James River

The James River is Virginia's defining waterway and one of the premier smallmouth bass fly fishing destinations in the eastern United States. Flowing 340 miles from the Allegheny Highlands to the Chesapeake Bay, the James offers an extraordinary range of fly fishing environments — from the wild freestone upper river near the headwaters to the famous Richmond gorge, where the river carves through the heart of Virginia's capital city in a stretch of Class II through IV rapids that provides world-class urban fly fishing unlike anything else in the country.

Smallmouth bass are the James River's flagship fly rod species, and the river's reputation is fully earned. The section from Lynchburg downstream through Scottsville and into the Richmond gorge holds concentrations of 12 to 20-inch smallmouth that aggressively take streamers, surface poppers, and subsurface crayfish patterns throughout the summer and early fall. These fish are big, strong, and numerous — a trophy smallmouth river by any measure. Muskellunge are present in certain sections and provide an exciting bonus target for anglers willing to throw large flies on heavy rods.

The upper James above Lynchburg offers a different character — a freestone river running through mountain farmland and forest with a more intimate feel. Wade fishing is productive here, especially in summer when smallmouth move into shallow gravel bars and riffles to feed actively on surface poppers in the morning and evening. The river's freestone character through much of the upper section means clearer water and more sight-fishing opportunities than the bigger water downstream.

The Richmond gorge section, accessible by kayak or wade from multiple downtown parks, provides a unique experience: world-class smallmouth fishing with the Richmond skyline visible from the river. Belle Isle and the Hollywood Rapids section are iconic urban fishing venues that produce surprising numbers of large fish. Guided float trips on drift boats and kayaks are available throughout the accessible sections of the James, and the network of canoe landings managed by the James River Association makes this one of the most boatable trout rivers in the East.

Spring and early summer bring peak smallmouth action as fish recover from spawn and begin aggressively feeding. Fall is equally productive as fish fatten for winter. The James is a river where an angler can spend a career exploring without exhausting it.