degree water hit my chest, I felt as if I had been punched in the chest and experienced great difficulty breathing. Both my friend and I struggled to swim the 20 yards to the bank, and when we arrived, we were exhausted.

Consider this fact. In the Greenbrier during February, the water temperature will likely range from the middle to upper 30s to the middle 40s. If I was barely able to swim a short distance in 50-degree water, how many anglers could swim a long distance in, say, 35-degree water? I know that I could not swim very far under those conditions.

Earlier I mentioned the four standard options for floating the Greenbrier: canoes, kayaks, johnboats and rafts. Few people float the river from point A to point B at this time of year, but for those who are thinking of doing so, the river contains several sections that could prove especially dangerous, especially if you are afloat in a johnboat or canoe.