One of the most popular floats is the new catch-and-release area (all black bass must be immediately returned to the water) running from the Sandstone Bridge on Interstate 64 downstream 12 miles to the National Park Service Grandview Sandbar access site near Quinnimont. The take-out can be accessed from state Route 41 and the put-in from state Route 20 at Sandstone.

Another shorter six-mile float is available from Shanklins Ferry to Indian Creek above Bluestone Lake. The area is not nearly as scenic as sections of the New downstream of Bluestone Lake, but bassin’ action has become increasingly prevalent during the last few years on this short float.

If you’re looking for big smallmouths, it will be tough to find a better fishery than the New River.

GREENBRIER RIVER
The Greenbrier River ranks as one of West Virginia’s best rivers to float, partially because most of the river is easy to navigate and partially because the river’s smallmouth action can be extraordinary.

The river features a gentle gradient, cobble substrate and plenty of quality smallmouth bass habitat. Passing through a wide, fertile valley, the river maintains enough productivity to sustain a quality fishery.

The fishery itself showcases a thriving smallmouth population encompassing numerous smallmouth bass and some trophy potential with big bass showing up on occasion. The Greenbrier is home to many good-sized smallmouth bass with the majority falling in the 10- to 15-inch category. Smallmouths greater than 20 inches are available, but the strength of this river system remains substantial quantities of 10- to 15-inch bass.

Spring and summer are the best times to hook into smallmouths on the Greenbrier. During this active period, smallmouths will aggressively attack topwater lures, and to a smallmouth fanatic it doesn’t get more exciting than that. Greenbrier River smallmouths seem to really love topwater lures, and anglers can do well with buzzbaits and prop baits.

Smallmouth fishing during a leisurely float down the Greenbrier River is a heck of a way to spend the day. The entire Greenbrier River offers good bass fishing, but the six-mile special regulation section from the U.S. Route 60 bridge near Caldwell to the U.S. Route 219 bridge at Ronceverte deserves special attention.

This area features a 12- to 20-inch slot limit and allows for harvest of one bass per day over 20 inches and up to six bass per day under 12 inches. This regulation is designed to increase the number of large bass, and over time, anglers should be able to really see the results.

Other quality floats on the Greenbrier River include the 8.5-mile float from Alderson to Pence Springs and the 8.5-mile float from Ronceverte to Fort Spring.

The Greenbrier is an excellent choice for serious bass anglers, family fishing outings or just an evening of wade-fishing.

O’BRIEN LAKE
This Jackson County impoundment may be the state’s most overlooked and under-promoted bass lake. O’Brien Lake isn’t very large at 217 acres, which might explain why many anglers ignore this lake; however, this small impoundment sure has the ability to produce big bass.

A catch-and-release regulation on black bass has been in place since the lake opened in 1987. The regulation certainly has played a role in producing trophy bass, but the lake also has a good bit of timber and other quality cover. Several acres of standing timber offer places for lunker bass to hang out and provide logical locations for anglers to target bass. Rock ledges can also be bass hotspots on O’Brien Lake