Dr. Peter Brookes New River: Located in Southwest Virginia, the New River is considered North America’s oldest river, and one of the world’s oldest rivers, second only to Egypt’s Nile. Also notable, the New flows northward, rather than southward, on its journey from its headwaters in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains into Virginia and then on into West Virginia; most East … [Read more...]

  By Emily Strother     There’s a tick in Virginia that can make you allergic to red meat, and it found me while I was hunting spring gobblers. It’s a fact that ticks and hunters are drawn to the same places—where there’s abundant wildlife, vast spaces to roam, and the raw scent of nature when the wind blows in the springtime. Speaking from experience, it’s almost … [Read more...]

By Sherman Shifflett (Intro by Jim Brewer: Raising chickens is becoming more and more popular, even in urban areas and subdivisions. The spiraling price of eggs has only increased interest and demand. Plus, chickens are fun to have around. Here are some notes from my old friend, the late Sherman Shifflett, about his experiences raising chickens.) Except when I was in college and in the Army … [Read more...]

By: William Horton William Richard (Dick) Bennett was a “salt of the earth” kind of guy.  He was hard working, thrifty, honest, and moral. He loved his family and was a respected member of the West Asheville community and treated all those who he encountered with respect and dignity no matter their station in life.  As a Freemason, he believed in meeting with others “on the … [Read more...]

By Dr. Peter Brookes   I’m always up for a challenge and decided to try for a Virginia Bass Slam. The Bass Slam requires the angler to net three species of Virginia bass in a year. The eligible fish include the largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, and/or a hybrid striped bass. While a full year is allotted for completing the Virginia Bass Slam Challenge, netting three bass … [Read more...]

On June 10, Danny Arbogast of Millboro, Virginia, landed a 3-pound, 12-ounce fallfish from the Cowpasture River to record the new state record for that species. Hall caught the trophy-sized fish with spinning tackle using a live minnow. The fish measured 20 ¾ inches, with a girth of 11 inches, and was officially weighed at the DWR regional office in Verona, Virginia. After biologist verification … [Read more...]

By Alex McCrickard   Have you ever had to end a great fishing trip early due to accidentally hooking yourself? Safety should never be overlooked when spending time on the water fishing. Without a doubt, it’s essential to make sure you are dressing for the weather, checking river flows or lake conditions, keeping an eye on the radar and forecast, wearing a life jacket if you are on a … [Read more...]

    By Dr. Peter Brookes   You don’t hear much about Buffalo Creek,, but fly fishing phenoms (and friends) Joe Irby and Derek Hutton have been trying to get me to come down to wet a line in the stream for quite a while. I was interested, but like everyone else I was “busy.” Looking back now on that piscatorial procrastination, putting off fishing Buffalo Creek was a … [Read more...]

By Alex McCrickard/DWR   During the coldest months of the year, anglers often find solitude on the river.  Many choose to wait the winter out, cozying up to a fire inside the warmth of their homes. However, for the angler that does choose to brave the elements out on the water, patience and persistence are essential to success. Fishing for smallmouth bass in the wintertime can be … [Read more...]